Latest news with #LaurenKern
CNET
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Apple's Emoji Game for News Plus Subscribers Could Be Your Latest Puzzle Obsession
Do we 💖 this? Just in time for World Emoji Day, Apple News Plus has launched Emoji Game in another indication that we will never have enough digital toys to entertain and divert us. In the new game -- available in English for News Plus subscribers in the US and Canada -- players will try to fill in the blanks of three short phrases using a selection of emoji and genmoji using as few moves as possible. For example, if the phrase is "- - - - - of my - - - ("Apple of my eye"), then you would use the apple and eyes emoji to fill in those blanked-out words. There will be clues for each of the three phrases, but if the player chooses to reveal any of the clues, that will count as a move. Game Center leaderboards will track results, and players can share their accomplishments with friends and family on messages, email and social media. "Emoji Game is the perfect addition to the Apple News+ suite of word and number puzzles, turning the emoji we use every day into a brainteaser that's approachable and fun," said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News in a press release. Emoji Game will appear daily in the Puzzles section of the Apple News app, and Apple News+ subscribers can also play the puzzle in the Apple Games app, which will launch later this year and will host Emoji Game as well as crossword, crossword mini, Quartiles, and sudoku. Only hours after the announcement, the r/apple Subreddit was already popping with reactions: "I wish we had that in my country. I love the nyt games Id like to try apple ones" "I just tried it, it's pretty fun" "Looks like fun!" For now the game is available in English for Apple News Plus subscribers in the U.S. and Canada and for iPhone, iPad and Mac running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 or later.
Digital Trends
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Apple News+ launches a new Worldle competetor using emojis
Apple News+ has just rolled out a new puzzle game to test your critical thinking skills, but with a unique twist that sets it apart from games like Wordle. Emoji Game is out now for Apple News+ subscribers, which tasks players with decoding a phrase based on a series of emojis. Starting today, July 17, anyone with an Apple News+ subscription will find Emjoi Game added to the suite of other word and puzzle games on the service. Games will feature three phrases that players will need to decode based on a selection of emojis that represent each part of the phrase by dragging them to the correct spots to fill in the blanks. For example, you might be given the beginning of a word as PINE and the emoji of an apple. By dragging the apple into the space, you create PINEAPPLE. You only have six turns to solve the puzzle, but you can also use a built-in hint feature if you're feeling stuck. Recommended Videos Besides just the standard emojis you will already be familiar with, Apple News+ is integrating Genmoji to create new and dynamic emojis to add more variety and complexity to the game. Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News, says, 'Emoji Game is the perfect addition to the Apple News+ suite of word and number puzzles, turning the emoji we use every day into a brainteaser that's approachable and fun.' After the phenomenon that was, and still is, Wordle, many other competitors have attempted to recapture that magic to varying degrees of success. Emoji Game has all the same trappings of that hit game, including stats, daily puzzles, and ways to compete with friends, but is doing something unique by utilizing emojis. This will certainly be a new way to stretch your brain muscles, but only time will tell if it manages to catch on as well as Wordle. Emoji Game joins Apple News+'s own daily crossword, Sudoku, and Quartiles games, as well as access to content from over 400 top publications. Emoji Game is available now on iOS inside the Apple News+ app for subscribers, with new puzzles added each day so you can add to your daily routine alongside Connections, Strands, and the other NTY word games.
Tom's Guide
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Apple just launched its answer to Wordle — this could be your new daily obsession
Wordle is one of the biggest things on the internet. Every day, millions of players flock to the NYT to solve the word puzzle, and Apple wants a piece of that daily attention. To combat Wordle, Apple has launched Emoji Game, a daily word puzzle that involves slotting emoji into a puzzle to fill the blanks in various words and phrases. 'Emoji Game is the perfect addition to the Apple News+ suite of word and number puzzles, turning the emoji we use every day into a brainteaser that's approachable and fun,' said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News in a press release. It's not just the standard emoji, as Apple is also including Genmoji, created using Apple Intelligence, into the game. This enables the company to create puzzles that are beyond the reach of the existing emoji library. Like Wordle, Apple News+ members go on each day to play the game. I'm not an Apple News+ subscriber, and I tested the game today, so it appears Apple is offering a sample of the game to get people hooked (or, like Wordle, you can play the game daily, but the archives are limited to News+ members). Considering other games, such as the mini crossword, don't let you play them without a subscription, I'm thinking it's just that Apple is letting the first one out for free. Either way, you must have iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later if you want to play the game. I do think it's worth updating for, as I enjoyed playing it today and might consider signing up for Apple News+ to continue. In the future, Apple says Apple News+ subscribers will also be able to access Emoji Game this fall through the Apple Games app, which is a sensible place for it to live. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Apple News+ is free for the first month for new subscribers, and then $12.99 per month thereafter. It offers a lot, though, with magazines, news articles and the games we mentioned earlier. You can sign up and find Emoji Game on the Apple News+ website or through the app.
Phone Arena
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Phone Arena
Apple just found a new way to make one of its apps a bit more tempting
Apple just gave its users another reason to check out Apple News+ – and no, it's not another news article. It's a game. The company just dropped a brand-new title called Emoji Game. It joins the growing lineup of word and number puzzles that already includes Crossword, Sudoku and Quartiles, giving subscribers another fun way to kill time and challenge their brains. Launching just in time for World Emoji Day (yes, it's a thing celebrated on July 17), the new game is available now for Apple News+ subscribers in the US and Canada, in English. – Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News, July 17, 2025 Emoji Game is a mix of wordplay and logic. Each day, players are given three short phrases with missing parts – and the challenge is to complete them using emojis. You get a limited set to work with and the fewer moves you make, the better. If you are stuck, you can reveal a clue for each phrase – but that also adds to your move count. The Emoji Game challenges you to solve short phrases using emoji. | Image by Apple One of the unique touches here is the use of Genmoji, or custom emojis created with Apple Intelligence, which gives Apple a bit more flexibility than the standard emoji set. In other words, you're not limited to the emojis on your keyboard – Apple's throwing in AI-powered ones, too. Scores are tracked through Game Center, and of course, you can share results with friends through Messages, Mail, or social media. You'll find the game in the Puzzles section of the Apple News app, and later this fall, Emoji Game will also be available through the Apple Games app, a new hub for casual gaming and puzzle lovers. Apple isn't the only one using puzzles to boost engagement – The New York Times, for example, has seen major success with its own games. Apple doesn't reveal how many people play its games, but it does say that a lot of users subscribe to News+ just for the puzzles. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
