iOS 26 Getting Custom AI-Generated Message Backgrounds, Generative Shortcuts and 'Mixmoji'

[Kottu]

The Unicode Consortium introduces new emojis annually and Apple incorporates support for them like other platforms do. It's a tedious argument that it's all they focus on, and just plain wrong that it's all they're concerned about.

True, but have you noticed how Apple describes their updates lately? The first section is often all about new emojis. Honestly, they don’t even need to mention it—yet they still lead with it.

For example;
Android 14 added Unicode 15.0 emojis, but this wasn’t a key selling point in its announcement.
Meanwhile, iOS 16.4’s announcement included emoji previews and media coverage focusing on the new characters.

In short: Apple promotes emojis as a part of its brand and user experience much more than Google/Android does.

 

[Heinzja]

Emojis= horrible stuff... should be an option to de-install them 🍆

 

[MistaBungle]

A splash of colour will be nice. But why can't we set our favourite emojis and instead have to deal with some algorithm to display our recents/used or something?

 

[dominiongamma]

Emojis= horrible stuff... should be an option to de-install them 🍆

along with Apple Intelligence too !

 

[Ghengis LeMond]

DJ Timmah gunna rock sum Mixmoji come Monday and lay down sum rhymes.

 

[Corefile]

I've been pondering if Apple might kill iStat Menus and similar programs in macOS 26 by "rolling their own". I could imagine them adding this to Activity monitor and it would be cool to have an official Apple solution, similar to what they did with weather in the menu bar.

 

[cicalinarrot]

Wow, such innovation, taking a feature that existed in MSN Messenger decades ago and presenting it as revolutionary. Truly cutting-edge stuff.

Generative AI backgrounds and emojis on MSN?
Do we live in different dimensions?

Jesus, you stopped reading the article after the first half of the very first sentence and thought you could post a comment?
And then proceded to include the cliché of Apple calling trivial stuff "revolutionary" which is 100% a strawman here since Apple isn't presenting anything, it's rumours based on code.

Also, I congratulate with all people who read your whole comment and upvoted it but also couldn't bother reading the whole first sentence of the article to understand what you said makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Col4bin]

Maybe I’m alone in this but I think Genmoji is the best AI feature in iOS 18. Glad to see it getting better.

For kids maybe?

 

[citysnaps]

Im the opposite, the more user customizations Apple can give out, the better it is for me.

Same here... the more, the better.

What I'll never understand is why some people apparently feel obligated/mandated to use things that don't interest them. Are they under some kind of spell?

 

[AppliedMicro]

And not even available in Europe.

Apple Intelligence features are available in Europe, and so is Messages.

 

[wyrdness]

Apple Intelligence features are available in Europe, and so is Messages.

For low values of 'intelligence'. Siri is just as brain-dead stupid as ever.

 

[Dark_Omen]

Can't wait to watch the stock price plummet after this event tomorrow.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Just give me controls to turn it off.

 

[Heinzja]

Regarding Ai in general, not only background and emojis etc only two quotes which fit for all occasions:

“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity,”
Albert Einstein's wry remark, was invoked sometimes to prove a point.

AI will not replace humans, but those who use AI will replace those who don't.” – Ginni Rometty, Former CEO of IBM

 

[kurtfoster]

Wow, another feature that I can hopefully disable. I’m probably in the minority where I don’t use messages except for quick back-and-forth between people and then when I’m done with that five or six line conversation, I delete the message.

 

[dburkhanaev]

Same here... the more, the better.

What I'll never understand is why some people apparently feel obligated/mandated to use things that don't interest them. Are they under some kind of spell?

You mean like contact posters that you create on your phone and then impose on the whole display of my phone by calling me? It can be disabled, but it's difficult as hell to get it across the board and getting it to stick is hit or miss. Its implementation is buggy, half-baked, and can't be universally disabled across the application. But I don't have a choice of not participating in this thing that I don't like and don't care about. It's a narcissistic feature imposed on me based on some perceived demand in the market place.