by Elise and Helen

The Idea

How can we use built-in features of iMessage to communicate with our friends and loved ones in a meaningful way. Can you build a virtual connection, a virtual understanding through text? We explored virtual connections through two features of iMessage – Digital Touch and Text Animations.

Digital Touch was used as way to check in on a friend or loved one. When you send a person a question mark through digital touch, it translates to “I’m just checking in with you. How are you feeling?” There are different responses built into this feature, such as sending a kiss, heart beat, or a broken heart. But you can also draw something that better encompasses your emotional state, such as drawing a rapid motion or smooth line, depending on the emotion intended.

Combining text animations with emojis can help emphasize or add emotional context to your text. For instance, a siren emoji + “loud” text animation creates a sense of emergency or alarm that calls immediate attention. Or sending a text in the invisible text animation conveys a sense of secrecy or surprise.

The Experience

With Digital Touch acting as a check-in platform, both parties know exactly what it means when they receive a digital touch. There is the built in context that 1) the person is thinking of you (and vice versa), and 2) the person cares about you. It creates an extra level closeness. We checked in by drawing a question mark and responding to each other’s drawing with a digital touch animation such as hearts.

Text animations add context and emotion to texting by allowing you to visually animate your words or emojis. Using these animations can act as a substitution to the nuances of in-person interactions, such as exchanging glances, passing notes, or making faces at your friend. It can be a good virtual check-in experience especially during this pandemic.