OnePlus to disable 'X-Ray' colour filter camera in software update

The OnePlus 8 Pro's colour filter camera - more recently referred to by some as an 'X-Ray' camera - is going to be disabled in a software update coming within the next week. 

It seems as news gained momentum that this camera could see through some materials, including thin clothing, OnePlus has opted to protect users' privacy and security by turning the camera off. 

The manufacturer announced the move on Weibo, in a post where it says that it will "temporarily disable the filter function" until it can find a solution that keeps the unusual dystopian landscape colours, but stops it from seeing through objects. 

Back when the OnePlus 8 Pro was originally announced, questions and confusion centred around this particular camera's function, and more specifically, how it worked.

It's the fourth camera in a quad system, and even within the marketing materials and announcement there was no explanation except to say it was for a bit of fun. 

In our review, we suggested it would be better if it wasn't there at all. Not only did the fourth camera mean that the quad camera setup ruined the usual symmetry OnePlus is known for on the back, it also didn't seem to offer any real benefit. 

Resulting photos from that particular colour filter in the camera app were out of focus and noisy, and while a bit of fun to begin with, the gimmick soon wears off. 

To top it off, now it seems the camera has caused privacy concerns which OnePlus has had to respond to by switching the camera off in an update. It's a lot of trouble for a piece of camera tech that really has no need to be there. 

The one plus point from this is that it should be a relatively easy fix to disable. It presumably will mean getting rid of the 'Photochrom' filter from within the camera's filter options. At present, that is the only way to use the fourth camera. 

Fixing the issue and rolling out a way to continue using the camera without the privacy concerns may prove to be a bit trickier. 

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