Apple Kills AppStore Emoji Support
11:32 am, February 27th, 2009, Lonnie Lazar
Apple issued a store-wide prohibition on all AppStore support for Emoji Friday, according to a report at ArsTechnica.
Emoji, the cute graphical images favored by many heavy SMS text users and a standard part of mobile communications in Japan, are “hidden” on iPhones sold outside Japan. However in recent months, third party apps and other hacks have appeared, allowing all iPhone users to access Emoji through the phone’s International keyboard options.
iPhone developer Gary Fung, whose Typing Genius has been a hit among Emoli lovers, told ArsTechnica Friday that existing applications that offer Emoji enabling beyond their base functionality have been ordered to remove Emoji support.
Fung said that Apple has required an immediate update to his Typing Genius program with the Emoji support removed and the same order appears to have gone out to all developers whose App Store marketing text mentions support for the Emoji feature.
For a more detailed description of how Emoji are enabled on the iPhone and some speculation about why — beyond the company being just plain mean — Apple came down on all the Emoji-san, see blogger/developer Erica Sadun’s report at ArsTechnica.
Posted by Lonnie Lazar in News | Comment on this article













What could be the reason? i don’t get it.
VideoPokerOnlineFree, on February 27th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Oh dear. Apple, your arbitrary rules and bans will be the end of you (probably).
Duality, on February 27th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Duality has it right. Apple’s arrogance is so irritating. Make your policy changes, but could you please explain your actions once in a while?
matt, on February 27th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
did I read that article correctly. you have to hack your phone to use them. hack as in break the software on your phone, which could break your phone which know has no warranty so no free replacement for you.
so is anyone shocked that apple doesn’t want official apps encouraging folks to hack their phones.
Lucas, on February 27th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
What’s the point of this and what harm is this doing?
Apple is loosing me and I’ve been a fan & customer since the Apple II.
What jerk at Apple thinks this harmful to the company, the iPhone or the users?
Dozens of Fart applications, but no Emoji for you. Real smart Apple.
Paul, on February 27th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
@ Lucas: You don’t have to hack it. It was allowed via legitimate apps on the store. Now they’ve arbitrarily decided that Emoji is not for you! So off it goes. That’s why people are frustrated.
Duality, on February 28th, 2009 at 4:18 am
Steve only wants the Japanese to have them!
David, on March 1st, 2009 at 1:23 pm
It was not a hack to get emoji on my iPhone. I simply installed an Asian newsreader, that I purchased from the app store, right here in the US. Totally upfront.
They only work in texts to other iPhones, but they are cute and fun.
James P, on March 2nd, 2009 at 8:47 pm