
Ask HN: How can WhatsApp on Android use the iOS emoji set? - currysausage
Has WhatsApp obtained a license from Apple? Are emoji public domain after all?
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anaganisk
AFAIK apple was quick to adopt Unicode7.0 and 8.0 first and released the new
emojis with their own design of the unicode characters. Unicode is in public
domain. They(emojis) must first be approved by unicode consortium, but the
vendors may choose the change the designs. Since the unicode translation is
same for everyone All android was to do was design its own version of same
unicode as emoji since unicode(version) already has the support.

Update: No, licencing is not required since Unicode is open and public.

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currysausage
But WhatsApp on Android doesn't use the Android emoji font, it uses the iOS
emoji font. As far as I understand, while the Unicode standard is in the
public domain, the specific fonts are not.

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felipemesquita
That's one of simplest yet not awnsearable by google questions I've ever seen.
Would also love to know how.

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anaganisk
added ny comment on the matter please check.

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felipemesquita
WhatsApp implemented a custom keyboard on their android app so users could
send apple designed emoji. The question here is on how are they allowed to use
the emoji designs by Apple, not about Unicode or, as I've seen answered on
other places, how they got the assets.

