OnePlus has inadvertently placed an over-the-air update that disables a filter that sees through some small black plastics and, in some cases, clothing. While OnePlus said it in an announcement on May 19 that it will temporarily remove the filter from its global software in the Chinese edition of its operating system, the company had not intended to delete the filter. OnePlus said, however, that it will upgrade the filter. The latest update did remove the filter anyway for users outside China.
The “Photochrome” filter produces an X-ray-like appearance by using the infrared sensors integrated into the OnePlus 8 Pro to detect light that is not noticeable to the human eye. The feature aimed to produce interesting looking images. Although it came under criticism until people knew they could see through clothes occasionally.
As reports gathered attention, it appears like this camera might see through certain materials, like thin clothes; Oneplus has chosen to preserve the privacy and protection of users by switching off the camera.
Back when the original OnePlus 8 Pro was released, questions and confusion focused on the role of this particular device, and more precisely how it operated. It’s the fourth camera in a quad system, so there was no clarification even within the publicity materials and announcement except to suggest it was a bit enjoyable.
According to release notes provided by XDA Developers, the Photochrom filter was “temporarily disabled for modification.” According to XDA Developers, the records also said the filter was supposed to return “around June,” without revealing an exact date. A consumer mentioned seeing related update notices on OnePlus forums. Android Police enabled the upgrade and verified the elimination of the Photochrom filter
“This OTA mistakenly went out to a limited number of devices,” a spokesman for OnePlus told The Verge in a tweet. The next over-the-air update would re-enable it, the spokesperson said. OnePlus shared that statement on their forums, too.
