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Apple Memoji get accessories, makeup and stickers

The iPhone maker lets you do more to customize your avatar.

Richard Nieva Former senior reporter
Richard Nieva was a senior reporter for CNET News, focusing on Google and Yahoo. He previously worked for PandoDaily and Fortune Magazine, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, on CNNMoney.com and on CJR.org.
Shara Tibken Former managing editor
Shara Tibken was a managing editor at CNET News, overseeing a team covering tech policy, EU tech, mobile and the digital divide. She previously covered mobile as a senior reporter at CNET and also wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. Shara is a native Midwesterner who still prefers "pop" over "soda."
Richard Nieva
Shara Tibken
2 min read
Logo of an Apple store, seen from a music fountain on the

Fifty shades of shades?

James Martin/CNET

Apple will let you make your iPhone Memoji look even more like you, the company said on Monday at its WWDC 2019 developers conference.

Apple introduced new features to let you further customize your avatar. You'll be able to give yourself accessories, like a hat, glasses or, of course, Apple AirPods . The upgrade will also give more choices for skin color, facial hair and makeup. And you'll be able to use Memojis in profile photos. 

Watch this: Memoji get a makeover

Apple also introduced Memoji stickers you can use in messages, similar to the ones available from Snapchat's Bitmoji. The stickers will work in Apple's Messages, as well as other services, like WeChat. The service will work with any device with an A9 chip or later.

Apple made the announcement at its World Wide Developers Conference in San Jose, California.

The event comes as software and services are taking on even greater importance for Apple. The company still sells millions of iPhones every quarter, but sales aren't soaring like they used to. People are holding onto their phones for longer, which makes it important to give them services that get them paying monthly. Apple has made augmented reality, mobile payments, streaming music and other areas key focuses over the past couple of years.

It's the company's App Store, though, that makes up the bulk of Apple's services business. For that business to keep growing, Apple needs developers to continuously update their apps and create new services.

This is a developing story. Follow our WWDC liveblog, and see all of today's Apple news.