Google’s Pixel Puzzle: Demystifying the Mysterious 10x Zoom Mystery

The Case for a 10x Zoom Button on the Google Pixel Camera App

As I walked around the Beauval Zoo, snapping photos of the lions, tigers, and elephants, I couldn’t help but think about the one feature I’ve been craving in the Google Camera app: a 10x zoom button. It’s been three years since the Pixel 7 series was announced, and I’m still waiting for this simple yet powerful addition.

The Frustration of Pinching

Using the pinch gesture to zoom in on my subject was annoying and imprecise. I had to pinch in, out, and readjust until I got it right. I don’t want 9.9x or 10.1x; I want 10x because this is where I’m sure Google is taking the 5x 48MP shot and cropping a 12MP image from its center. It does this for both photos and videos, too.

The Convenience of a Dedicated Button

Other Android camera phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, have already fixed this issue by adding a dedicated 10x zoom button. It’s a simple tap, and you’re done. You don’t have to keep adjusting a pinch gesture or zoom slider to hit that exact 10x sweet spot. Whenever I’m carrying my Galaxy S24 Ultra, I find myself using the 10x zoom more because it’s so simple to trigger.

The Impact on Non-Techy Users

If you’re not a tech-savvy user, you might not know that there’s a perfectly fine 10x level you can use when you want to get closer to your subject. You might zoom in to 13x, 17x, or 22x, get a half-decent, half-bad shot, and not be inclined to do it again. They may think their Pixel’s zoom isn’t all that good after 5x and never know that there’s a better option available.

A Simple Fix

Adding one button to the camera app shouldn’t be that difficult. I’ve started to lose hope, but at least we know someone at Google is listening, though, because they just brought back the brightness and shadow sliders that were taken away from us with the Pixel 8 series. So, maybe that same developer is reading this and taking notes. I can only hope.

The Verdict

Pro Pixel phones have a very capable "optical-quality" 10x zoom, but without a dedicated button, it might as well not exist. I’m not asking for much; just a simple tap to get to that perfect 10x zoom level. It’s time for Google to listen to its users and add this feature to the camera app.