Google Confirms Android 2.1 Downgrades Image Quality
In a series of tests performed earlier this week, Dr Raymond Soneira from the DisplayMate Technology Corporation (whose tools are used extensively to evaluate HDTV and monitor performance), noticed that the picture gallery on the Android 2.1 update offers lower image quality than that of the previous 2.0 update.
Dr Raymond Soneira compared the two updates on a Motorola Droid handset, noting that the picture application in Android 2.0.1 offered 24-bit color depth, whereas Android 2.1 downgraded images to 16-bit color depth.
After reporting these findings, Google issued the following statement confirming Dr Raymond Soneira’s discovery:
The Gallery app in Android 2.0.1 is different from the Gallery app in Android 2.1. Google developed Gallery in Android 2.0.1, which uses 24-bit color rendered using 2D technology. On the other hand, Cooliris created Gallery in Android 2.1, which uses 16-bit textures rendered using 3D technology. We don’t have anything specific to share at this time regarding the Gallery app in future versions.
The full report and technical round-up can be found over on the DisplayMate website.
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April 14th, 2010 at 2:15 am
I’ve used both and I can’t see any difference between 16-bit and 24-bit colours.
April 15th, 2010 at 9:45 am
umm… just push the old apk and remove the new apk to switch them? its not a flaw in the os its a flaw in the app…the title seems like it was saying all image quality was lowered which isnt true
May 4th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
i observed it too. guess it’s somehow related with texture limitation in opengl.