- Smartphone giant OPPO has launched the OPPO Reno 12, the first Android smartphone with live photo sharing and retouching features. With its live photo sharing, users can now instantly share animated photos with their friends and family as they happen.
- Live photo feature on Android smartphones offers enhanced convenience and personalisation in shooting and sharing moments, with further innovation expected in the future.
OUR TAKE
The OPPO Reno 12’s debut signifies a major step forward in the world of mobile photography and social sharing. As the first Android device to offer live photo sharing and retouching, it sets a new standard for what users can expect from their smartphones. With the Reno 12, OPPO has not only met but exceeded the demands of the digital age, offering a device that is as powerful as it is user-friendly.
–Rebecca Xu, BTW reporter
What is a live photo
Apple revolutionised smartphone photography with the introduction of the live photo feature on the iPhone 6s and its subsequent models. This innovative functionality allows users to go beyond traditional static images by capturing a short video clip, right before and after the shutter is pressed. The live photo doesn’t just record the scene; it encapsulates the ambiance and motion, effectively bridging the gap between still photography and video recording.
The live photo feature enriches the user’s photographic experience by providing a snapshot of the moment in a more dynamic way. It records a 3-second video segment along with the audio, creating a hybrid media file that can be stored as a standard photo file but offers a moving and auditory glimpse into the past. When users play back a live photo and press on the screen, they are greeted with a short animation that brings back the moment vividly, adding depth to the memory of the photo.
Live photos bring a whole new level of creativity and expression to photography. They capture the essence of a moment in a way that traditional photos simply can’t, making memories truly come alive.
Tim Cook, Apple CEO
The playback of live photos is seamlessly integrated into the iOS ecosystem. Users can interact with these photos just like any other image in their gallery, with the added benefit of witnessing the scene’s liveliness. This feature is not only a technical marvel but also a significant step towards a more immersive and interactive way of remembering and sharing life’s moments. The Live Photo stands as a testament to Apple’s commitment to enhancing user experience through technology that feels both intuitive and magical.
“Live photos bring a whole new level of creativity and expression to photography. They capture the essence of a moment in a way that traditional photos simply can’t, making memories truly come alive.” said Tim Cook, Apple CEO.
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OPPO Reno 12 pioneers live photo sharing and retouching for Android devices
Amidst a flurry of anticipation-building events, OPPO formally declared on May 20 of this year that the OPPO Reno 12 series will embrace the capability to share live photos, marking it the pioneering device within the Android smartphone ecosystem to support such a feature. OPPO Reno 12 photos taken with the live photo feature will not only be viewable in the season but also uploadable to social network platforms.
The Reno 12 is designed to pioneer new trends and debut groundbreaking technologies as a “trendsetting tech icon.”
OPPO’s Chief Product Officer, Liu Zuohu
OPPO’s Chief Product Officer, Liu Zuohu, stated, “The Reno 12 is designed to pioneer new trends and debut groundbreaking technologies as a ‘trendsetting tech icon.’ We are resolute in not positioning it as a mid-range device merely waiting to adopt flagship store technologies.”
OPPO’s integration of the live photo sharing feature represents a strategic collaboration with Xiaohongshu, a social networking platform akin to Instagram. This partnership has enabled OPPO Reno 12 users to directly share their live photos on the platform, offering a seamless and interactive way to engage with their audience. The synergy between OPPO’s innovative technology and Xiaohongshu’s vibrant community is set to enhance the social sharing experience, allowing users to capture and convey the vibrancy of life’s fleeting moments with ease and creativity.
This latest addition to the OPPO family brings a new dimension to the mobile photography experience, allowing users to not only capture but also share and edit their live moments seamlessly. Previously, Android phones capable of taking live photos could not share them on social platforms. And those photos are more aptly named motion photos compared to live photos.
Pop quiz
What’s the biggest difference in live photo feature between OPPO and Applel?
A. Apple’s live photos can be shared but OPPO can’t.
B. OPPO’s live photos can achieve beauty without third-party platforms but Apple can’t.
C. Live photos is an Apple feature, but OPPO requires an additional download.
D. Apple’s live photos are presented in the form of photos, while OPPO’s are presented in the form of videos.
The answer is at the bottom of this article.
Differences between live photos and motion photos
Live photos and motion photos, while similar in concept, have distinct differences in their implementation and functionality.
Implementation: Live photos, a feature pioneered by Apple, encapsulates a moment with both a still image and a short video clip that includes sound, saved in a format that combines JPEG for the image and MOV for the video. In contrast, Android’s motion photos integrates the moving element into the photographic frame itself by embedding video directly into the JPG file, creating a single file that captures motion, without the need for an accompanying video file.
File format and storage: Live photos by Apple allocates a distinct video file alongside the photographic image, resulting in larger file sizes yet enabling interactive features such as 3D Touch. Conversely, motion photos on Android devices encase the video sequence within the image file, forming an all-in-one format that could face compatibility issues when used across different platforms.
User interaction: With live photos, users can activate the motion by pressing on the photo, a feature supported on Apple devices with 3D Touch. While motion photos typically require a play button to activate the motion, offering a more manual playback method.
Ecosystem integration: Live photos are seamlessly woven into the Apple ecosystem, supporting advanced functionalities like using them as interactive wallpapers. On the other hand, Motion photos might not offer the same level of integration with non-Android platforms, which could restrict their features and usability on a broader range of devices.
Sharing and compatibility: Live photos can be easily shared among Apple devices, with the motion and audio intact. But sharing motion photos may involve converting the file or using specific apps that support the format, which might not be universally supported.
Device support: Live photos are supported on iPhone 6s and newer models, with features like haptic feedback and integration with iMessage and iCloud. Motion photos are supported on select Android devices, with varying levels of support and feature availability.
Innovation and adoption: Live photos represent Apple’s approach to enhancing the photography experience with motion and sound, reflecting a trend towards richer media capture. And motion photos demonstrate Android manufacturers’ response to the demand for dynamic photography, with a focus on file compactness and platform-specific features.
Both features aim to add a dynamic element to traditional photography, allowing users to relive the moment more vividly. However, the technical implementation and compatibility with different devices and platforms set them apart.
Technical barriers that Android needs to overcome
Creating a live photos-like system on Android poses several technical hurdles that need to be overcome. One of the primary challenges lies in devising a storage and file format solution that efficiently combines a JPEG image with a video file within a single file. Secondly, achieving system-level integration akin to iOS’s immersive live photos experience necessitates deep integration into the Android system, potentially requiring modifications to existing APIs or the introduction of new system APIs. Ensuring compatibility across a diverse range of Android devices and versions is also crucial, requiring thorough compatibility testing and the development of adaptation layers to deliver consistent and seamless live photos functionality for all users.
Optimising performance is another critical aspect in replicating the live photos ecosystem on Android. This involves enhancing camera APIs and overall system performance to ensure swift real-time capture and encoding of live photos content without any delays or disruptions. Moreover, focusing on privacy and permission management is essential. Android must ensure that live photos adhere to user privacy settings and permission protocols by potentially modifying the permission system to uphold user data security and confidentiality.
Efforts to leverage hardware encoders like MediaCodec can further enhance encoding efficiency on Android devices, improving video quality and reducing processing time for live photos-like content creation. Providing robust developer tools and comprehensive documentation is also essential to guide developers in implementing live photos features effectively. Clear guidance on API design, permission requests, and performance optimisation is critical to support developers seeking to integrate live photos functionality into their applications successfully. By addressing these technical challenges, Android can deliver an experience akin to Apple’s live photos while upholding the openness and diversity that characterise the Android platform.
The future trends of live photos
The OPPO Reno 12’s debut signifies a major step forward in the world of mobile photography and social sharing. As the first Android device to offer live photo sharing and retouching, it sets a new standard for what users can expect from their smartphones. With the Reno 12, OPPO has not only met but exceeded the demands of the digital age, offering a device that is as powerful as it is user-friendly.
As social media continues to be a primary avenue for sharing personal moments, Android live photos are poised to become more integrated with these platforms.
In the future, we can expect Android live photos to be supported across a wider range of social media platforms, possibly with added functionalities. For instance, live photos could include interactive elements, such as filters, stickers, or animations that react to the live content. Additionally, Android devices may offer one-tap sharing options, live photo previews within social feeds, and even the ability to create live photo albums or stories that last longer than the current limits, providing a more dynamic and engaging way to share life’s moments with friends and followers.
The correct answer to the pop quiz is B. OPPO’s live photos can achieve beauty without third-party platforms but Apple can’t.
