Essential Phone's camera is getting an update featuring portrait mode and more

Since it hit shelves earlier this year, the Essential Phone received multiple software updates which, slowly but surely, have significantly improved the device. Now, a new update is ready, though this one will only enhance the phone's rear camera.

Thanks to a Reddit AMA (ask me anything) session held by several Essential officials - including vice presidents of software and hardware - we know that the Essential Phone's dual camera will receive an update later today. This will bring a portrait mode (à la iPhone and other high-end handsets), improved JPEG compression, and various stability fixes. Users will be able to manually update the camera app, as this is can be found on Google Play - see the second source link below.  

Essential further said that a new Android Oreo beta build for its smartphone would be released sometime next week. Unfortunately, the company doesn't know when a final, public Android Oreo update will be ready.

The folks at Essential also talked about the fact that Andy Rubin, the company's founder, has taken a temporary leave of absence (as reported earlier today). Apparently, this doesn't have any effect on Essential, and "it's business as usual" at the company's headquarters. Well, that's good to hear.   

sources: Reddit, Essential camera app (Google Play)