iPhone Emoji icons for everyone! New iPhone app enables Emoji outside Japan

Emoji icons might not be high on your list of essential mobile phone features, but hop the Pacific to Japan and you’re in for a world of hurt without those cutesy little “picture letters” to help you express a ridiculous range of emotions and situations. Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) recently enabled Emoji icons on Japanese iPhone 3Gs with the launch of the iPhone 2.2 OS. The introduction of Emoji icons, as well as the launch of the external iPhone TV tuner, has been attributed to Softbank’s success with the iPhone 3G in Japan – highlighting Japan’s love of the Emoji.

Given the flexibility and convenience that Emoji icons allow, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Emoji trend catching on in the US and elsewhere. In fact, Emoji support has been available for jailbroken iPhones for some time now – too bad factory iPhones were left out of the fun. So, what better way to spread the word about Emoji than with an Emoji-enabling iPhone application masquerading as an iPhone RSS reader? A new RSS reader, available through the iPhone App Store, for the iPhone has renewed the push to bring Emoji to iPhones around the world!

The application that shall not be mentioned name (mostly because it’s in Chinese), touts itself as a simple iPhone RSS reader application. But, don’t go underestimating this little bugger. Hidden within the quizzically-titled iPhone app is the power to unlock the Emoji keyboard on your iPhone or iPhone 3G running the iPhone 2.2 OS. An iPhone 2.2 OS exploit has apparently allowed this seemingly simple RSS reader to enable the Emoji keyboard on iPhones outside Japan.

Emoji for Non-Japanese iPhone and iPod touch from arron on Vimeo.

How do you enable Emoji icon support on your non-Japanese iPhone or iPhone 3G? Keep reading.

1. Update your iPhone or iPhone 3G to iPhone 2.2 OS
   • You can update to non-jailbroken iPhone 2.2 OS through iTunes OR
   • You can update to jailbroken iPhone 2.2 OS using Pwnage Tool (our tutorial here).
2. Download this app (iTunes link) – it costs $0.99
3. Install the app
4. Open the app
5. Find an article with a face
   • Open it
   • Use scroll around
6. Quit the app
7. Navigate to Settings>General>Keyboards>Japanese>Emoji and Toggle the switch to “ON”
8. Enjoy Emoji icons on your non-Japanese iPhone!

[Via: Razorianfly]

Thanks, [TheBORG]!