Furniture retailer Ikea has launched a keyword app called Emoticons to help men and women communicate better at home. As the name suggests, the new app is a keyboard where users can select a wide array of emoticons to better express how they feel.
In a video introducing the new app, Ikea stated men and women have had difficulty communicating with each other since the dawn of time. Although language and physical expressions have been created to bridge the gap between the sexes, misunderstandings still happen.
In the home, the Swedish firm believes these misunderstandings usually center on clutter. But there are other misunderstandings around the house that the company wants to help solve with its new keyboard app, too.
The Ikea Emoticons features many custom emoticons mostly related to the home and showcases a hand-drawn style. These emoticons include pets, food, furniture and other similar items.
Android users who have tried the new app find the icons "cute" and the new app to be "simple and funny." But Mariella Moon of Engadget has found a couple of points for improvement when she tried using it.
According to Moon, the Ikea keyboard is "not very intuitive." When a user chooses an emoticon, it does not automatically show up when it is tapped; rather users need to paste it into the text box.
Another thing Moon noticed is the way the emoticons are displayed on the screen. Phone emojis are displayed as small images, but Ikea emoticons show up as big images.
The app from the retailer of ready-to-assemble furniture, appliances and home accessories is available for free on iTunes and Google Play.