Audio Emoji: Google’s Bizarre New Feature

Google’s Phone app is trying out a new feature called “Audio Emoji” that lets you play sound effects like claps or laughs during calls.

• During a call, the user can send an emoji, triggering a visual and an accompanying sound.
• The feature, still in testing, has sparked mixed reactions, with some finding it amusing while others question its necessity.

Google is testing its latest feature, Audio Emoji, on the Google Phone app, allowing users to send a variety of sound effects during a phone call.

Some Pixel Phone users discovered the peculiar addition that allowed them to send an emoji alongside its corresponding sound. The options ranged from clapping and laughing to more unexpected choices like a fart noise.

The feature, which seems to still be in testing as it hasn’t reached all users, has garnered a spectrum of reactions. While some find it amusing and plan to use it, others question its necessity and suggest focusing on improving other aspects of the technology.

One X user shared their experience, stating, “I was on the phone and saw a new button come up… ‘Audio Emoji’??? I had to call my brother to test it out!” accompanied by a soundless video demonstrating the feature in action. The options include familiar emojis like laughing, clapping, and even a drum, but perhaps the most eyebrow-raising choice is the poop emoji, which emits a fart noise when selected. Wasn’t there a time when they claimed that the poop emoji was chocolate ice cream? Talk about mixed signals.

Google’s explanation in the Phone app’s settings describes the feature as a way to “express emotions and moods with sounds like applause, laughter, sad trombone, and more with tappable emoji while you’re in a call.”

However, not everyone is sold on the idea. One individual expressed skepticism, stating, “If you ask me, they should focus on improving things,” while another imagined awkward scenario, such as receiving strange sounds during serious conversations. Imagine you’re getting some bad news and all of a sudden you hear a fart….

Despite the mixed reception, Google seems committed to rolling out this feature, with reports indicating it’s currently available in beta form via the latest Google Phone update. The update, version 128, is accessible to beta testers, with a wider release anticipated in the coming weeks.

It’s starting to feel like we’re coming full circle to the MSN Messenger days. If you are too young to know what I’m referring to, allow me to introduce the original social network. It was one of the most popular Microsoft software until it was discontinued in 2013. It had this one feature, ‘Winks,’ that was awfully similar to Google’s Audio Emoji.

That laughing lady was something else.

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