It’s getting harder to get Google Search to show AR animals

One of Google’s most endearing features isn’t going away, but it sure feels like it is.

Remember Google’s AR search, which can make augmented reality bugs, dinos, neat NASA objects like the Apollo 11 command module, and buildings appear atop the real world through the lens of your phone? On Monday, 9to5Google noticed they seemed to be disappearing, as it was only able to find a handful of the extensive collection that Google has built up over the years.

My editor, Richard Lawler, saw the same thing on his Pixel 8 Pro — as did I when I checked my Pixel 6. But when I searched in Safari on my iPhone 15 Pro, there they were: a T. Rex, Spinosaurus, rhinoceros beetle, jewel beetle, and giant panda!

Google insists that nothing has changed. “None of the AR features referenced have been removed from Search,” spokesperson Colette Garcia said in an email. “These features continue to surface on knowledge panels, which are dynamic and may automatically show other relevant results depending on the query.” That’s odd, since both Richard and myself only used the names of some creatures in our searches, but we’ll take Google’s word for it.

Being able to reproduce the same missing animals as 9to5Google under specific conditions left me wondering whether AR search is being shuffled off to the graveyard. Earlier this year, Google jettisoned hundreds of AR hardware employees, while other key AR team leaders departed last year. The company reportedly shuttered its Project Iris AR glasses in June.

When it rolled out in early 2020, Google’s AR search feature was a boon for some folks stuck in covid-19 lockdown — particularly those of us with children to entertain. It started with animals like tigers, alligators, and mallard ducks, but Google steadily added more creatures, including dinosaurs and bugs. Eventually, the collection grew to include NASA artifacts and fictional characters like Pac-Man, Hello Kitty, and even Pedro Pascal’s son, Baby Yoda.

It’s nice to know you can still plunk a giant AR panda or NASA spacecraft in your house if your kids need entertaining, at least if you can come up with the right incantation to have Google show it to you. Even so, maybe now is a good time to go look at some AR animals — if they’re still showing up for you. Just in case.

Update May 1st, 2024, 9:45AM ET: Added statement from Google spokesperson Colette Garcia.