Godox finally launches Android app for the A1 – but only for some phones

July 29, 2018 by John Aldred 29 Comments

Almost a year later than originally scheduled, Godox has finally released an Android app for the Godox A1 mobile flash trigger. The A1 was launched in August last year. Originally it came with just an iOS app, and an Android app was to come in September 2017. Well, only 2 days away from August 2018, the Godox A1 finally works with Android.

There’s also a new firmware available for the Godox A1 to go along with it. But, there’s a catch. It only works on select Huawei and Samsung phones. Or at least, you only get complete functionality with some phones. Let me explain.

There are two basic ways in which you can use the app.

As a controller for your lights when using your “real camera”. You set your power levels and adjust your lights using the app, and then the Godox XPro or X1T trigger sits on your hotshoe in “App” mode. This tells your lights to fire using whatever settings the A1 has told them to be at.
To allow you to shoot photos with your phone’s camera incorporating flash.

The first in that short list was my primary use for the Godox A1 when I was still using iPhones. But since I switched over to the ASUS ZenFone 4 at the end of last year, I’ve not been able to use my Godox A1 at all. Now, though, with the GodoxPhoto app installed on my new ASUS ZenFone 5, I’m good to go. The app installs just fine and fires my Godox TT600, AD200, AD360II and AD600Pro lights.

I just can’t do that second thing. And it’s that second option is that’s currently limited to specific phones. The devices supported at the moment are…

I’ve been told by Pixapro, the main Godox distributor in the UK, that other devices and manufacturers will be added in the future, but they haven’t said yet when that support might arrive.

So, if you’re an Android user who bought a Godox A1 a year ago, you can now finally use it.

Download the app from the Google Play Store and get the new Godox A1 firmware from the Godox website.

About John Aldred

John Aldred is based in Scotland and photographs people in the wild and animals in the studio.

You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.

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mimstyle

LG V20 soon ?
Brian Morrison

Just able to install it on my Samsung Galaxy S7, will find my A1 and try it out.
- Lim Jiahe
  
  Still can’t get it to work on my Note 8 and S9 after trying to update the firmware on http://www.godox.com/EN/Download.html.
  
  Using G2 (instead of G1, since it’s stated that to update A1, should use G2 instead).
  
  Will try using G1 now, see if it works (or brick it further)
  - domisol
    
    Hi! how did it went?
    - Lim Jiahe
      
      Only G2 can be used, no luck with that… And I went to the Google play store to read reviews, seems like mostly 1 star due to this problem.
      - Kaouthia
        
        Try updating the firmware from the app over Bluetooth. That’s what I did. :)
      - Lim Jiahe
        
        I tried that before too, and it’s still not in sync…. Thanks for suggesting! :)
    - Lim Jiahe
      
      Same old, I think Godox gave up supporting this. 1 star review overwhelms the Android Playstore.
- domisol
  
  at the end did it work with the A1?
domisol

anyother experience with other Android phone not officially supported?
- Kaouthia
  
  Any phone that’s not officially supported, you can still control the power of the strobes when you’re firing with a trigger on the camera. The only thing that’s not supported is actually shooting photos with the phone itself.
  
  It literally comes up with a warning telling you the phone isn’t supported, so you can’t even try to take a photo.
  - domisol
    
    thanks. I was precisly referring to the photo mode taking, because I need to change my phone and was looking which device could take photo with that, among the officially supported list… also which device will be supported in the near future. May be P20/P20 light/P20 Pro series…
    - Kaouthia
      
      They haven’t said what phone compatibility may be coming in the future. Which is a little frustrating. But whatever they add, you’re probably going to be limited to shutter speeds of around 1/30th of a second or slower anyway.
      - domisol
        
        thanks :-)
Quân Minh Lao

I’ve been waiting for this for so long since I stopped using iphone. But my android phone is still not supported . :(
- Kaouthia
  
  Not if you want to use the phone’s camera. Personally, though, that never interested me. It’s not something I’d be doing regularly. Maybe once just to play with it, but that’s about it.
  
  For me, being able to control the power from my phone… That’s the big draw. That bit works with all Android phones and I’ve found it to be very useful for things like product photography and composite shoots where you want to trigger the camera remotely. I can fire my camera with one trigger, control the power of the lights with my phone, and I never have to touch the camera or risk moving it between shots.
  
  That being said, Godox are lucky they made this thing magnetic. It’s been stuck to the side of my PC case for the last year. If it wasn’t, I probably would’ve lost it by now. ;)
Balogh ferenc

galaxy note 8 ???
Balogh ferenc

note 8 works, it does not flash when the photo is taken (:
Uneternal

Wow, they’ve just needed 1 year to finally release an Android app after I was almost gonna sell my A1.
Good thing I got a P10 tho.
Eric Shek

So Godox A1 can use in Asus Zenfone 5 ?
- Kaouthia
  
  Yup, it just can’t use its camera. But you can still remote control your lights with it for firing with a camera & X1T or XPro trigger.
  - Angelo
    
    i can’t wait to use my 685f and 860f. I can use with my s10 (not supported) for trigger?
Anish Nair

Any idea when will the camera app support be open for other models(which do not fall in the above list)
Ruthger Bakker

I own a Huawei P20 Pro, which has a killer camera. But unfortunately the Godox app also doesn’t support this phone at all; Everything works, except the camera function inside the app (message: Your camera phone does not support this function temporarily) .

Well, this temporarily message is not that temporarily any more… 😠

Such a great product with bad support is not what i did expect from Godox.

@Godox, please update your app! 📲
- Angelo
  
  i can’t wait to use my 685f and 860f. No solution for you with other android app? i need only a trigger for my s10
Matt JA Carter

I’m still waiting for Godox to add the Samsung’s s10 lineup of phones, it only makes sense since they are Samsung’s current phone offerings.
- Angelo
  
  same problem.. i can’t wait to use my 685f and 860f. No solution for you with other android app?
David Lawrence

How can you disable the shutter sound?
frankyvee

Wow, No support for any of the Pixel phones….. bummer!