What are AR Emoji on the Samsung Galaxy S9?
A brief look into Samsung’s new AR features
The new Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus have hopped on the augmented reality (AR) bandwagon with its AR Emoji feature.
Similar to Animoji, Apple’s AR implementation in the iPhone X that’s impossible not to compare it to, Samsung’s version also lets you superimpose your face onto a creature, letting you record wacky facial expressions in the process.
While it’s similar in that regard, it seems to be a more expansive effort than Apple is attempting, at least, for the moment. We’re going to take you through what exactly AR Emoji bring to the table and how you’ll be able to access them on the S9 and S9 Plus.
How to access AR Emoji
AR Emoji live within the redesigned camera app built for the S9 and S9 Plus. Once you select the mode, you can decide between adopting the style of numerous critters or a cartoon-ified version of yourself.
As you might imagine, it’s possible to record some video to send along in a message, or you can just have fun watching as the camera catches all of the little details on your face and maps them to a computer-generated character.
Additionally, Samsung’s take on AR personification lets you create multiple 3D human avatars based on your looks. Once you create one, a fresh batch of static emoji images are slotted into the messages app so you can quickly fire them off – similar to how Bitmoji inserts you into several humorous situations.
Of course, Samsung's new phone allows you to plant funny objects onto your actual face, too. Just like Snapchat and others, AR Emoji comes stocked with goofy AR items aplenty.
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Samsung will likely expand on its AR capabilities within the S9 and S9 Plus and we’ll be sure to update this article following any announcements.
Cameron is a writer at The Verge, focused on reviews, deals coverage, and news. He wrote for magazines and websites such as The Verge, TechRadar, Practical Photoshop, Polygon, Eater and Al Bawaba.