During the COVID era, video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Meet became popular, but webcams were often hard to find or too expensive. Many people turned to their smartphone cameras, which offered better image quality than most webcams. With Android 14, users may not need third-party apps to turn their smartphones into webcams for PCs. By selecting the new USB webcam option in USB Preferences, the Android device can function as a standard USB webcam for various devices, including Windows, macOS, and Linux PCs. However, this feature needs to be enabled through kernel configuration, UVC device configuration, USB HAL update, and preloaded system app. It is important to note that webcam support in Android 14 is not enabled by default. The Webcam Service app, included in Android 14, helps in forwarding camera frames to host devices. However, only device makers can access this app since third-party access is restricted by SELinux policy. The Webcam Service app starts when the USB webcam option is toggled and the necessary system property is set. It supports streaming at 720p or 1080p resolutions and appears as “Android Webcam” on the connected host. The exact configuration of the UVC gadget and the name displayed depends on the device
https://www.esper.io/blog/android-14-adds-support-for-using-your-smartphone-as-a-webcam