Samsung has recently announced its latest variation on the hugely successful and beloved Galaxy series smartphone, which will come equipped with all new features that provide a significant upgrade from earlier models. The Galaxy S9 will include what is being called the AR Emoji, which relies on conventional photos from the phone's selfie camera to transform a person's image into an animated emoji.
The process is quite simple on the user's end, requiring they only upload an image of themselves smiling with their mouth closed into the appropriate application. From there, the Galaxy does all the rest of the work internally to transform a static photo of the individual into a cartoonish and animate projection. The smartphone utilizes a learning machine to create an animated 3D model of the desired face, which can be customized with different hair options, clothing, etc.
What this update essentially resembles is the standard Bitmoji, as opposed to Apple's Animoji feature. In addition, the AR Emojis can be sent as GIFS and PNGs, which essentially makes them easier to share with a diverse pool of individuals, regardless of smartphone platform.
However, there is something creepy about being able to transform oneself into a highly digitized avatar that can perform a prescribed set of tasks and functions. While the Animoji is more tongue-in-cheek, the AR Emoji delves headfirst into the uncanny valley.