Google makes Ultra HDR support mandatory for phones in Android 15’s performance class

Key Takeaways

• Google’s Android Compatibility Definition Document for Android 15 lists Ultra HDR support as mandatory to declare performance class 15.
• Not only do devices need to be able to shoot in Ultra HDR, they must output JPEG_R (Google’s Ultra HDR image format) images by default when using the stock camera app.
• Support for JPEG_R is not necessary for all devices running Android 15, but only for those declaring performance class 15.

Google introduced support for Ultra HDR photography with Android 14 last year. The image format, which essentially embeds HDR image data on top of a JPEG image, enables phones with HDR displays to show the image in all its high dynamic range glory, and as simple SDR JPEGs on phones that don’t.

As of right now, only a handful of the best Android devices offer support for capturing Ultra HDR images, but Google wants to change that.

In a report for Android Authority, Mishaal Rahman suggests that with Android 15, Google is making changes to the Android Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) for devices to be considered “compatible with Android.” The Android 15 CDD contains specific performance class requirements that device manufacturers must meet if they want access to Google Mobile Services (GMS). The requirements essentially ensure a consistent user experience across Android devices, and make it easy for app developers to spot devices that are capable of performing certain tasks. In the case of Android 15, if a specific device meets all the requirements listed in the CDD, it means that the device supports performance class 15.

For devices to declare that they support performance class 15, they’ll need to adopt Ultra HDR.

Ultra HDR is not a mandate for Android 15

According to Rahman’s report, although performance class 15 hasn’t been finalized yet, it already has some new requirements, with support for JPEG_R and default JPEG_R output being the most notable requirements.

JPEG_R, which stands for JPEG with a Recovery map, is the official name for Google’s Ultra HDR image format, with the ‘R’ denoting the embedded HDR gain map on top of the JPEG image. The Recovery map contains HDR gain data that allows devices with HDR displays to render images with a wider dynamic range.

According to Google, for devices to declare performance class 15, they “must support JPEG_R for the primary rear and primary front cameras,” and “must by default output JPEG_R for the primary rear and primary front cameras in the native camera app.”

So, not only do devices need to be able to shoot in Ultra HDR, they must output JPEG_R images by default when using the stock camera app.

It’s worth noting that devices don’t necessarily need to support Ultra HDR to run Android 15 — the requirement is only for devices that want to declare performance class 15.