If you have a spare Pixel phone sitting in a drawer, it just became more useful. Google has expanded Connected Camera, a Pixel feature that lets a second camera join your video feed, to 11 new communication and work apps.
From Streaming Trick to Everyday Tool
Until now, the feature mostly lived in entertainment and social apps: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
As Android Authority notes, the new Pixel Camera Services update, version 4.1.977867365.00, adds Google Meet, Gmail, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Telegram, Skype for Business, WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, Facebook Messenger, and Discord, taking the total from five to 16.
The practical result, as Beebom Gadgets describes it, is a second angle during an ordinary call.
Keep your main Pixel device in front of you, park another across the room for a wider shot, and switch between them mid-call.
Android Authority compares it to a mini TV studio, with the host app’s native filters and effects still working.
How to Set It Up
According to Beebom, you start by turning on Connected Cameras under Settings, then Connected devices, then Connection preferences.
During a call, a floating button opens the Camera Picker, where Add Pixel lists nearby Android devices signed in to your Google account. On the second phone, tap Grant access and choose the front or back camera.
A GoPro works too: pair it under Connected devices, and it appears in the Camera Picker automatically.
The Fine Print
Not every Pixel qualifies. Beebom lists the Pixel 9 series, Pixel 10 lineup, and the Pixel 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Fold as supported, and both phones must use the same Google account. You can also connect only one extra camera at a time.
The update arrives through the Play Store and should install automatically, though Beebom notes it may take a few days to reach everyone.
Android Authority is candid that most people don’t need a multi-camera setup, so this won’t change daily calls for everybody.
Source: Your Pixel can turn into a mini TV studio, now in 11 more apps
