Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Google launches AR Stickers on Pixel phones starring The Last Jedi and Stranger Things characters
- Google has finally launched AR Stickers
- The virtual sticker packs will work with any Pixel phone running Android 8.1 Oreo
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Stranger Things, Foodmoji, and 3D Text packs are all included at launch
The next installment in the Star Wars saga will hit cinemas in just a few days, and the hype train is in total overdrive. If you can’t wait any longer to be whisked off to a galaxy far, far away, however, Google has you covered.
Today, the search giant has launched AR Stickers for its Pixel phones complete with a bunch of The Last Jedi-themed virtual avatars.
The Star Wars “sticker pack” includes iconic Star Wars vehicles and characters, such as R2-D2, Stormtroopers, and the new film’s big-eyed Porgs that are just far too adorable for words. As well as Star Wars packs, you can also play around with characters from Netflix’s smash hit original series, Stranger Things.
AR Stickers are rolling out to all Pixel phones running Android 8.1 Oreo as of today (check your camera app for updates in the Play Store if it isn’t live already). The fun feature was announced back at the Pixel 2 launch event in October as part of a look into some of the projects developed using the company’s ARCore SDK.
To get started with AR Stickers, all you have to do is open up the Pixel camera app and switch to the dedicated AR Stickers mode. From here you can choose a sticker pack, select a specific sticker, and then move the virtual object into the desired position. This is done with simple tap, drag and pinch controls.
Read more: Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Here’s what you need to know about Episode VIII
Once you’re done, you can then capture the scene you’ve created as an image or in a video. You’ll probably get the most enjoyment out of taking a quick video clip, as some of the animated objects will interact with each other. As an example, if you put Stranger Things’ telekinetic heroine Eleven in scene with the Demogorgan the two will engage in a very short battle (Eleven wins, obviously).
In addition to the two branded packs, Google is also introducing Foodmojis (which, as you can probably guess, are 3D emojis based on food like donuts and broccoli) and 3D Text stickers which look a lot like old school screensavers from the Windows 95 – 98 era. There are also a handful of stickers themed around the winter holidays – the first of what Google says will be many packs based around “changing seasons, holidays, and big pop culture moments” in the future.