Last week, OnePlus rolled out its first Android 11-based OxygenOS Open Beta for the OnePlus 7 and 7T series. The update brought a new version of the OnePlus Camera app — version 6.4.23 — which contains new assets, strings, and code hinting at new camera features. These features are not yet live on the latest update but could be enabled on future devices. With the company's next flagship release set for March, here's what we know about the camera features that it could debut.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Tilt-shift mode

One of the new features mentioned in the update is called "tilt-shift." This is referring to tilt-shift photography or miniature faking, a photography technique to make scenes appear much smaller than they actually are. Here are the strings that have been added:

        <string name="capture_mode_tiltshift">Tilt-shift</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_1">1. Select location</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_1_detail">Tap the screen to change the location of the blurred area.</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_2">2. Adjust the scope</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_2_detail">Adjust the blurred area with two fingers.</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_3">3. Adjust the angles</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_3_detail">Change the angles with double finger rotation.</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_4">4. Adjust intensity</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_4_detail">Tap the button to adjust the intensity of the blurred area.</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_end">Try it Out</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_guide_start">Steps to take perfect photos:</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_overview">Tilt-shift mode can transform the world into a miniature version. Buildings and people will resemble tiny models in the shifting lens, displaying the visuals of an \"artificial city\" in photos. Here are some samples!</string>
<string name="tiltshift_introduction_title">About Tilt-shift mode</string>

Thanks to XDA Member Lossyx, we are able to post screenshots of the tilt-shift mode's introductory activity to show what the feature will look like in the OnePlus Camera app, but our tipster wasn't able to capture any actual tilt-shift photos from their device.

Credits: XDA Member LossyX

Starburst

When you point your camera at a bright source of light such as the sun, you may see a radiating star-shape rather than a dot. This is called the starburst effect, and it appears that the OnePlus Camera app will offer a dedicated mode to capture a photo with this effect. The camera app will likely choose an optimal aperture that's both small enough to achieve the effect but also large enough to maximize overall image sharpness.

        <string name="starburst_hint_close">Starburst is off</string>
<string name="starburst_hint_open">Starburst is recommended while shooting with a light source</string>
<string name="night_mode_hint_starburst_effect">Starburst Effect</string>

Moon Mode

While the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro probably won't have a periscopic telephoto camera — at least according to tipster Max. J. — OnePlus is hopping on the moon mode bandwagon for those looking to capture photos of the night sky. The camera app will offer a selection of different filters to adjust the color of the moon.

        <string name="settings_moon">About \"Moon Natural Colour Solution\"</string>
<string name="filter_black_white_moon">B&amp;W</string>
<string name="filter_moon_black_white_new">OBW 2</string>
<string name="filter_moon_mono">OBW 1</string>
<string name="filter_moon_snapseed">OBW 3</string>
<string name="filter_pop_moon">Vivid</string>
<string name="filter_soft_moon">Matte</string>

Hyperlapse

The OnePlus Camera app already offers a time-lapse mode, but it seems it'll soon offer a dedicated hyperlapse one as well. Whereas time-lapses are generally stationary, hyperlapses add movement over long-distances.

        <string name="hyperlapse">Hyperlapse</string>
<string name="user_assistive_put_subject_inside_frame">Please put the subject in the frame</string>

Focus peaking

Lastly, one string points to the addition of a focus peaking feature in the OnePlus Camera app. This feature will likely highlight any in-focus areas in the viewfinder if it's anything like the feature found in many mirrorless cameras.

        <string name="content_description_peeking_focus">Focus Peaking</string>
    

As I previously mentioned, none of these features seem to be live for users in the latest version of the OnePlus Camera app. Thus, we suspect that these features are reserved for upcoming device launches, either in the Nord line of the main numbered series. We know OnePlus is working on a number of new devices, but we don't know which devices will be the first to debut these features.


Thanks to XDA Member Some_Random_Username for the tip and to PNF Software for providing us a license to use JEB Decompiler, a professional-grade reverse engineering tool for Android applications.

Featured image: the OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 edition