Bitmoji
Bitmoji is a cartoon-style digital avatar and personalized emoji from Snap Inc. The feature is offered through its own mobile app and via integration within the company's Snapchat messenger. Bitmoji dates back to the 2007 launch of Bitstrips, which ran a website for creating comic strips using personalized avatars.[1]
Features
[edit]The Bitmoji virtual outfits wardrobe includes a large number of different clothing that regularly gets refreshed and expanded, and includes local and cultural clothes from around the world.[2][3] Snap often team up with fashion brands and designers (like Prada and Ralph Lauren) or sports associations (like NBA) to create and include official clothes and accessories available for use in Bitmoji.[4][5]
Bitmoji Stories is a feature showing comic strips featuring a user and their friends in Snapchat. It originally launched in November 2018.[6]
Bitmoji stickers have been integrated within the Gboard virtual keyboard.[7] It has been reported that Bitmoji will no longer appear within Gboard from December 2025.[8] In September 2022, it was announced that Bitmojis will also become watch faces in Wear OS.[9]
In January 2020, Snap launched Bitmoji TV which are 4 minute cartoons featuring a user's avatars.[10]
Bitmoji Lens Games was launched in June 2025.[11][12]
History
[edit]The avatar was created with the Bitstrips website, which launched in 2007 by the Toronto based company Bitstrips Inc. In October 2014, Bitstrips launched the Bitmoji app as a spin-off for users to create stickers featuring Bitstrips characters in various templates.[13] Snap Inc. purchased the Canadian company in July 2016[14] and have since further integrated Bitmoji to Snapchat.[15][16]
Snap redesigned the Bitmoji avatars with a new 3D style that rolled out in October 2023, replacing the previous 2D style that had been prominent.[17] There was some user disatisfaction after the change.[18]
In October 2025, Snap announced that it plans to launch a Bitmoji Plaza metaverse.[19]
Reception
[edit]Bitmoji has received a mainly positive reception. In 2015, a Fast Company piece described it as "Bitmoji has nailed the concept of making adorable, eerily accurate cartoon avatars to text to your friends."[20] Forbes in a piece wrote: "2016 is the year of the Bitmoji. People are using these adorable avatars to communicate everywhere - in the office, in the dating world, on texts with their parents and grandparents. People discuss and highlight their Bitmojis on Twitter, on television sitcoms, on Instagram, on morning talk shows."[21]
Bitmoji became the most downloaded iOS app worldwide in the year 2017.[22] In 2018 it dropped to sixth in the list.[23]
As of 2022, Bitmoji is used by over 250 million people and with more than 1 billion avatars having been created, according to its owner Snap Inc.[24]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Moss, Caroline. "Here's How You Can Create Those Personalized Comic Strips That Are Popping Up All Over Facebook". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
- ^ "Fresh Spring Looks for Bitmoji". newsroom.snap.com. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ "Snapchat launches local Bitmoji wardrobe for Saudi National Day". Arab News. 2025-09-18. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ "Bitmoji mode and virtual luxury revolutionise Snapchat". nss magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ "Snapchat & Adidas Team Up To Style Your Bitmoji". DesignRush. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Constine, Josh (2018-11-13). "Snapchat launches Bitmoji merch and comic strips starring your avatar". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Rao, Chethan (2025-08-23). "Gboard may pull the plug on Bitmoji in December". Android Police. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Name; Donnelly, Sara (2025-08-23). "Google Gboard Ends Bitmoji Support After Dec 15, 2025". WebProNews. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Allison, Conor (2022-09-08). "Google Wear OS update introduces Bitmoji watch faces and Google Keep Tile". Wareable. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Constine, Josh (2020-01-30). "Snapchat launches Bitmoji TV: zany 4-min cartoons of your avatar". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Rowland-Dixon, Taye (2025-06-09). "SNAPCHAT LAUNCHES BITMOJI GAME LENSES | READY TO PLAY? - Tech & Digital". Verge Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Malik, Aisha (2025-06-03). "Snap adds new tools for building Bitmoji games". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Parker, Ashley (2 October 2015). "My Bitmoji, My Better Self". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ MacMillan, Douglas (2016-03-25). "Snapchat Buys Bitmoji App for More Than $100 Million". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Dingman, Shane (19 July 2016). "Snapchat builds Bitmojis into app, confirms acquisition of Toronto startup". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Here's How You Can Use Bitmoji Inside Snapchat". Fortune. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Bitmoji Introduces a New Avatar Style". newsroom.snap.com. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Cavender, Elena (2023-10-07). "Snapchat's Bitmoji update upsets users". Mashable. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ "Snapchat Tests 'Bitmoji Plaza' Virtual Town Center on Web | Social Media Today". www.socialmediatoday.com. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ https://www.fastcompany.com/3044570/why-your-bitmoji-looks-so-much-like-your-actual-face
- ^ Krueger, Alyson. "The Inside Story of Bitmojis: Why We Love Them, How They Make Money, Why They Are Here To Stay". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ Hern, Alex (2018-07-17). "Bitmoji: the emoji avatar app taking on Apple and Facebook". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ "The Most Downloaded iOS Apps Of 2018 - CBS Detroit". www.cbsnews.com. 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
- ^ "Happy 15th Birthday, Bitmoji". newsroom.snap.com. Retrieved 2025-11-05.