Last week, Google announced that they will be rolling out Audio Emojis on their phones. Devices with video calling capabilities will soon be able to send one of six animated reactions including a crying face with a trombone sound and even farts.
This update will be available to most users within the next few weeks, and while this may seem like a new feature to many, it’s reminiscent of one very specific throwback: MSN Winks.
I can still hear the echo of the tinny knocking sound coming from the blue fist attempting to break the black mirror. Unlike winks, Google’s Audio Emojis will have a buffer period where users can’t send another for a few seconds in order to prevent overuse (read: being a nuisance). Some critics are not a fan of the fart noises while others are ecstatic for this specific feature and while this is a very exciting innovation, the only criticism I have is the name choice. Wink, Poke and Tweet are already taken, but there has to be a better choice than “Audio Emoji”.