Google has introduced an innovative Ultra HDR format with the release of Android 14 Beta 2, designed to support 10-bit HDR images while maintaining compatibility with standard JPEG images. This technology ensures that SDR images are displayed on non-HDR screens but come to life with enhanced colors and contrast when viewed on HDR-enabled displays.
In an exciting development, Google Photos is the first app to embrace this new Ultra HDR format, as observed in version 6.51.0.561138754. This feature is a significant step forward, allowing users to fully leverage the capabilities of modern displays and camera setups on their latest smartphones. It enables the display of photos in exceptional quality while preserving the JPEG format. This means you can easily share your photos via Google Photos links, and they will remain viewable even on standard SDR screens, albeit not at their optimal quality due to the inherent limitations of such displays.
