Apple's new WWDC Twitter 'hashflag' continues Messages emphasis

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2021
Apple quietly updated the "hashflag"icon used for the hashtag "#WWDC21" during the weekend before WWDC itself, changing the "thumbs-up" Tapback graphic from Messages for one showing exclamation points.




The first version of the 2021 hashflag surfaced on June 2, in the form of a Tapback, a reaction that users of the Messages app can make in response to messages with a Haptic Touch gesture. That initial icon used the Tapback with the thumbs up icon, but that has now changed.

The second version, spotted by 9to5Mac on Sunday, adjusts the icon so it is the exclamation Tapback. This time, instead of a thumbs-up icon, the blue speech bubble contains the two exclamation points variant.

When coupled with the rest of the marketing of WWDC using iMessage-style chat bubbles and related graphics, it seems to point to inbound changes to iMessage itself. Reports have also proposed messaging changes will surface during the keynote, possibly in a bid to make the service competitive against Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

Follow all of WWDC 2021 with comprehensive AppleInsider coverage of the week-long event from June 7 through June 11, including details on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, macOS Monterey and more.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    What better time to make Messages a team player? Make it interoperable with whatever powers android texts, WhatsApp, etc? Certainly could demonstrate sensitivity to the antitrust concerns. 

    I’d love to see Message features designed to better “Message” outside the iOS world. We are well served in our walled garden. Let’s build some gates to our friends & families gardens. I have lots of people in my life who don’t use iOS and I’m not interested in harassing them to switch just for my messaging convenience. 
  • Reply 2 of 6
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    I hope they do introduce an updated version of Messages/iMessage. It's missing what I think is today's basic features such as the ability to edit a message, and fully delete a message so it removes on both ends. Their backend infrastructure needs to be updated as well IMO. So many times photos and even simple messages hang and send extremely slow, even with good internet. Sometimes they even fail to send. 
  • Reply 3 of 6
    JapheyJaphey Posts: 1,767member
    So, now there ARE hidden clues in pre-event marketing materials? Hmm…
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 6
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    polymnia said:
    What better time to make Messages a team player? Make it interoperable with whatever powers android texts, WhatsApp, etc? Certainly could demonstrate sensitivity to the antitrust concerns. 

    On the other hand, people would accuse Apple of trying their walled garden into everyone else’s garden. 
  • Reply 5 of 6
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    Rayz2016 said:
    polymnia said:
    What better time to make Messages a team player? Make it interoperable with whatever powers android texts, WhatsApp, etc? Certainly could demonstrate sensitivity to the antitrust concerns. 

    On the other hand, people would accuse Apple of trying their walled garden into everyone else’s garden. 
    I’ll take them addressing actual complaints rather than shying away from dubious & (what sounds to me like) disingenuous complaints. 
  • Reply 6 of 6
    "The thumbs-up gesture is a sign of approval in most countries. However, in several countries in West Africa and the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the gesture has the connotation of "up yours!" It's used the same way the middle finger is in the US."
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