memoji & messages
make stickers of your personal icons
Apple launched Animoji in iOS 11 and added Memoji in iOS 12. Both features made clever use of augmented reality to combine real-life expressions captured by the camera with animation. Until now, both Animoji and Memoji were limited to X series iPhones. In iOS 13, any device with an A9 chip will be able to use the new Memoji and Animoji sticker packs.
Previously, to create an Animoji or Memoji you had to use FaceTime or Messages. Now they are available as sticker packs that are available from the keyboard and can be used in Messages, Mail and third-party apps. Once you create one in an app, it becomes a series of stickers to be used wherever you choose. We particularly like the ‘blew my brains’ sticker. There are also new customisation options for Memoji including new hairstyles, headwear, make-up and piercings. And Animoji now also get a cow, an octopus and a mouse.
iOS 13 changes the way you choose what image your contacts see when you message them. Previously, you set this up in Contacts and it was used globally. Now, when you set up iOS 13, you’re prompted to choose an image or create Memoji, and provide a name, and then choose whether those are automatically shared with everyone, only with your contacts, or whether you are prompted to choose each time.
Touch typing
The Message app also benefits from the new QuickPath Typing feature that allows you to swipe over the keyboard from one letter to another to type. It’s a feature that’s available in numerous third-party keyboards and is popular because it makes one-handed typing easier. Apple’s version uses machine learning to identify the pattern you draw, which should allow it to quickly recognise words you type often, and improve auto-suggestions.