iOS 18.2 brings genmojis, but do we really want them?

Can a small embed be worth a thousand words?

Emojis have been with us for a while now, with their popularity peaking in 2010.

So, in 2019-ish, I was a bit surprised to receive a reply from a customer (I was working as a customer support agent) who wasn't happy about the outcome of her problem and also suggested that I should shove the emojis used in my previous message where the sun doesn't shine.

This got me thinking that not everyone might be a fan of emojis. But has this tendency changed, especially with the launch of genmojis?

Apple has recently released a new software update for its devices. The iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 upgrades include new features such as ChatGPT-powered Siri, Image Playground, Writing Tools, and more.

Some of the new features are related to image generation. For example, the latest software update allows users to create images in the Note app using Image Wand, which can transform written text into an image.

It's not the only feature that encourages people to engage with visuals. Apple users can also create a genmoji, a new type of emoji that is made with the help of generative AI.

To create a custom emoji, users can take pictures from their library and customize their emojis with different accessories.

It's been reported that around 92% of people online use emojis daily. According to 2023 data, users between the ages of 18 and 29 are the ones who use emojis the most, in comparison with other age groups, sending them multiple times a day.

The data also revealed that the older the age group, the less keen they were on sending emojis.

The news about Apple's custom-made emoji feature started a discussion online.

"Genmoji is super cool. I don't get people saying here that they won't use it. Most millennials and Gen Z I know love emojis and will love this feature," wrote one Redditor.

Some users also pointed out that age isn't a factor when it comes to using emojis: "Genmoji is genuinely the only feature I'm interested in and I'm not young. I think it just looks fun. The rest I couldn't care less about."

"I've been playing with Genmoji all morning, and I'm a 40-year-old man," another user online shared. Such answers suggest that the use of emojis is spreading.

Some years ago, users would've thought twice before adding an emoji, especially in a more formal context, but now it's becoming something that can even define your emotional intelligence.

A new study suggests that people who use emojis frequently may have "higher emotional intelligence."

Researchers from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University discovered that some people use emojis to improve their communication and form better relationships.

The study puts ground for further research that would help to understand how "computer-mediated communication" affects users.

So, whether we like them or not, genmojis can at least help us better understand our communication online.