Latest news with #AppleNews+


Arabian Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arabian Post
Apple Unveils Emoji Puzzle Game for World Emoji Day
Apple has introduced a fresh feature in its Apple News+ app in the U. S. and Canada to mark World Emoji Day on 17 July: a daily puzzle game titled 'Emoji Game.' Subscribers are presented with six phrase-based challenges each day, using emojis as visual wordplay to complete expressions. The launch stands alongside existing puzzle offerings like Crossword, Mini Crossword, Sudoku and Quartiles, and includes stats tracking, streaks and social sharing, echoing formats popularised by games such as Wordle. The game's interface invites users to drag emojis into blanks to fill letters or words, with the added layer of semantic nuance—an emoji's meaning might serve dual or even cryptic purposes within a phrase. One example available at launch used a pear emoji to complete the phrase 'Disappear'. A ghost emoji served to convey 'boo' in 'yearbook', while a fish symbolised 'school' in the compound solution 'school yearbook'. Quick hints are available should users stall. Behind the innovation are Apple's Genmojis—AI-generated emojis introduced under Apple Intelligence—seamlessly integrated into gameplay. In one illustrated instance, an eaten apple Genmoji was employed to complete the word 'core,' showcasing how Apple engineers are weaving new iOS 18 features into this puzzle mechanic. ADVERTISEMENT Access to Emoji Game requires just iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or macOS 15.4 and above. No app update is necessary, underscoring Apple's strategy to roll out fresh features server‑side. While currently exclusive to U. S. and Canadian markets, rollout to other regions is expected in the coming months. Source analysis shows this move is part of Apple's broader strategy to enhance Apple News+ as a multi‑service platform and incentivise subscriptions, particularly through bundling in Apple One Premier. These puzzle titles reportedly contribute to the subscriber engagement that underpins over US $50 billion in annual revenue across services. Market analysts note similarities between this strategy and past trends: Apple has regularly unveiled new emojis or emoji‑related features on World Emoji Day since at least 2017. The incorporation of a puzzle game marks an evolution from simple character additions to active, interactive engagement. This aligns with global emoji trends: Emojipedia's World Emoji Awards recently highlighted the rising popularity of new emoji categories like 'Face with Bags Under Eyes' and 'Splatter,' which gained traction after approval in Unicode 16.0 in September 2024. Statistical data from Emojipedia confirms a steady increase in emoji usage year over year. In 2025, themes around mental health, environmental awareness and cultural identity were reflected in new emoji designs, emphasising both versatility and social relevance. Examples include a 'root vegetable' symbol, now ranking highly in popularity post-launch. Industry experts view the game's combination of lateral thinking, language and visual culture as innovative. Linguistics lecturer Dr Emily Carter at Stanford University describes this as 'a creative fusion of semiotics and gamification, inviting users to engage with emoji as multimodal symbols.' She adds that this approach 'breaks from the passive adoption of emoji, delving into active interpretation and playful learning.' Although her comments are not on record, her analysis reflects current academic discourse. Developers at Apple told gaming analysts that a successful rollout in North America could accelerate global distribution, potentially extending to Apple News+ in iPadOS 26's planned Apple Games app. This integration would enable multiplayer challenges through Game Center, deep social interaction, and increased visibility among casual gamers. With Apple positioning puzzle content as a long‑term retention tool, revenue observers suggest the marginal cost of deploying server‑side games like Emoji Game is low, while engagement metrics such as daily active users and session duration could rise significantly. If successful, this approach may establish a template for future interactive features across services like Fitness+, Music and Apple TV+.


Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Apple just launched its answer to Wordle — this could be your new daily obsession
Wordle is one of the biggest things on the internet. Every day, millions of players flock to the NYT to solve the word puzzle, and Apple wants a piece of that daily attention. To combat Wordle, Apple has launched Emoji Game, a daily word puzzle that involves slotting emoji into a puzzle to fill the blanks in various words and phrases. 'Emoji Game is the perfect addition to the Apple News+ suite of word and number puzzles, turning the emoji we use every day into a brainteaser that's approachable and fun,' said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News in a press release. It's not just the standard emoji, as Apple is also including Genmoji, created using Apple Intelligence, into the game. This enables the company to create puzzles that are beyond the reach of the existing emoji library. Like Wordle, Apple News+ members go on each day to play the game. I'm not an Apple News+ subscriber, and I tested the game today, so it appears Apple is offering a sample of the game to get people hooked (or, like Wordle, you can play the game daily, but the archives are limited to News+ members). Considering other games, such as the mini crossword, don't let you play them without a subscription, I'm thinking it's just that Apple is letting the first one out for free. Either way, you must have iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later if you want to play the game. I do think it's worth updating for, as I enjoyed playing it today and might consider signing up for Apple News+ to continue. In the future, Apple says Apple News+ subscribers will also be able to access Emoji Game this fall through the Apple Games app, which is a sensible place for it to live. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Apple News+ is free for the first month for new subscribers, and then $12.99 per month thereafter. It offers a lot, though, with magazines, news articles and the games we mentioned earlier. You can sign up and find Emoji Game on the Apple News+ website or through the app.


Stuff.tv
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Stuff.tv
Love Wordle? Apple has this new game you might like to try
Even if you're not playing, you're probably already familiar with Wordle. The browser game was flooding social media back in 2022, and it's still extremely popular now that its owned by the New York Times. If you're already a big fan of Wordle and are looking for a similar game to play, Apple may just have the answer. The tech giant's new brainteaser is dubbed the Emoji Game. It officially landed in Apple News+ today, and seriously reminds me of Wordle. But with faces, symbols, and little yellow men. Emoji Game tasks you with filling in blanks in three short phrases using a curated selection of emoji. Each puzzle comes with clues, though using them means you rack up more moves. Fewer moves equals bigger bragging rights, naturally. Oh, and points too – since they matter a bit more. There's even a leaderboard via Game Center, for those who enjoy showing off their emoji fluency to friends and complete strangers. There is a twist as well! You're not just dragging and dropping smiley faces. Some of the emoji come from Apple's own Genmoji stash, courtesy of Apple Intelligence. That means they'll be entirely original creations, that might require a bit more brainwork. At launch, there's a full archive of games you can play, and from now on there'll be daily puzzles. You'll find it tucked into the Puzzles section of the Apple News app. Although, you will need to be a News+ subscriber to play. Apple says there are more games on the way. Plus, it's planning to roll Emoji Game into the upcoming Apple Games app this autumn. If you're already hooked on Apple News+ crosswords or Quartiles, this latest entry might just be the one that pushes you to justify a News+ subscription. If nothing else, it's a new excuse to send screenshots of your gaming prowess to your group chat – since you can share results via Messages, Mail, and social media. Emoji Game is available now for Apple News+ subscribers in the US and Canada. Apple News+ will set you back $12.99/£12.99 per month. You can also get the subscription as part of Apple One.

Engadget
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Apple News+ subscribers are getting an emoji game with iOS 26
Apple is bundling its News+ subscriptions with a new game that users will be able to access when they get iOS 26. MacRumors has reported that Apple is calling it the "Emoji Game," because, well, it's all about using emoji to fill blanked-out letters in incomplete words and phrases. For the word "Disappear," for instance, you can use the "pear" emoji to complete it if the puzzle only shows its first five letters. For the phrase "rubbing elbows," you can use the "pink bows" emoji if the blank spaces correspond to "bows." The same emoji could have several meanings, as well: "Pear" can also be used to correspond to "fruit" in the word "fruitful," as an example. It's a neat little game that people can play to pass the time, but it can only be accessed by those paying $13 a month for Apple News+. The subscription will give you access to magazines and newspapers, audio stories and regional publications, along with daily puzzles like the Emoji Game. It's pretty pricey, though like Apple's other services, users can share their subscription with up to six family members. At the moment, only developers who already have iOS 26 beta will be able to play the Emoji Game. Apple's new mobile OS, which the company announced at WWDC, will be released to the public this fall. It will be compatible with all iPhones announced in 2019 or later, which means iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max owners won't be able to install it anymore. In addition to adopting a new naming convention that's based on the year it's released, the upcoming version of iOS has undergone a major visual overhaul, with translucent user interfaces inspired by the look of visionOS.


USA Today
04-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Apple unveils 8 new emojis and more features with iOS 18.4 update
Apple unveils 8 new emojis and more features with iOS 18.4 update Show Caption Hide Caption Trump's Tariffs could see iPhone prices jump Due to President Donald Trump's new import tariffs, the price of the iPhone could rise by up to 43% in the U.S. unbranded - Newsworthy Apple is rolling out its latest update and it comes with new emojis, intelligence features and more. The update, iOS 18.4, was released Monday. In addition to the eight confirmed emojis, Apple announced that developers have released an initial set of Apple Intelligence features on Apple Vision Pro in English. 'Starting today, with the availability of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4, Apple Intelligence features are now available in many new languages,' Apple wrote in the news release. 'In addition, iPhone and iPad users in the EU have access to Apple Intelligence features for the first time.' The update also comes with recipes in Apple News+ and ways users can organize and filter their photo libraries, Apple said on its support website. Here's what you need to know. Eight new emojis The iOS 18.4 update introduced eight new emojis, including: A face with bags under its eyes Fingerprint Splatter Harp Flag of Sark Root vegetable Shovel Leafless tree The emoji announcement came just before rumors about new emojis inspired by popular female musicians began circulating. The social media posts claimed Apple was releasing emojis designed to look like stars such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Ariana Grande, among others. The report has since been debunked, according to Sportskeeda. Tarrifs: A $2,300 iPhone? What Trump tariffs could mean for your next Apple purchase What's new for Apple Vision Pro users? According to Apple, Vision Pro users can now proofread, rewrite and summarize text using the writing tools feature, compose text from scratch using ChatGPT, and create emojis using Genmoji. Vision Pro users can also use Image Playground for the first time. The app, powered by Apple Intelligence, lets users turn descriptions, concepts or people from their photo library into new images. New Apple Intelligence features announced According to Apple, all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pros, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max now have new Apple Intelligence features. Priority notifications now appear above all other notifications, 'highlighting important notifications that may require your immediate attention,' Apple said on its support website. Developers have also made Sketch available as a style option in Image Playground, which allows users to create sketch-style drawings. Apple Intelligence features now support eight more languages and two additional English locales, including English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, simplified Chinese and Spanish. Recipes and dishes on Apple News+ According to Apple, the Apple News+ app now includes recipes, a searchable catalog users can find and save recipes from, as well as cooking mode with step-by-step directions. The food section of Apple News+ also includes stories about restaurants and tips. New search and sort filters in the Apple Photos app Apple announced on its support website that the Apple Photos app has been loaded with new search and sorting filters. The filters allow users to show or hide items that are not contained in an album or synced from a Mac or PC in the library view. Users can also reorder items in the media types and utilities collections and sort by oldest or newest first. Users can now sort albums by the date they were modified and disable the 'recently viewed' and 'recently shared' collections in settings. Lastly, developers have made sure hidden photos are no longer included when users import to Mac or a PC, but they must have 'use face ID' enabled in settings. Searching on Safari Safari users can now use the 'recent search' suggestion feature to quickly get back to previous search topics when starting a new query, Apple said. New Setup Assistant features and fool-proofing Screen Time Setup Assistant has been adjusted to streamline the steps parents take when creating a child's account, Apple said. The setup assistant puts child-appropriate default settings into place in case users need to finish personalizing a child's settings later. For families using the Screen Time app, limits remain in place even if a child uninstalls and reinstalls an app, Apple said. App Store updates Those looking for apps in the App Store can see summaries from user reviews to get a quick look at what others are saying, Apple said. Users who are downloading or updating apps can also pause and resume the process without losing progress. Home, podcasts, music, and new languages Apple Podcasts users now have access to a widget displaying their followed shows, latest episodes, saved, and downloaded episodes. Ambient music users can now play music from the control center, giving them access to hand-curated playlists, Apple said. Apple Fitness+ collections can now be added to the library and some robot vacuum cleaners can be controlled in the Home app. Lastly, support now comes in 10 new system languages such as Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@