Believe it or not, emojis have only been commonly used for around 10 years.  So if you’re in your mid-30s or older, there was probably a time when you REFUSED to use them.  And . . . well . . . that didn’t last.

So you should keep an open mind about this:  The next phenomenon may be . . .  AUDIBLE EMOJIS on PHONE CALLS.  (For those who still make phone calls.)

Word has it Google has started rolling out “audio emoji” to Google Phone app users.  There are SIX to start:  Clapping . . . Laughing . . . Party . . . Crying . . . the Drum . . . and, of course, the Poop emoji.

So for example, Clapping plays a brief applause sound effect that both people hear.  The Crying emoji plays a trombone noise . . . the Drum gives the classic post-joke Ba-Dum Tsss . . . and the Poop emoji plays a fart noise.

If you’re doing a video call, you’re already interacting with the screen, so you’d select it like you do when you’re texting.  If you’re on an audio call, you’d have to bring the phone down from your ear to do it, or be on speaker.

There will be a “cool down” period after an audible emoji is played, so you wouldn’t be able to spam the other person with rapid-fire sounds.  (Although it sounds plenty annoying enough as it is.)

It’s unclear when Google may formally announce this . . . when all Google users will get it . . . or when it might come to Apple and other phone apps.

(The blog 9to5Google has some samples of what these emojis sound like.)

(Mashable)

 

(Since we’re in radio, this is actually not all THAT novel.  It’s not unlike the fun sound effects that you’d hear on radio shows . . . for better or worse.)

(Can you imagine having an entire conversation with audible emojis, just like how some people can do that with emojis through text?)