Apple's latest software updates have brought a wave of innovation, with the highly anticipated Genmoji feature now available. Let's delve into the details and explore how it enhances our messaging experience.

Unlock the World of Custom Emojis with Apple Intelligence

What is a Genmoji?

Back in June at WWDC 2024, Genmoji made its debut. Integrated into the iPhone's emoji keyboard, it enables users to create original emojis through prompts. For instance, envision a sloth donning a suit and tie. Genmojis aren't limited to Messages; they can also be used in Stickers and Tapbacks. Moreover, one can react to a message with a Genmoji or with Apple's message effects.This feature offers a unique way to express oneself and add a personal touch to conversations. It allows for a creative exploration of emoji possibilities, going beyond the standard emojis we commonly use.

How to create a customized emoji with Apple Intelligence

To utilize Genmoji, ensure that Apple Intelligence is enabled. Launch the Messages app, start a new message or access an existing chat. Locate the emoji keyboard in the bottom left corner and click on it. Then, type the prompt into the search bar and select "Create New Emoji" just below.After a short while, Apple Intelligence generates multiple versions of the AI-generated emoji based on the custom description. To save a favorite Genmoji, simply tap "Add" in the top-right corner to permanently add it to the keyboard.When someone sends a Genmoji, you can long press on it and choose "Emoji Details" to view the prompt used to generate it. There's also an option to download it for future use.

When is the official launch of Genmoji?

Genmoji is now available with Apple's iOS 18.2 update. This means users can start enjoying this innovative feature right away.

What Apple devices support Genmoji?

The following Apple devices support Genmoji:- iPhone 15 Pro- iPhone 15 Pro Max- iPhone 16- iPhone 16 Plus- iPhone 16 Pro- iPhone 16 Max- iPad mini with A17 Pro chip- All iPads with an Apple silicon chipmacOS Sequoia support is coming soon, promising to bring this exciting feature to Mac users as well.

Is Apple Intelligence supported in my country?

Currently, the only regions where Apple Intelligence is not supported are China and the EU due to certain regulations. In terms of language support, it is currently available in U.S. English and has begun rolling out localized English support for users in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. By 2025, Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese will also be available.This story has been updated after its initial publication to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Lumen Orbit, a pioneering startup with a vision to construct data centers in the vast expanse of space, has achieved remarkable success. In just a matter of days, it closed its recent seed round, attracting intense investor attention. Based in Redmond, Washington, the company secured a $11 million seed round at a valuation of $40 million, validating prior TechCrunch reports. NFX led the deal, with Morgan Beller joining the board. Other notable VCs like Fuse.VC, Soma Capital, and scout funds from Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia also participated.

Revolutionize AI with Space-Bound Data Centers

Orbital Data Center Architecture

Lumen Orbit is crafting orbital data centers composed of pods. These pods can hold compute and can be individually brought up, attaching to large solar panels in space in clusters. The concept image above showcases this innovative setup. The company aims to build multi-gigawatt compute clusters by the end of the decade. A high-bandwidth optical laser will be used to send information back to Earth. If successful, this technology could significantly impact AI companies by eliminating data center size and power restrictions on Earth and at a fraction of the cost.

For instance, instead of spending $140 million on electricity, they could pay just $10 million for a launch and solar. This could be a game-changer for the AI industry, enabling them to scale without the constraints they currently face.

Launch Plans and Demonstrators

The company is gearing up to launch a demonstrator satellite in May, which will include Nvidia's terrestrial GPUs. In the following year, they plan to launch another test satellite that is 100 times more powerful. Johnston emphasized their goal of launching at least once a year. He stated, "A lot of space companies take five years to launch; we are launching it in 18 months. We'd rather launch frequently with smaller changes than wait five years and launch with a ton of incremental changes."

This approach showcases their commitment to innovation and rapid progress in the field of space-based data centers.

The Founding Team and Their Inspiration

Lumen Orbit's co-founder and CEO, Philip Johnston, along with CTO Ezra Feilden, got the idea for the company during their time working in the space industry. Feilden has a decade of experience in satellite design at companies like Airbus Defense and Space and Oxford Space Systems. Johnston worked with national space organizations in the Middle East as a consultant at McKinsey and was also a former founder of Opontia, a startup that scaled digital brands in the Middle East and was acquired at the end of 2023.

When they first considered the idea, they initially focused on space solar but realized the challenges of sending solar power back to Earth. However, data centers presented a different opportunity as they soak up the sun's energy and solve the cooling problem due to the natural coldness of deep space. They were introduced to Adi Oltean, an engineer at SpaceX at the time, who shared the same vision and joined the founding team as co-founder and chief engineer about a month after the company launched.

The Growing Importance of Space Data Centers

Building data centers in space and the deep ocean has become a significant part of the conversation on how to help AI scale to its full potential. Bill Gates, Sam Altman, and Elon Musk, among others in the AI community, have touted this as a potential solution to AI's growing data center and power problems. Axiom Space is also working on developing orbital data centers, although the field is not yet crowded. However, as more AI industry professionals show interest in this type of innovation, it is likely to become more competitive in the future.

Lumen's mission is ambitious, as it relies on the continuous decrease in satellite launch costs. If successful, it could enable AI to scale at the rate it desires and potentially mitigate some of the technology's effects on the Earth's climate.