Remember Google’s AR Search, which can make insects, dinosaurs, neat objects, and buildings appear in augmented reality on top of the real world through your phone’s lens? Maybe now is a good time to appreciate it, because it seems to be disappearing.
According to 9to5Google, the number of animals that will give you AR renders when you search for them has been reduced to just a few. 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: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Spinosaurus, Rhinoceros Beetle, Jewel Beetle and a giant panda!
Maybe it’s just a bug? Or maybe Safari is a temporary solution.
We asked Google to explain what’s going on, but it hasn’t given us an answer as of press time. We will update if this changes. In the meantime, this might be a good time to go look at some AR animals – if they still show up for you. In case.
