To mark World Emoji Day, Google has delved into the design of its new 3D emoji. As previewed at The Android Show in May, all 3,977 emoji characters have been redesigned to be three-dimensional.
To date, Google says its emoji style has “always favored expression over hyper-realism.” In going 3D, the emoji “designs can have dimension without being photorealistic.” Humorously:
They need a pulse and a soul — not the cold precision of industrial CAD models. Have you looked closely at a real kangaroo? They’re terrifying 🙀. We don’t need anatomical perfection. With the power of illustration, we can capture the true, playful vibe of a kangaroo.
The company ran “large-scale user studies to evaluate how changing emoji could potentially mess with human connection” and found “universal truths”:
“Users overwhelmingly prefer full-body animals over floating heads”
