Google is killing off Android's emoji blobs

The divisive icons have become a mainstay of Android, but now they're being retired in favour of more conventional smiley faces

The best emojis on the market are no more: Google's weird blobs are being retired in favour of more conventional circular yellow faces.

First introduced in 2013 with Android 4.4, the blobs have been a divisive feature of the company's operating system. Some love them for their unique spin on otherwise indistinguishable emojis, while others hate the potential for miscommunication they introduce when speaking across multiple platforms.