Microsoft denies pulling a bait-and-switch with Windows 11's emoji design

[midian182]

Facepalm: Windows 11 hasn’t exactly been lovingly embraced by the PC-owning public quite like Microsoft hoped, and now another element of the new OS has managed to annoy users: its emoji. The problem's not due to how different they are, but because they aren’t the drastic redesign seemingly promised by the Redmond company.

Microsoft has made a big deal about Windows 11’s new fluent design look. As MSPoweruser reports, many users expected that the revamp would carry over to the operating system’s emoji, an expectation seemingly encouraged by the Windows UK Twitter account.

Pre-project, definite 2. 🤣
Mid-project, definite 5. 🤨
Post-project, definite 6. 🥵

Which new @Windows 11 emoji are you? Tag your team. 😂#Windows11 #Emojis pic.twitter.com/aJalDopqKL

— Windows UK (@WindowsUK) October 8, 2021

As you can see from the social media account, the emoji teased by Microsoft look quite colorful and detailed compared to the standard fare, with a bit of a 3D effect. But the latest Insider build of Windows 11 left hopeful users disappointed with a set of emoji (below) that are barely any different to what we’ve seen before.

Some people are annoyed at what appears to be a bait-and-switch move by Microsoft, even though we are just talking about emoji redesigns, as opposed to, say, support for Android apps. But Microsoft Program manager Brandon LeBlanc claims the Twitter account didn’t pull a fast one on users and that it simply posted the wrong graphics in the tweet.

No, they didn't scam you. You're exaggerating this a bit. They simply used the wrong graphics. Sorry about that. Will make sure they use the right ones going forward.

— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) October 15, 2021

Interestingly, LeBlanc did kind of hint that these emoji may arrive in Windows 11 at some point in the future, though he was a bit vague, possibly so Microsoft couldn’t be called out for pulling the same trick twice.

I wouldn't worry about this right now. But I've said all I can say about it too.

— Brandon LeBlanc (@brandonleblanc) October 14, 2021

Microsoft, of course, has plenty of other Windows 11-related problems to deal with right now, including the first Patch Tuesday release slowing down AMD processors even more than the release build, the OS’ inability to open apps with non-ASCII registry keys, and issues with Brother printers, to name a few.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/91771-microsoft-denies-pulling-bait-switch-windows-11-emoji.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Imagine a world where emojis weren't censored.

Imagine a world where there was enough courage to simply have a LIKE and DISLIKE button.

 

[seeprime]

Microsoft's problem is that they don't care if they screw up. LeBlanc's response reflects that attitude.

I find it nearly impossible to accept that no one at a company of tens of thousands of people noticed the mistake. Is their culture so controlling that no one was willing to point out the mistake and risk getting chewed out?

 

[Geralt]

Microsoft's problem is that they don't care if they screw up. LeBlanc's response reflects that attitude.

I find it nearly impossible to accept that no one at a company of tens of thousands of people noticed the mistake. Is their culture so controlling that no one was willing to point out the mistake and risk getting chewed out?

It's a company with a bad soul. No way to change that.

 

[Ludak021]

Win+. used to work, now it works, but you can't use it so it's useless. I don't know why they ruined it, but world has a lot less smileys now

 

[Uncle Al]

Just another example of how Microsoft is wasting the computer users time & energy with garbage. Put all your people on solving the printer problem, ransomware problem, hacking problems, and the Windows 11 multi-problems. THAT's where the real money is!!!!

 

[DZillaXx]

Microsoft's problem is that they don't care if they screw up. LeBlanc's response reflects that attitude.

I find it nearly impossible to accept that no one at a company of tens of thousands of people noticed the mistake. Is their culture so controlling that no one was willing to point out the mistake and risk getting chewed out?

You'd be surprised how small the teams of some of these smaller projects are. Something like emoji changes are so small and probably mostly handled by temps.

 

[wiyosaya]

If they were charging for upgrades, then this issue might be bait and switch, however, I expect that this only really matters to people who only do stuff like posting blogs or sending e-mails. Still, no cost, no bait and switch, IMO.

Personally, I don't think I have ever used a M$ emoji, and TBH, I did not even know that emojis existed in Windohs.

But I agree with @Uncle Al It would be better for M$ to get off their collective a$$es and fix the problems in Windohs 11 rather than waste their time on frivolous things like emojis.

 

[Stingy McDuck]

To call this bait-switch or a scam would mean that you decided to get this new OS based on it´s emojis. Not the best decision.