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What happens when you send the new emoji to someone who hasn’t updated their iPhone

By
Erin Griffith
Erin Griffith
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By
Erin Griffith
Erin Griffith
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 8, 2015, 3:32 PM ET
Apple Emoji
Apple EmojiApple

Today Apple (AAPL) launched its latest mobile operating system, iOS 8.3, which includes long-anticipated new racially diverse emoji characters. Many iPhone users will update their phones in order to send the new emojis in text messages.

But sending the new emoji to someone who hasn’t updated to the latest operating system has a bizarre effect. Instead of the new emoji, they’ll see an alien in a box. The alien wasn’t a part of the original set of emojis. Here is an example, from the people who tipped us off, with the original text message below it:

unnamed

The iOS Update includes a long list of improvements in addition to the diverse emojis. But that update is just a side act to Apple’s big news today — the Apple Watch reviews are out. Reviewers met the new product with a mix of “awe and irritation.”

About the Author
By Erin Griffith
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