Apple has shared an ad on its main YouTube channel this morning to promote the iPhone X's Animoji feature ahead of Monday's WWDC keynote, which starts at 10.00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Titled "Animoji: Taxi Driver", the one-minute short features three Animoji faces singing along to the track "Citizen Kane" by Korean band HYUKOH.


Bear Face Animoji takes the lead role in the lip synced song, with backing vocals provided by Chicken and Dragon Face, as the disembodied trio travel through a neon-soaked Hong Kong cityscape.

The ad was originally uploaded to Apple's Korean YouTube channel on May 21, but the fact that Apple has chosen to share the video over its international YouTube channel just before WWDC kicks off clearly anticipates one of the new features in iOS 12 that is expected to be previewed at today's keynote.

Apple is said to be planning additional updates to Animoji in iOS 12, with rumors suggesting Apple will add more new characters. Apple is also said to be planning an overhauled Animoji interface and Animoji integration in FaceTime, which would allow users to use Animoji characters during FaceTime calls, perhaps in a karaoke context.

Apple has pulled some features from iOS 12 to focus more attention on performance improvements, bug fixes, and quality, but other features are still expected to debut in iOS 12, and could include multi-person support for AR games, improvements to Do Not Disturb, and more.

MacRumors will be in attendance at the keynote, with live coverage of the event beginning shortly after 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Stay tuned to MacRumors.com and our @MacRumorsLive account on Twitter. We've also put together a short guide explaining all the ways you can watch Apple's WWDC18 Keynote live on your devices.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

autrefois Avatar
97 months ago
Spoiler alert: Tim Cook will not take the stage. His presentation will be done entirely from a remote location via Animoji.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scotty321 Avatar
97 months ago
This is so embarrassing for Apple on soooo many different levels. They really need to stop doing things like this.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
flyinmac Avatar
97 months ago
I guess this tells us what to expect as “major” features and improvements.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jsmith189 Avatar
97 months ago
Incoming posts about how Apple is wasting time on useless things like Animoji when their whole OS is broken, like every single Apple employee works exclusively on these projects.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lone Deranger Avatar
97 months ago
Fact: Everytime Apple releases a new Ani/Emoji, somewhere in the world a Mac Pro dies.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
redbeard331 Avatar
97 months ago
Wtf is that? If all we get is stupid new Animoji and some big fixes I’m gonna be pissed.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Early Black Friday iPhone Deals

Monday November 10, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...