Special access for Google apps!?

jacobb

Under apps -> special apps access the last menu item read special access to hardware accelerators for google apps, and access seems to be granted as default. What is the reason and the (possible) implications of this and of not granting that access?

other8026

jacobb from the 2023041100 release notes

Settings: add toggle for controlling direct access to Tensor hardware accelerators (TPU, GXP) by certain Google apps for users to choose whether Google apps can use more than the portable Android hardware acceleration features such as the Neural Networks API (direct access does not give them any additional data)

I haven't played with this setting, but I'd guess that Pixel/Google Camera (and if I recall correctly, only Pixel Camera) having direct access to the hardware makes it faster?

yellow-leaves

I've disabled special access and the only downside that I've experienced is that you're unable to take photos with google camera for about 20 second upon launch, once 20 seconds has passed I'm able to take as many Photos as i like and without any kind of delay between shoots.
I'm using Pixel 6a

I suppose i should mention that Google Camera is the only google app I've used so I can't speak for any implications disabling this will have upon other google apps.