Google may let you use your Pixel phone as a dashcam

Smartphones have already replaced tons of devices in our lives like our clocks, video game consoles, cameras, microphones, Etc. Well, according to an APK deep dive by 9To5Google, it seems like Google wants your Pixel phone to replace your dashcam as well.

Since this was an APK Deep dive, you’ll want to take this news with a grain of salt. Essentially, early code for a feature was hidden within the current version of an app. Since it’s hidden within the app, Google can silently take it away if need be. So, there’s a chance that we may never see this feature.

Google might let you use your Pixel phone as a dashcam

Sometimes, you want to keep a record of what you witnessed while driving. Maybe you see an accident, or you yourself were in an accident. Having video proof of what happened during a traffic incident can turn the tide in a legal battle.

So, having one is important, but they can be rather expensive. However, if you have a Pixel device, then you might be in luck. According to 9To5Google, Google may have accidentally launched a dog food version of the personal safety app. Basically, it’s a version of the app that’s used for internal testing amongst the developers.

This version has the version number 2023.04.27.532191641.8-dogfood, and it wasn’t really meant for public use. However, they were able to crack into the app and discover some strings for and enable this potential feature.

The function is pretty self-explanatory. If you have the proper rig, you can attach your device to your dashboard and consistently record video of the traffic ahead of you.

Functions

The app is built to be very conservative with your storage. On average, the recorded video is about 30MB per minute, and the recordings are deleted three days after being recorded. However, you can save those recordings to preserve them.

Using a feature like this could definitely drain your battery, but the app lets you lock your screen while using it. If you need to have your screen on for apps like Google Maps, you can move the personal safety app to the background and use other apps over it.

Along with recording video, the dashcam can also record audio. Aside from that, you’ll be able to launch the dashcam using a home screen shortcut. There’s also a set-it-and-forget-it mentality behind this feature, as you can set the dashcam to start immediately when connected to certain Bluetooth devices.

At this point, there’s no telling if Google will actually launch this feature. We will have to wait and see. The next feature drop for Pixel phones isn’t too far away, so there’s a chance that we might see that feature drop then.