Google's ARCore SDK allows phones to place virtual objects in mixed reality situations using their processors, motion sensors, light sensors, and, yes, their camera. However, even with the proliferation of quadruple rear camera phones, ARCore has only been able to use one of them. But soon enough, it'll work with two cameras on a couple of choice devices.

The Google Play Services for AR app, which hosts upgrades to ARCore for devices, was recently updated with this interesting note (emphasis ours) in the changelog:

New in this version:

  • Dual camera stereo depth on supported devices.
  • Expanded AR support to additional devices.
  • New performance monitoring and logging tools for developers.

It's a seemingly overdue development perhaps foregone out of the perceived lack of need for more data at the moment, but you know what data scientists say — the more, the merrier.

Details on support devices did not surface, though, until this week when the Google Developers listing of ARCore support devices was updated with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL entries reading that "Dual camera support will be rolled out in the coming weeks."

We're not quite sure if the math is as simple as parallax calculus or if there are some bonus numbers in there. Also, given that the phones feature wide/telephoto combos, we'd also want to be sure if there's a place for ultra-wide cameras in there as well.

Some R&D results to look forward to, then.

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Source: Google