The announcement of a dormant processor in the Pixel 2 was quite exciting. When Google announced the processor would be switched on in a future update coming soon it was assumed that it would be in the just released Android Oreo 8.1 Developer Preview, but not so it seems with a note stating it will be coming in Developer Preview 2.
The note was found by Ron Amadeo of Ars Technica who tweeted a link to the release note for Oreo DP1, where the developers advise it’s not quite ready in DP1, but will be in Developer Preview 2, which is due this month. The note says:
Pixel Visual Core is Google’s first custom-designed co-processor for image processing and machine learning on consumer devices. If your app uses the camera APIs and you have a Pixel 2 device, you’ll be able try an early version of Pixel Visual Core starting in Developer Preview 2, planned for November 2017. Testing on Developer Preview 1 is not yet supported.
The Android Oreo 8.1 Developer Preview is currently available for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL devices, as well as for Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P – but only the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL handsets have the relevant hardware. Once switched on, the Pixel Visual Core will be accessible by third party developers allowing them to take advantage of the super-charged HDR+ quality of the Pixel 2 camera.
We’re now into November, so exactly when DP2 will roll out isn’t announced yet, but by then we may have more Pixel 2 devices in hands by then.
