After Apple unveiled Animoji when the iPhone X debuted last September, Samsung introduced its own version, the more human-like and customizable AR Emoji.
Not to be outdone, Apple in iOS 12 introduced Memoji, a new version of Animoji that can be customized to look just like you. Given the similarities between AR Emoji and Memoji, we thought we'd compare the two and give our readers an idea of what to expect when iOS 12 launches this fall.
Memoji, available in the Messages app and FaceTime on iOS 12, are cartoon-like customizable emoji characters that animate just like Animoji using the TrueDepth camera system in the iPhone X.
Because Animoji and Memoji require Apple's 3D camera capabilities to mimic facial expressions, the feature is limited to the iPhone X. Future devices, including 2018 iPad Pro models and iPhones are rumored to be adopting Face ID though. Samsung's AR Emoji are also limited and available only on Galaxy S9 devices.
Apple's Memoji feature offers up a blank face with a range of customizable options like skin color, hair color, hair style, head shape, eye shape and color, eye brows, nose and lips, ears, and facial hair and freckles.
All of these feature options can be combined to create a range of Memoji with different looks, and you can save dozens of Memoji creations.
While Apple starts you off with a blank face that can be customized to your liking, Samsung's AR Emoji feature has an option to scan your face and automatically create an emoji likeness of you that can then be customized further.
Samsung's AR Emoji look less cute and cartoonish and more like Bitmoji than Apple's version, with more humanoid facial features. AR Emoji can look a little creepier given their closer approximation to human facial features, but some may prefer the look.
Because Samsung doesn't use a 3D facial tracking system for AR Emoji like Memoji and Animoji, AR Emoji's ability to recognize and mimic facial expressions is not as advanced as Apple's technology.
AR Emoji can't compete when it comes to complex facial expressions, especially with the addition of wink and tongue tracking in iOS 12.
Do you prefer the look of Apple's Memoji or Samsung's AR Emoji? Let us know in the comments.
