microg / microg/GmsCore

[com.snapchat.android] Snapchat flickering when selecting filters

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Description

**Affected app**
Name: Snapchat
Package id: com.snapchat.android

**Describe the bug**
When using Snapchat and selecting a filter the image will start flickering rapidly and the filter will not be applied. A snap taken will either just be blank (older versions of Snapchat on Android 13) or just the image without the filter (Android 16 with current version of Snapchat 13.94.0.45) or some similar behavior. On Android 16 with microG 0.3.15.250932 not all filters are affected but most. On older Android versions with older microG versions and older Snapchat versions all filters are affected.

**To Reproduce**
Steps to reproduce the behavior:
1. Open 'Snapchat'
2. Select Front Camera (effect is the same on the back camera)
3. Select a filter
4. Camera Screen starts flickering and filter isn't applied. If not, try a few different filters

**Expected behavior**
No camera flicker, filter is applied e.g. to face

**System**
Android Version: 16, same behavior on e.g. Android 13
Custom ROM: Lineage 23.2

**microG**
microG Core version: 0.3.15.250932
microG Self-Check results: All ticked

**Additional context**
The problem exists since some time last year, also reported over the months by a few people with different ROM/microG combinations, e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/1llztpj/snapchat_camera_flickering_when_using_filters/?show=original, https://www.reddit.com/r/MicroG/comments/1nyd4he/help_snapchat_camera_flicker_on_oneplus_12/, https://www.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/1llztpj/snapchat_camera_flickering_when_using_filters/

One workaround is to forcibly disable microG by removing its permission for signature spoofing (if possible with installation method and ROM combination), launching Snapchat (it complains about no Google Services) and then re-enable microG without closing Snapchat. This makes Snapchat work as expected while keeping the Cloud-Messaging working and stopping Snapchat from complaining.

I can supply logs if needed. I am just not sure how to use logcat to just get the relevant snapchat logs. The only thing I saw scrolling by from the logs was something about FaceDetector and gms. Does this maybe play a role?

Contributor guide

No contributing guide indexed for this repository

Research direction

Start by reproducing the Snapchat filter failure on Android 16 and Android 13 with the reported microG and Snapchat versions. Capture focused logcat output while selecting filters, paying attention to the reported FaceDetector and gms messages. Done means filters apply without camera flicker and captured snaps are not blank or missing the filter.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
android, java
Domain
mobile
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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