WWDC: Messages

Apple is letting third-party developers turn iMessage into a WeChat clone, writes Oscar Raymundo

Emoji, stickers, and bubble effects. Apple has opened the floodgates of its most popular app in iOS 10. At WWDC, Apple revealed that iOS 10 is making the Messages app way more visual and emojifriendly, just as the overall iMessage platform will begin to integrate third-party apps. Developers will be able to create apps specifically for iMessage that will let you send stickers or perform certain group-actions right from the Messages app.

In terms of style, Messages is getting a major ‘emojification’ in iOS 10. Emoji that are sent by themselves (meaning without accompanying text) are three times bigger. And you will get emoji suggestions as you type.

Messages will also let you replace certain keywords with emojis – compose a message, then press the emoji button, and the app will highlight all the words that have a corresponding emoji. Tap on the highlighted words to replace them with said emoji. So a phrase like, the monkey likes pizza, gets translated into, the wants .