Memoji Are iOS 12's Answer To Galaxy S9's AR Emoji

The iPhone X has a lot of things going for it, but one of the coolest features has to be Animoji. While the announcement of Animoji may have left some scratching their heads, they've turned out to be a fun little way to add some creativity (and cuteness) to iMessage. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that Apple took the time to announce some Animoji improvements and additions at today's WWDC keynote.

Craig Federighi kicked off the conversation about Animoji by announcing that in iOS 12, the iPhone's AR capabilities will be able to recognize and render your tongue. At first blush, that sounds a little weird, but at the very least, it'll give Animoji a new level of expressiveness that they've so far been lacking. Apple also announced four new Animoji characters: Tiger, koala, ghost, and T. Rex.

Those improvements and new Animoji are just one small part of what's in store for the feature as a whole. Apple also introduced an entirely new type of Animoji today. Dubbed Memoji, this new feature allows you to create a human Animoji with the facial features that make you who you are, including hair style and length, eye shape, and eye color.

Essentially, this is Apple's answer to the AR emoji on the Galaxy S9, which have been centered around humans – not animals – from the start. Creating a Memoji is fairly simple, as you'll see the option alongside your standard Animoji in iMessage. Tap on the Plus icon you see in the Animoji menu to pull up a screen that allows you to customize your Memoji. The menu seems to be fairly robust, as it allows you to change everything from your head shape and skin color to your nose type and whatever accessories you want your Memoji to wear.

Though Memoji arguably stole the show, Apple also revealed that it's bringing new effects to the Messages camera. This allows you apply certain effects to any photo you take within Messages. Options include filters, stickers, and even Animoji (including the Memoji you create). Keep it here at SlashGear for more from Apple's WWDC 2018 keynote!