The 5 best Aussie stickers on iOS 10's sparkly new Messages app
Apple's new operating system may let you order an Uber with Siri and other fancy things, but let's be serious: It's all about the new and improved Messages.
Apple has given the once tired app a complete overhaul, complete with GIFs, full screen effects and predictive emoji. And stickers. Thousands of stickers for you to use, rather than needing to form complete sentences.
The new release has been embraced by a number of Australian developers and brands. Clara Reeves, president of Hipster Whale, the Melbourne gaming studio that created mobile arcade hopper game Crossy Road, told Mashable the stickers were a perfect extension for the game's marketing efforts.
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"Anything that brings social and sharing integration into the game is great, because it lets people make it their own," she said.
If you download Crossy Road, you will have free access to the sticker pack.
Reeves said the team will also potentially integrate the stickers as a mechanism back into the game. Players could be rewarded with additional stickers or animation in new levels, for example, or the studio could release special stickers to coincide with new game themes.
"Players have always enjoyed the characters in Crossy Roads, so being able to bring them into Messenger is just something fun we wanted to do," she added. "I think it's always really cool -- just watching people with a new tool -- we'll see some creative and funny things created with iMessage and stickers."
If you take your patriotism super seriously, here are five of the best local-made sticker packs for you to download straight away.
1. Crossy Road
Crossy Road was created in Melbourne, but it's now made it all the way to Disney. In 2016, the company brought out Disney Crossy Road and has won a slew of gaming prizes along the way. If you're an addict, your dedication can now be shared with friends through endless sticker use.
2. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Yes, it's a New Zealand-made film, but who won't find the need for a sticker about the "skux life?" Only eggs, probably.
3. Qantas
Qantas is one of the first local corporates to jump on the sticker trend, but you have to admit, that roo is pretty cute.
4. Cricket
Cricket. It's the Australian past time. What more do you want?
5. Fruit Ninja
Created by Brisbane-based studio Halfbrick, the mobile game Fruit Ninja has been a smashing international success. One minute you're slicing fruit in Fruitasia and and the next you're sharing character stickers with mates to properly convey the devastation of a low score. Fruit Ninja 100 percent of the time, basically.
Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.
