EmotiFun! [App Store], a free application whose sole purpose is to enable the use of Emoji for non-Japanese iPhone users, has appeared in the App Store. Emoji, emoticons and pictorial characters popular in the Japanese instant messaging culture, were introduced to Japanese customers as part of the iPhone 2.2 Firmware update, but have required workarounds to be enabled for non-Japanese users.

Several applications released to the App Store, including Touch Dial Emoji [App Store] and Typing Genius [App Store], have included the ability to enable Emoji, but the functionality was included as part of larger applications with additional uses. Developers who attempted to release applications whose primary advertised function was to enable Emoji, such as Ars Technica's Freemoji, saw their applications rejected by Apple for their ability to modify settings outside of the applications' containers, a violation of the iPhone SDK.

Ars Technica recently interviewed Gary Fung, the developer of Typing Genius, who provided his perspective on the Emoji situation and how he has risked raising the ire of Apple by advertising his application's ability to enable Emoji, even going so far as to change the application's title to Typing Genius - Get Emoji.

Apple's acceptance of EmotiFun!, which apparently has made no effort to disguise its sole ability to enable Emoji, implies a loosening of restrictions on what changes an application is permitted to make to system settings, but whether this relaxation of policies will extend to iPhone features beyond Emoji remains to be seen.

Update: EmotiFun! has apparently been removed from the App Store, and it is unknown if and when it will return.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 17's 'Awe Dropping' Accessories

Friday August 29, 2025 8:12 am PDT by
Following the announcement of Apple's upcoming "Awe dropping" event, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show we talk through all of the new accessories rumored to debut alongside the iPhone 17 lineup. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos We take a closer look at Apple's invite for "Awe dropping;" the design could hint at the iPhone 17's new thermal system with ...