Get noticed on Google Play by Chromebook users.
If your camera app can function with only basic camera features, don't let app stores prevent Chromebook users from installing the app just because you inadvertently specified advanced camera features found on high-end phones.
Chromebooks have a built-in front (user-facing) camera that works well for video conferencing, snapshots, and other applications. But not all Chromebooks have a back (world-facing) camera, and most user-facing cameras on Chromebooks don't support autofocus or flash.
Best practices
Versatile camera apps support all devices regardless of camera configuration—devices with front cameras, back cameras, external cameras connected by USB.
To ensure apps stores make your app available to the greatest number of devices, always declare all camera features used by your app and explicitly indicate whether or not the features are required.
Ingredients
CAMERApermission: Gives your app access to a device's cameras<uses-feature>manifest element: Informs app stores of the features used by your apprequiredattribute: Indicates to app stores whether your app can function without a specified feature
Steps
Declare the CAMERA permission. Declare camera features that provide basic
camera support. Specify whether or not each feature is required.
1. Declare the CAMERA permission
Add the following permission to the app manifest:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
2. Declare basic camera features
Add the following features to the app manifest:
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.any" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" android:required="false" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.flash" android:required="false" />
3. Specify whether each feature is required
Set android:required="false" for the android.hardware.camera.any feature to
enable access to your app by devices that have any kind of built-in or external
camera—or no camera at all.
For the other features, set android:required="false" to ensure devices such as
Chromebooks that don't have back cameras, autofocus, or flash can access your
app on app stores.
Results
Chromebook users can download and install your app from Google Play and other app stores. And devices with full‑featured camera support, like phones, won't be restricted in their camera functionality.
By explicitly setting the camera features supported by your app and specifying the features your app requires, you've made your app available to as many devices as possible.
Additional resources
For more information, see Camera hardware features
in the <uses-feature> documentation.