Google launches AR Stickers for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

If you’ve seen our video demo for the Google Pixel Stranger Things AR Stickers (which you can watch above), you’ll be familiar with this new feature. Now, Google has officially brought AR Stickers to the Play Store, making it available for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL users. You can access these under the My Apps section under Updates, when these are installed, it’ll show up in your main Camera app, just swipe from the left edge. The AR Stickers available include three generic packs and Star Wars and Stranger Things. If this is something you’ve been wanting to play around with, now’s the time to do just that.

Source: GSMArena

Google Phone app finally gets ‘video call’ option enabled

Google Phone and Duo have since the Pixel 2 launch allowed for a more seamless video call integration from the former to the latter. But the option to access this feature hasn’t been available, until now. Android Police reports that the feature seems to be live already. You can now see a Video Call option while you try to make a normal phone call. When you tap on this option, it’ll launch Duo on your end. The person you’re trying to call though will need to have their phone unlocked for Duo to launch on their end. When you are able to connect, it’ll disconnect the phone call and connect you to the video one. The feature is currently rolling out so just wait for it to head your way.

Google launches three new photo apps

Google seems to be taking some cues from Microsoft’s Garage program and now have their own “appsperiments” initiative. Its launch is signaled by three new photo-centric apps. The three apps are inspired by Google’s Motion Stills app. Like the aforementioned app, all are fully functioning programs but are “built on experimental technology” that Google intends to build on over time. These seem to be the first wave of apps

The first one is the Android-based Storyboard, which takes your video clips and automatically takes six frames that it then lays out in a comic book-like template. You can refresh the app to get new layouts and frames. Google says there are over 1.6 trillion combinations so we’re sure you’d find something you like.

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Apple buys audio recognition service Shazam for $ 400 million

Shazam is a pioneering audio recognition service that can quickly listen to and identify music (as well as TV and likely other forms of media). The company and its employees were recently involved in a $400 million purchase by Apple who might look to integrate the service tightly with its iOS and Mac devices.

Shazam boasts more than 120 million active users, using the app 20 million times each day so giving this user base tigher integration with iOS devices will likely keep them longer. The Pixel 2 from Google has a feature that identifies music playing automatically and presents this information on the display.

Shazam can also be used to identify images, determine what TV show or movie is on and has some features related to QR codes and possibly AR (Augmented Reality) functionality. A quiet acquisition, Apple has yet to send out a detailed release about their plans for Shazam and what will happen to the app in other competing paltforms.

Source: CNBC