There is an AR ghost on Google Research. There's a dancing skeleton, a set of creepy jack-o'-lanterns, and even cats and dogs in costumes. Ahead of Halloween weekend in the US, Google has rolled out a number of fun augmented reality-based features on Google Search that appear as an option when searching for specific Halloween terms using a mobile device.
For example, if you search for the word "Halloween" and scroll down the search results page, you will see a box asking you to "Summon a 3D ghost". When you tap the "View in 3D" button, you can see the ghost floating around your room.
On iPhone, you first need to move the phone around the room to get started, like with other AR apps. On Android devices, however, the ghost immediately appears in 3D but there is a separate button, "View in your space", which will place the ghost in the environment with you.
Google claims that the features work in the Google Search app and mobile browser.
Once the AR object has been placed in your room, you can move around it to see it from different angles, move in or out, or drag it around with your finger. The object even leaves a shadow on the floor, to make it look like it's really there.
Spooky, Halloween music will also play in the background as AR objects float or dance in your space. You can then take a photo or video to share elsewhere if you wish.
In addition to the AR ghost, you can look for a set of three jack-o'lanterns, a dancing skeleton, a hot dog (well, a dog in a hot dog costume), a pirate dog, and a magical cat.
The latter two appear when you Google the keywords "dog" or "cat", while the search for "hot dog" brings up the playful dachshund that paws on the ground and wags its tail. Searching for "skeleton" and "jack-o'-lantern" (and some variations) will bring up the others.
You may also see a pop-up at the bottom of Google.com's main landing page suggesting that you try the new AR feature, but it hasn't been displayed consistently for us on every visit.
Google has been experimenting with AR features on Google Search for some time, offering 3D models of animals, places, spaceships, celestial bodies including the moon, planets and more, as well as biology terms, anatomical systems, chemistry terms. and cars, shoes and even Santa Claus.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to find all the AR items offered in one place - you usually only find them when searching.
In addition to the Halloween AR search feature, Google also introduced two new doorbell ringtones for its Hello Nest devices, "Black Cat" and "Werewolf". You can continue to use the sounds introduced last year, such as the noises of ghosts, vampires, monsters or witches, for example.
Google Assistant, meanwhile, now tells Halloween-themed riddles and can even sing a Halloween song, in another nod to the party.