Two key parts make up the life-sized creatures that appear in Google Search. The first lets you see animals in 3D, while the second — and most delightful — is viewing them in your current space with the ability to take pictures. Here’s what iOS and Android devices support Google 3D animals.

Most modern Android and iOS devices support viewing 3D animals in Google Search. This is the simple ability to “meet a life-sized tiger up close.” Your creature of choice will be displayed against a white background, and move naturally with sounds. You can fully rotate and zoom-in as they roar or eat a bamboo stalk — in the case of giant pandas.

However, what makes augmented reality really immersive is the “sense of scale and detail” gained by seeing an animal in your environment. This is done with the “View in your space” button at the bottom of the screen. Unlike the first gallery feature, there are a few technical requirements for AR and seeing a creature next to the couch or in your backyard.

3D animal AR animal

How it works

Behind-the-scenes, these augmented 3D animal experiences require the support of Google’s ARCore technology. Phones and tablets have to pass a certification process to ensure that the “sensitive motion tracking” — achieved by combining a camera image and the motion sensor — works well. Also required is a “powerful enough CPU” that can run “effective real-time calculations.”

We are constantly working with manufacturers to make sure their hardware and designs meet these requirements. At the same time, we are working internally to make sure ARCore integrates well with every model we certify to provide good experiences for users.

Meanwhile, an even more advanced AR capability involves ARCore phones detecting depth. A circular button in the top-right corner lets you turn on/off “object blending” so that a 3D animal can appear behind a piece of furniture instead of just physically standing in front of the scene. Google is recognizing that the background is three-dimensional with depth and not just a flat surface. For an example, be sure to compare the GIFs available here.

‘View in your space’ troubleshooting

Below is the full list of ARCore devices, but a good shortcut to know whether your phone or tablet will support the full Google 3D animal experience is seeing whether the Google Play Services for AR app is installed on your phone. Visit the Play Store listing to check and make sure it’s up-to-date (currently version 1.16).

Update 4/6: There are 14 new additions: Nokia 6.2, Nokia 7.2, moto g⁸, Oppo F15, Oppo Find X2, Oppo Find X2 Pro, Oppo Reno3 Pro, Samsung Galaxy M21, Galaxy M31, Sharp AQUOS sense3 basic, Sharp S7, Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, Redmi Note 8 Pro, and Redmi Note 8T.

Update 4/14: The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are today’s most high-profile additions. Other new devices include the Infinix Mobile Note 7, Samsung Galaxy A51, A51 5G, and A71 5G.

Update 6/3: Notable additions to the list include the Sony Xperia 1 II, Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, and Moto G Power. Other additions are the LG K61, LG Signature Edition 2019, motorola edge, edge plus, Oppo realme 6, realme 6 Pro, Reno3, Reno3 5G, Reno3 Pro 5G, Samsung Galaxy A31, A41, Vivo iQOO 3 5G, Neo3 5G, Mi 10, 10 Lite 5G, 10 Pro, Poco, and Redmi K30.

Update 6/25: Alongside the launch of the ARCore Depth API, Google has added the LG V50S ThinQ, Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ 5G, and S20 Ultra 5G.

Update 8/20: The Pixel 4a is today’s most notable addition. Others include:

Fujitsu F-51A

Google Pixel 4a

LG Q92

LG style3

LG Stylo 6

LG VELVET 5G

Motorola moto g⁸ power lite

Motorola moto g pro

Oppo A52

Oppo A72

Oppo A92

Oppo A92s

Oppo Reno3 A

realme X50 Pro

realme X50t 5G

Samsung Galaxy A20

Samsung Galaxy A20s

Samsung Galaxy A30s

Samsung Galaxy M31s

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G

Sharp AQUOS R5G

Vivo iQOO 3 4G

Vivo X50

Vivo X50 Pro

Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite

Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite Zoom

Xiaomi Mi Note 10

Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro

List: Supported ARCore devices

Brand Device Apple iPhone 11 Apple iPhone 11 Pro Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max Apple iPhone XR Apple iPhone XS and XS Max Apple iPhone X Apple iPhone 8 and 8 Plus Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Apple iPhone 6S and 6S Plus Apple iPhone SE Apple iPad Air 3rd Generation Apple iPad mini 5th Generation Apple 12.9-in. iPad Pro (1st Generation) Apple 12.9-in. iPad Pro (2nd Generation) Apple 12.9-in. iPad Pro (3rd Generation) Apple 11-in. iPad Pro Apple 10.5-in. iPad Pro Apple 9.7-in. iPad Pro Apple iPad (7th Generation) Apple iPad (6th Generation) Apple iPad (5th Generation) Apple iPod touch (7th Generation) Asus ROG Phone Asus ROG Phone II Asus Zenfone 6 Asus Zenfone AR Asus Zenfone ARES Fujitsu F-51A General Mobile GM 9 Plus Google Nexus 5X Google Nexus 6P Google Pixel Google Pixel XL Google Pixel 2 Google Pixel 2 XL Google Pixel 3 Google Pixel 3 XL Google Pixel 3a Google Pixel 3a XL Google Pixel 4 Google Pixel 4 XL Google Pixel 4a HMD Global Nokia 6 (2018) HMD Global Nokia 6.1 Plus HMD Global Nokia 6.2 HMD Global Nokia 7 Plus HMD Global Nokia 7.1 HMD Global Nokia 7.2 HMD Global Nokia 8 HMD Global Nokia 8 Sirocco HMD Global Nokia 8.1 Huawei Honor 8X Huawei Honor 10 Huawei Honor View 10 Lite Huawei Honor V20 Huawei Mate 20 Lite Huawei Mate 20 Huawei Mate 20 Pro Huawei Mate 20 X Huawei Nova 3 Huawei Nova 3i Huawei Nova 4 Huawei P20 Huawei P20 Pro Huawei P30 Huawei P30 Pro Huawei Porsche Design Mate RS Huawei Porsche Design Mate 20 RS Huawei Y9 2019 Infinix Mobile Note 6 Infinix Mobile Note 7 Kyocera Torque G04 LG G6 LG G7 Fit LG G7 One LG G7 ThinQ LG G8 ThinQ LG G8S ThinQ LG G8X ThinQ LG G Pad 5 10.1 FHD LG K61 LG Q6 LG Q70 LG Q8 LG Q92 LG style2 LG style3 LG Stylo 5 LG Stylo 6 LG V30 LG V30+ LG V30+ JOJO LG LG Signature Edition 2017 LG V35 ThinQ LG LG Signature Edition 2018 LG V40 ThinQ LG V50 ThinQ LG V50S ThinQ LG LG Signature Edition 2019 LG V60 ThinQ 5G LG VELVET 5G Motorola moto g⁵ˢ plus Motorola moto g⁶ Motorola moto g⁶ plus Motorola moto g⁷ Motorola moto g⁷ play Motorola moto g⁷ plus Motorola moto g⁷ power Motorola moto g⁷ play Motorola moto g⁸ Motorola moto g⁸ play Motorola moto g⁸ plus Motorola moto g⁸ power Motorola moto g⁸ power lite Motorola moto g power Motorola moto g pro Motorola moto g stylus Motorola motorola edge Motorola motorola edge plus Motorola motorola one Motorola motorola one action Motorola motorola one hyper Motorola motorola one macro Motorola motorola one power Motorola motorola one vision Motorola motorola one zoom Motorola moto x⁴ Motorola moto z² force Motorola moto z³ Motorola moto z³ play Motorola moto z⁴ OnePlus OnePlus 3T OnePlus OnePlus 5 OnePlus OnePlus 5T OnePlus OnePlus 6 OnePlus OnePlus 6T OnePlus OnePlus 7 OnePlus OnePlus 7 Pro OnePlus OnePlus 7 Pro 5G OnePlus OnePlus 7T OnePlus OnePlus 7T Pro OnePlus OnePlus 8 OnePlus OnePlus 8 Pro Oppo A52 Oppo A72 Oppo A92 Oppo A92s Oppo F11 Pro Oppo F15 Oppo Find X2 Oppo Find X2 Pro Oppo K3 Oppo K5 Oppo R17 Pro Oppo Reno Oppo Reno2 Oppo Reno2 F Oppo Reno2 Z Oppo Reno3 Oppo Reno3 5G Oppo Reno3 A Oppo Reno3 Pro Oppo Reno3 Pro 5G Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Oppo Reno A Oppo Reno Z realme 5 realme 5 Pro realme 6 realme 6 Pro realme Q realme X realme X Lite realme XT realme X2 realme X2 Pro realme X50 Pro realme X50t 5G Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) Samsung Galaxy A8 Samsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) Samsung Galaxy A20 Samsung Galaxy A20s Samsung Galaxy A30 Samsung Galaxy A30s Samsung Galaxy A31 Samsung Galaxy A40 Samsung Galaxy A41 Samsung Galaxy A50 Samsung Galaxy A50s Samsung Galaxy A51 Samsung Galaxy A51 5G Samsung Galaxy A60 Samsung Galaxy A70 Samsung Galaxy A70s Samsung Galaxy A71 Samsung Galaxy A71 5G Samsung Galaxy A80 Samsung Galaxy A90 5G Samsung Galaxy Fold Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro Samsung Galaxy M21 Samsung Galaxy M30s Samsung Galaxy M31 Samsung Galaxy M31s Samsung Galaxy Note8 Samsung Galaxy Note9 Samsung Galaxy Note10 Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G Samsung Galaxy Note10+ Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite Samsung Galaxy S7 Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Samsung Galaxy S8 Samsung Galaxy S8+ Samsung Galaxy S9 Exynos Samsung Galaxy S9 Qualcomm Samsung Galaxy S9+ Exynos Samsung Galaxy S9+ Qualcomm Samsung Galaxy S10e Exynos Samsung Galaxy S10e Qualcomm Samsung Galaxy S10 Exynos Samsung Galaxy S10 Qualcomm Samsung Galaxy S10+ Exynos Samsung Galaxy S10+ Qualcomm Samsung Galaxy S10 5G Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite Samsung Galaxy S20 Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Sharp AQUOS R3 Sharp AQUOS R5G Sharp AQUOS sense3 Sharp AQUOS sense3 basic Sharp AQUOS sense3 plus Sharp AQUOS zero2 Sharp S7 Sony Xperia XZ Premium Sony Xperia XZ1 Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact Sony Xperia XZ2 Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium Sony Xperia XZ3 Sony Xperia 1 Sony Xperia 1 Professional Edition Sony Xperia 5 Sony Xperia 1 II Tecno Camon 12 Pro Tecno Phantom 9 Vivo Nex 3 Vivo Nex 3 5G Vivo NEX S Vivo NEX Dual Display Edition Vivo iQOO 3 4G Vivo iQOO 3 5G Vivo X50 Vivo X50 Pro Wiko View 3 Pro Xiaomi Mi 8 Xiaomi Mi 8 SE Xiaomi Mi 9 Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite Xiaomi Mi 9 SE Xiaomi Mi 10 Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite Zoom Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro Xiaomi Mi A3 Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Xiaomi Poco X2 Xiaomi Redmi K20 Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro Xiaomi Redmi K30 Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T Zebra TC52 WLAN Touch Computer Zebra TC57 WWAN Touch Computer Zebra TC72 WLAN Touch Computer Zebra TC77 WWAN Touch Computer

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: