If you check out Google’s cute frog mascot that accompanies search results for weather in the Google app on Android, you might notice that the froggy has a mask, as first seen by some Reddit users over the weekend (fia 9to5Google).
The froggy still does things he did before wearing a mask, such as hanging clothes, walking through a field or riding a bicycle, but now it can also wear one of many different masks, as found by Ferry employees and shown in screenshots on Reddit and 9to5Google.
You can not see the mask on the froggy yet, though – the frog did not have one for some users on Reddit this weekend. Google tells The edge the mask on the frog will be rolled out to Android users worldwide at the end of the day today.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a mask in public settings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, and putting a mask on the frog seems to be an attempt by Google to encourage people to wearing masks when outdoors. (There’s no evidence that frogs can spread COVID-19, at least I’m aware of that, so I think these images are aimed at humans.)
If you search for something COVID-19 related on Google, you will see an ‘SOS Alert’, which shows news articles, information about the coronavirus, where you can be tested, and more. The company has also partnered with Apple on an exposure notification system to help inform people if they may have been exposed to someone with the coronavirus.
Update August 24, 15:05 ET: Added information from Google.
