Skype chatters have a special way to express their love this Valentine's Day as Microsoft is releasing a new set of Mojis (short video clips with sound) made in collaboration with Paul McCartney.
The famous former Beatle teamed up with Skype to compose music to go along with love-themed Mojis made specifically for February 14, though you can still send them after Valentine's Day is over because, as Skype's Steven Abrahams said during a briefing Tuesday, love is something you can express all year long.
For the initial release, 10 Mojis with a mini McCartney soundtrack are available across all platforms. They include "Sumo Cupid," a rotund wrestler who plucks an arrow from his bow, an excited octopus with furry handcuffs, and a turtle who you might mistake for dancing to "I'm Too Sexy" if it weren't an original diddly.
The only way you can tell Paul McCartney is involved in the project is that a "By Paul McCartney" and copyright mark appears next to the Moji once it's done playing, but Abrahams said it was intentional to not pour on his participation too thick as love is an intimate personal experience.
At the end of the day, the new Mojis are a silly thing that some might get a kick out of, and it's not going to change mobile communication or have any other monumental impact.
It is worth nothing however that, according to Microsoft, half a billion Mojis have been sent since they first became available in September. Abrahams said the company is keen to work with McCartney again as well as other musicians to create a unique way for users to express their emotions.
And while user-generated Mojis are something Skype may include "down the road," the focus now is on curated content, especially around happenings like Valentine's Day. The love Mojis are ready for sending now globally.
Here's a clip of Sir Paul putting together the tunes for the Mojis.
