UPDATED 14:11 EDT / DECEMBER 11 2017

EMERGING TECH

With Google’s AR Stickers for Pixel, Star Wars stormtroopers will invade your photos

The photographic world of Pixel and Pixel 2 owners just got more interesting now that Google LLC has released its augmented reality stickers.

The owners of Pixel phones running the recent release of Android 8.1 Oreo now have access to AR stickers that can be overlaid on reality such as 3-D text, gnomes and now even Imperial stormtroopers and TIE Fighters from “Star Wars.”

This technology isn’t that new. Snapchat released a similar functionality that allows users to overlay 3-D animations onto pictures.

This feature represents the culmination of an announcement from Google in August Google showing off the capabilities of the company’s ARCore technology. A competitor for Apple Inc.’s ARKit, ARCore has a wide variety of functions that allow developers to add AR capability to apps and now it’s fundamental to upcoming Google phones.

Google’s recent release advertisement for AR Stickers dives deep into the upcoming film release of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” “Star Wars” music blares as adults and children use their phones to add iconic Imperial stormtroopers, TIE Fighters and X-wing Starfighters to everyday videos and photos.

AR Sticker users can also access sticker packs that add Foodmojis and characters from Netflix Inc.’s “Stranger Things” series.

Adding these new AR stickers on an updated Pixel phone is simple: Open the camera app, switch to AR Stickers mode, select the sticker pack and then drop stickers into the scene. The stickers themselves can be moved through the scene and will attempt to guess at floors, walls, benches and other objects. The stickers are also somewhat able to “interact” with other things in the scene.

AR Stickers are becoming available to Pixel users over the next few days, and more sticker packs are expected for release in the future.

Image: Google

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