Android 11 forces users to use the built-in system camera app

Google is currently bringing new adjustments in the Android 11 beta. This adjustment is about the calling the camera API function in Android 11. In the old version of Android, when the app calls the camera, it will list all the camera applications that the user has installed.

However, in the new version, Google has adjusted its strategy. When a third-party app calls the camera function, only the default camera can be used, and the third-party camera cannot be opened directly.

The explanation given by the Google engineer for this change is the right balance of protecting user privacy and security, but the engineer did not elaborate on privacy issues.

We guess that Google’s meaning may be that it is worried that calling third-party camera apps to shoot certain content will be stolen by these cameras and uploaded to the server to reveal user privacy.

And the user takes the initiative to open the third-party camera app to shoot that is the user’s own business, this has nothing to do with Google even if the leak occurs, the user is responsible.

The above changes are only adjustments made in the native version of Android 11. Usually, Google will write documents to restrict OEM manufacturers, that is, certain functions OEM manufacturers must not customize and must follow Google’s instructions.

It is unclear whether the calling the camera API function this time will force the OEM to use it and not change it. There is no relevant document or description to indicate this situation.

However, from a security point of view, this change by Google seems to be understandable, after all, for most users who often take selfies, it does not actually have much impact.

Via: Android Police