Earlier this month, Playmoji on the Pixel 3 was showcased in front of a wide audience at the Grammys. It served as a demo of augmented reality’s many fun use cases. Playground 2.2 now reveals work on AR Animals and the continued development of AR Shopping, as well as another promo with Marvel for International Women’s Day.

About APK Insight: In this ‘APK Insight’ post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in the case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.

Google AR Animals

With the rebrand of AR Stickers to Playground last October, Google also introduced new Petmojis. Playground 2.2 reveals work on “Google AR Animals” so that you can “bring life-size animals into your space.”

This feature appears to be somewhat educational and related to new “AR Answers” that could be a fun way to learn about creatures in real-life. Unlike the current set of animated stickers, this upcoming effort might strive for “life-size” realism with users able to “hear the animal.”

<string name=”handoff_title”>Google AR Animals</string> <string name=”handoff_body”>Use your camera to bring life-size animals into your space</string> <string name=”raise_volume”>Turn your volume up to hear the animal</string> <string name=”accessibility_scale_button”>”Reset the animal’s scale back to life-size”</string>

<string name=”answers_app_name”>AR Answers</string> <string name=”answers_service_general_failure_retry”>Retry</string> <string name=”answers_service_general_failure_title”>”Couldn’t load related animals. Check your connection and try again.”</string>

International Women’s Day + Marvel

The debut of Marvel’s first female-led superhero movie happens to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8th. After releasing an Avengers sticker pack last fall, Marvel will be creating an AR “superhero effect” for Playground.

<string name=”iwd_gallery_title_alt1″>”International Women’s Day”</string> <string name=”iwd_info_dialog_text”>”Give a hero in your life the ultimate superhero treatment for International Women’s Day. © Marvel All Rights Reserved.”</string>

This fun feature will let you “Give a hero in your life the ultimate superhero treatment,” complete with several superhero names and other Marvel-branded special effects, presumably that tie-in with Captain Marvel.

<string name=”iwd_banner_button_cancel_text”>No thanks</string> <string name=”iwd_banner_button_talk_back_string”>”Start special effects for International Women’s Day”</string> <string name=”iwd_banner_button_text”>Try it now!</string> <string name=”iwd_banner_button_text_alt1″>Do it now!</string> <string name=”iwd_banner_button_text_alt2″>Get started</string> <string name=”iwd_fx_button_talk_back_string”>Launch superhero effect named %1$s</string> <string name=”iwd_fx_name_one”>The fearless</string> <string name=”iwd_fx_name_three”>The empowering</string> <string name=”iwd_fx_name_two”>The rise of</string> <string name=”iwd_gallery_title”>Hero Her</string> <string name=”iwd_initial_name_text”>Name here</string>

AR Shopping

Being able to see pieces virtually in your home is often touted as a killer use case for augmented reality. Last November, AR Core detailed an “AR Shopping” functionality for furniture. Playground 2.2 follows up on that way to “Preview furniture in your space.”

<string name=”welcome_dialog_google_ar_furniture_text”>Preview furniture in your space</string> <string name=”welcome_dialog_use_camera”>”The perfect piece awaits. See which items fit or match your room. Plus, take photos & share them. To start, give access to your camera and photos.”</string>

Items will appear “true-to-life,” with Google noting how users have “no need to resize.” Pieces can be rotated and adjusted after ARCore detects the floor, while it will also retain object placement.

<string name=”rotation_onboarding_shopping_hint”>To rotate, use two fingers and move clockwise or counter-clockwise</string> <string name=”scale_onboarding_shopping_hint”>This piece is true-to-life, no need to resize. To adjust placement, move it.</string> <string name=”searching_for_plane_hint”>First, let’s find the floor. Stay still, point your phone down, and move it around.</string> <string name=”shopping_app_name”>AR Shopping</string> <string name=”shopping_category_heading”>CATEGORIES</string> <string name=”shopping_recovery_snackbar”>Restoring furniture. Point your phone where you last placed the item.</string>

How to update?

Google Playground 2.2 is rolling out now via the Play Store. We do not post APKs to download directly given the legal challenges associated with copyright and possibility of removal. Meanwhile, that model is perilous given Android App Bundles and Google Play’s Dynamic Delivery.

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