Verizon Wireless has launched a new software update for the LG G6, introducing a number of new software features including the Super Bright Camera function which was borrowed directly from the newer LG G7 ThinQ. The update is identified by software version number VS98820c and the package includes the Android security patch for the month of July. Its official changelog also mentions two additional camera features – Flash Jump-Cut and a QR code scanner as a built-in alternative for users who might have been relying on third-party solutions so far.
As the name implies, Super Bright Camera is a feature designed specifically for low-light photography. After the update, it will be presented in the camera viewfinder as a specific icon which blinks for roughly three seconds whenever the camera is being used in low light conditions (3-10 lux) and can be activated automatically in very low-light environments of 2 lux or less. Users can also take advantage of Super Bright Camera during video recording but there are a few caveats as the mode is not available in UHD and HDR modes or when capturing 60fps videos. Likewise, the mode cannot be enabled after a recording has already begun. Moving on, the changelog further exemplifies how users can take advantage of Flash Jump-Cut, which is the name of a continuous shooting process that allows users to capture between four and twenty images at intervals of three seconds to create GIFs. Lastly, while originally the LG G6 lacked a built-in QR code scanner, the latest update seems to add one directly into the camera application where it can be enabled from the settings menu.
The LG G6 was launched in mid-2017 running Android 7.0 Nougat and the variant launched by Verizon Wireless in the U.S. has been updated to Android 8.0 Oreo earlier in May. This latest release doesn’t include a newer version of Android OS but regardless, it brings the device closer to its direct successor – the LG G7 ThinQ – in terms of software features. It’s not unusual for OEMs to make newer premium-grade features available to older flagship models via software updates, assuming that the hardware allows it, and it looks like the LG G6’s dual 13-megapixel camera is equipped well enough for it to borrow the Super Bright Camera mode from its younger sibling which happens to carry two main 16-megapixel modules.
