CamCyclopedia
Video call effects
Video calls and web conference platforms have kick started with COVID 19 at its center. Online classes and web conferences have become a part of the new normal. Right in line with a watershed historical change, this scenario has presented Samsung with the opportunity to employ its camera solutions in video calling apps.
We want you to make use of convenient video call options like virtual background, audio, auto adjustment of angle with the easy floating button menu access on video calling apps.
① The ‘Video Call Effects’ app provides an easy and convenient UI
Samsung camera features could not be used on other video calling apps before. Users had to stick with using the features and UI provided by those apps. And, the inconsistency between the features and the UI proved to be quite disappointing to many.
The ‘video call effects’ app has been developed to let users experience the same UI usability and access advanced features in apps developed by other companies, with something as easy as selecting a few options on a menu.
The ‘Video call effects’ app manages the app list and UI that supports this feature.
The user can enable or disable the ‘video call feature’ using the settings app. A floating button that allows you to choose from 'Video call effects' shows up once this feature is enabled. You can drag and place the floating button to anywhere on the screen and even hide it.
• Settings > Advanced features > Video call effects
- App > ‘Video call effects’ floating button
② Controlling the camera using a new module, without any modifications from third party apps with camera use
Each app is located in an area, unlike the Samsung camera platform. Even major Samsung camera features are located at different layers within the Samsung camera platform. Only one applicative program may occupy and use the camera device in Android OS. Given this, other apps cannot access this feature if the Samsung camera platform does not put particular commands in place for them to use this special feature. There was no option before for third-party apps to use Samsung’s camera solutions.
So, we went ahead and added a new module to overcome this structural restriction. This module delivers additional commands to the camera aside from the dedicated applicative program that uses the camera hardware.
③ Developing a platform to deploy Samsung camera solutions
It was not easy to provide Samsung camera solutions when apps other than Samsung camera accessed the camera before. We had to provide an SDK library to the app companies, and they had to put additional deployments in place using the same, for this to work. This was a lot for both Samsung and third parties. This prompted Samsung to brainstorm the concept of a new platform to overcome this roundabout process. This platform would provide a menu that could be used in third-party apps and would let the user control the camera using it.
④ Samsung Camera and Audio Solutions support
Samsung camera has supported the use of its camera and audio solutions in apps developed by third parties from One UI 3.1 onwards. Users could experience the same effects as the Samsung camera, clicking on icons and menus supported in third-party apps that supported the features in question.
Video call effects feature
'Video call effects' lets you use video and audio effects when using a video calling app.
① Background
The background effect of ‘portrait mode’ in the Samsung camera app adjusts the focus onto the person and not the background. The background mode can be turned on in a device that supports 'Video call effects' to make the user out. It automatically blurs the background just like in the portrait mode of the Samsung camera and shifts the focus to the person. You can also use this to change the background into a solid color. It allows you to use an image from the gallery as the background too.
Blur: Blurs the background.
Color: Changes the background to the color selected.
Image: Changes the background to the image chosen from the gallery.. Blur: Blurs the background.
Color: Changes the background to the color selected.
Image: Changes the background to the image chosen from the gallery.
② Auto framing (Keep everyone in view by automatically panning and zooming the front camera)
This uses the ‘auto framing mode’ of the Samsung camera app. Once this mode is set, it pans, zooms, and adjusts the camera angle picking on the movements of the person on the video call automatically.
③ Mic mode
This uses the audio solution of Samsung. You can use the 'Mic mode' to adjust the mic settings to block ambient noises (voice focus) or let people hear all sounds near you (all sound).
. Standard: Cuts down noise or interference to the level of a typical voice call.
. Voice focus: It focuses on modulating the sounds from the front camera.
. All sound: Lets other people hear all ambient sounds near you, like music, pets, etc.
How to use it?
You can turn on or turn off the supported modes, when you are on a video call.
Go to Settings.
- Click on 'Advanced features'
- Select 'Video call effects'
※ Note: Click on 'Video call effects' and enable it - Open any video call app like Google Meets
- A floating button appears on apps that support 'Video call effects'
※ Note: If you cannot see the floating button, that means the app does not support this feature - Click on the floating button
- The selected video or audio effect takes effect after selection
Open a video calling app.
- Open any supported video calling app
- Click on the floating button at the top right
- You can set from the menu as follows
- Reset all: Resets all settings
- Background: Changes or blurs the background during a video call
- Auto framing: Turns on/off auto framing. Once this is turned on, it pans, zooms and adjusts the camera angle picking on the movements of the person on the video call automatically
- Mic mode: Set to get a good voice quality during a video call, by cancelling background noise
- Settings: You can select or add a color or an image as the background to be used during a video call
※ Only supported in front camera as of now
※ Some features may not work depending on the model
FAQs
How do you know which apps support 'Video call effects'?
If you install an app that is compatible, you can find it automatically reflected in the supported apps list by going to Settings -> Advanced features -> Video call effects.
Apps that support 'Video call effects' could differ based the binary version of the device, the supported apps list could also change depending on circumstances.
Which apps support 'Video call effects'?
Apps that support 'Video call effects' are listed below.
• One UI 3.1 : Duo, Zoom, Webex Meetings, Knox meeting
• One UI 4.1 : Duo, Zoom, Webex Meetings, Knox meeting, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Messenger, BlueJeans, WhatsApp, KakaoTalk, Wechat
※ Only Z Fold4 and Z Flip4 support Wechat as of now
※ Duo and Google Meet has combined into Google Meet around Aug 2022 following Google’s policy
※ The list of the supported apps may change, and there are countries where this service is not available
Is there any way to remove images from the list in background mode?
- The format only shows the latest 4 images added. The right-most item disappears. You can indirectly delete the oldest item by adding an image on top of the 4 existing ones
- You can also delete following the route of Settings > Apps > Filter and sort (Your apps): Show system apps: Enable > Video call effects > Storage > Clear data
- Versions above 2.5.xx.x of the video call effects app has been updated. You can now directly delete the images
- Method 1
- Settings > Advanced features > Video call effects > Long-press the background image
- The '-' button appears for each image
- You can delete the image you want by pressing the '-' button on it
- Method 2
- Settings > Advanced features > Click the ‘…’ button at the top right in Video call effects
- Click on the 'Delete background image' menu
- The '-' button appears for each image
- You can delete the image you want by pressing the '-' button on it
What are the image formats supported in background mode?
JPG, PNG, and BMP files are supported as of now.
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