System and method to manage multi-mode camera previews on an image-receiving device

A method comprising:

• receiving, via a communication subsystem of a first communication device from a second communication device, more than one imaging modes of a photographic visual stream, the more than one imaging modes corresponding to more than one camera previews of a single image captured by a camera of the second communication device, the more than one camera previews generated by processing the single image at the second communication device based on different imaging modes prior to commencing transmitting by the second communication device of each of the more than one imaging modes of the photographic visual stream to the first communication device;
• in response to receiving the more than one imaging modes of the photographic visual stream corresponding to the more than one camera previews from the second communication device, simultaneously presenting on a display device of the first communication device the more than one camera previews corresponding to the more than one imaging modes of the photographic visual stream;
• and
• in response to receiving a user selection of a particular imaging mode from among the more than one imaging modes:
• transmitting, via the communication subsystem to the second communication device, a report triggering the second communication device to transmit only the particular imaging mode selected by the user;
• and
• subsequently receiving only the particular imaging mode as the photographic visual stream from the second communication device, in response to transmitting the report and the second communication device identifying a reduced transmission bandwidth requirement.

A computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage device;
• and
• program code on the computer readable storage device that when executed by a processor associated with a first communication device, the program code enables the first communication device to provide the functionality of:
• receiving, via a communication subsystem of a first communication device from a second communication device, more than one imaging modes of a photographic visual stream, the more than one imaging modes corresponding to more than one camera previews of a single image captured by a camera of the second communication device, the more than one camera previews generated by processing the single image at the second communication device based on different imaging modes prior to commencing transmitting by the second communication device of each of the more than one imaging modes of the photographic visual stream to the first communication device;
• and
• in response to receiving the more than one imaging modes of the photographic visual stream corresponding to the more than one camera previews from the second communication device, simultaneously presenting on a display device of the first communication device the more than one camera previews corresponding to the more than one imaging modes of the photographic visual stream;
• and
• in response to receiving a user selection of a particular imaging mode from among the more than one imaging modes:
• transmitting, via the communication subsystem to the second communication device, a report triggering the second communication device to transmit only the particular imaging mode selected by the user;
• and
• subsequently receiving only the particular imaging mode as the photographic visual stream from the second communication device in response to transmitting the report and the second communication device identifying a reduced transmission bandwidth requirement.