💬 The Wrap
Last month I said that we're entering emoji season and to expect a slew of emoji updates from vendors. Well, I'm pleased to report that now we're right amongst it.
In the past month we've seen emoji updates released from Google, Samsung, EmojiOne, and a preview of a new design from Facebook. Still to come is Microsoft in October (in beta now), and Apple, likely coming in iOS 12.1 or iOS 12.2 in Oct-Nov.
This week I've been playing with a Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and the experience is odd. While it technically supports all the new emojis (paste them into the Notes app and they work), that's the extent of it. None of the new additions show on the keyboard, half of them break in Samsung Internet (Samsung's own browser), and none of them work in Chrome. So if you care about consistent emoji support, my tip is to stick with iPhone or Pixel models.
📰 News
🦄 EmojiOne 4.0 Changelog
EmojiOne is back with another release that changes nearly every single emoji design in some way. It's also bringing new designs, and what appears to be a new strategy for splitting digital vs physical licensing.
📲 Samsung Experience 9.5 Emoji Changelog
Samsung has usually been one of the last major vendors to release emoji updates, but this year they're here barely a month behind Google's own release.
The issue remains that a large number of Samsung users will never get this update, but at the very least, users purchasing a Galaxy Note 9 will have access to Emoji 11.0 right away.
🎨 Facebook Testing New Emoji Designs
A new glossy style has taken over Facebook's emoji set for some users - myself included on my Pixel. This doesn't yet apply to every emoji, and appears to be more of a phased update. No word yet from Facebook on when to expect it to be complete.
📝 Service Dog, Deaf Person, Couples added to 2019 Emoji List
Emoji 12.0 is due for release in March 2019. Until then, there's still work to do finalizing candidates, and then there is still the potential of further changes - any candidate could be removed, renamed, sequences changed, etc. Anyway, here's the latest draft additions.
💬 Hangouts Chat adds emoji reactions to web and mobile apps
Emoji reactions are one of those great features that immediately make sense, and you suddenly want everywhere. Now Hangouts (née GChat) has them too.
💭 Interesting
💩 Poop Emoji Label No More on Yandex Maps Experiment
Permitting 124 emojis to tag places on Yandex Maps (think Google Maps, in Russia); it seems users enjoyed spamming the map with poo. So that option has been removed, and a poo purge has taken place. Oddly, the eggplant remains a choice, so I have put a test in place.
📲 Google Gboard can use selfies to create a 'Mini' version of you
aka Bitmoji, but from Google. I don't say that to diminish the feature - just to put it in context for those trying to figure what a 'mini' is. I took it for a spin, and my mini was a decent attempt given my incredibly-generic-white-guy look. Different looks are available with varying levels of cuteness. This was originally a feature in Allo, but it's likely to get a wider audience now it's in a product that people actually use (Gboard).
🌐 Relying only on Emojis and photos, could YOBO be Generation-Z’s Foursquare?
Filing under: "emojis will fix it" (usually not the case, but we'll see)
🙅♀️ An emoji that will not show in the Safari title bar
Not new, but it was recently picked up in this reddit thread that the 🔒 emoji is banned from display in Safari's title bar.
🤠 Emojiology: Cowboy Hat Face
John Kelly is back bringing lexicography to emoji with a look at why we like the Cowboy emoji. Hint: it's the hat.
🔴 Period emoji could smash the stigma surrounding menstruation
A blood drop emoji is shortlisted for 2019, with a period being one potential use.
😡 Tip: Ban Emojis From Android and iOS
I can't quite tell if Paul Thurrott is legitimately annoyed by emojis or just playing the part for more compelling content, so I'll leave you to decide. Says Thurrott: "I never want to type an emoji. Like, ever."
🎙 Podcasts
🎙 Personal Emoji Freedom with Rick Moby from EmojiOne
This month I speak to Rick Moby from EmojiOne. Topics include: Who is behind the emojis on Nintendo Switch, tough pistol decisions, and why doesn't anyone know how to hug?