Moto X's unique new camera application leaks onto the web

Excited to try out the unique new camera functionality of Google and Motorola’s upcoming flagship phone, the Moto X, but don’t want to wait until the phone gets announced on August 1st? Good news – leakers have managed to get their hands on an APK installer of the Moto X’s new camera app, which was set to be exclusive for the Moto X for the time being and doesn’t appear on the stock build of Android 4.3.

The team over at Engadget has managed to install the new camera app on a Nexus 4 running Android 4.2.2 (the same version of Android that the Moto X is said to be running), and for the most part things seem to function as expected. The new app is rich in gestures, allowing users to access options such as HDR, flash, tap to focus, video recording, and more with just a swipe from the left. Tapping anywhere takes a still photo, while a prolonged press takes a series of photos in rapid fire.

Unfortunately, neither HDR nor slow-mo video recording seems to be working on the Nexus 4’s hardware, nor does the app’s Panorama functionality, but hey – this is a leaked APK running on almost year old hardware that it wasn’t exactly designed to run on, so it’s a miracle that this is running at all. If you want the full Moto X functionality, including all those disabled features, the Moto X’s flick to open the camera app gesture, and always-listening voice assistant functionality, you’ll need to get your hands on the actual thing when it launches sometime in August. Until then, this is probably our best look yet at the upcoming device.