Apple Reveals Messages in iOS 11.3 Will Get Four New Animoji and Customer Support 'Business Chat'

[MacRumors]

Within its larger unveiling of iOS 11.3, Apple today announced two new updates coming to Messages when the operating system update debuts this spring. First, there are four new Animoji characters that will allow iPhone X owners to become a dragon, bear, skull, or lion.

This brings the total amount of Animoji available on iPhone X to 16. Just like the original characters, you can use the new Animoji to copy the movement of parts of your face with the iPhone X's TrueDepth camera, record a 10-second video clip, and send it to someone through Messages.

Second, Apple revealed a new customer support feature coming to Messages called "Business Chat." Apple said that this will be a way for you to text directly with a business within its messaging app, and will be supported by Lowe's, Discover, Hilton, and Wells Fargo, and select other companies at launch in the spring.

Besides support chat, you'll be able to schedule appointments and even make purchases using Apple Pay. Beta users will gain access to Business Chat ahead of the public launch of iOS 11.3.

With Business Chat, it's easy to have a conversation with a service representative, schedule an appointment or make purchases using Apple Pay in the Messages app. Business Chat doesn't share the user's contact information with businesses and gives users the ability to stop chatting at any time.

There are plenty of other details about iOS 11.3 to discover today, so be sure to check out our full post on the upcoming iPhone update, as well as Apple's announcement that iOS 11.3 users will be able to view their device's battery health and disable power management features. The company also shared information on a new "Health Records" section coming to the iOS Health app.

Article Link: Apple Reveals Messages in iOS 11.3 Will Get Four New Animoji and Customer Support 'Business Chat'

 

[ediks]

finally new emojis

 

[Andres Cantu]

Should have reserved new Animoji for iOS 12 to get people to update. Though considering how bad iOS 11 has been, I’m sure it won’t take much.

 

[newyorksole]

Can you ask them about Messages in the Cloud?

Not sure why that is taking so long...

 

[Mike MA]

Good to see Apple is continuing to put focus on the current pain point of iOS - the lack of emojis.

 

[69Mustang]

Animoji... only good for Animoji Karaoke on Youtube.

Thanks Obama Apple

 

[GTO]

I know people like to make fun of "animoji" but they're actually quite cool.

 

[now i see it]

iMessage is turning into an iTunes.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Am I the only one who finds the Animoji to be shockingly unrefined? There's so much lag between when you move your face and when it makes the corresponding change, and a lot of movement they just miss entirely.

(I haven't actually played with them myself, but I've seen enough video of them being used I think.)

 

[dan9700]

I kinda just want little things like remove home bar, change ui so control centre is at diff place and also swipe up on X to remove app not hold and swipe

 

[xwinger]

I haven’t used Animoji since I got my iPhone X and was showing it to my friends. I guess It just isn’t for me.

 

[EdT]

I realize I’m not the market for Animoji’s but considering everything Apple has to fix or even get to market this shouldn’t be as high on their priority list as it seems to be.

 

[MrGimper]

Can you ask them about Messages in the Cloud?

Not sure why that is taking so long...

Im guessing this is because you aren’t familiar with enterprise distributed software development, that could affect millions of users if its released before its ready....

 

[thadoggfather]

I might have to give up my jailbreak for this ...

/s

The dragon is cool tho

 

[Porco]

They will have lions. They will have bears.

So what are clearly missing? Tigers. Oh my!

 

[zooby]

EDIT: I stand corrected. I hope Messages in the Cloud still comes... it's a must-have feature for me.

 

[EdT]

I haven’t used Animoji since I got my iPhone X and was showing it to my friends. I guess It just isn’t for me.

My wife has a X, she sent a handful of these out the first day she had it, and hasn’t touched it since. Novelty wore off fast for both the sender and the people receiving them. I’m sticking with my 6+ because I didn’t see any features on either the 8 or X that I thought was worth spending $700 or more to get. Will get a new battery for mine soon.

 

[Micool1]

I'm still wondering why there is no regular yellow smiley animoji.

 

[jerry16]

I was going to comment that Messages in the Cloud is definitely not coming any time soon before someone brought it up but it appears I was too late...

Featured was scrapped. It's obvious at this point. Apple has done it before. It's a disappointment because I was looking forward to it but it was probably scrapped due to encryption / syncing being hard to achieve.

I am so sick of booting up my Mac or iPad after a few days and being inundated with messages. This feature NEEDS to happen.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

1) House Targaryen
2) House Mormont of Bear Island
3) White Walkers undead army
4) House Lannister of Casterly Rock

I love this!

 

[lsutigerfan1976]

Tim Cook: I said we would introduce more Animoji. You just thought I said messages in the cloud. Lmao!

 

[hugo7]

Damn! That skeleton has perfect teeth!

 

[NCKLS]

Am I the only one who finds the Animoji to be shockingly unrefined? There's so much lag between when you move your face and when it makes the corresponding change, and a lot of movement they just miss entirely.

(I haven't actually played with them myself, but I've seen enough video of them being used I think.)

I have used them and although I don’t understand the appeal, they work flawlessly. No noticeable lag, not sure what videos you’ve been watching

 

[itsmilo]

Instead of Animojis bring pictures that delete after they have been viewed to iMessages already. I hate having random things like a screen shot pile up on all my devices

 

[5105973]

I have used them and although I don’t understand the appeal, they work flawlessly. No noticeable lag, not sure what videos you’ve been watching

I had some difficulty getting my animoji to sync up. If you start talking before you've aimed the camera properly there will be some lag. Some people seem more adept at making animoji than others. My husband never had a problem. I almost always messed mine up.

I like animoji, but the opportunity to use them is very limited for an adult communicating with other adults. You need a quiet environment to both make them properly and to enjoy them. They are definitely not something I'd send to someone at work.

As cute as I thought they were, I don't miss them at all like I thought I might when I traded my X back for an 8 Plus and a Pixel 2. As far as silly novelty features are concerned, I much prefer and use far more often the AR stickers on my Pixel 2.