How emojis can replace a regular web address

With the support of the American startup Yat, Opera has become the first web browser to allow users to access websites with addresses composed entirely of emojis.

This browser now lets users surf the web by entering a string of emojis in the address bar, instead of the usual numbers and letters. This new feature works on the latest update of Opera on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. And as well as accessing these sites by entering nothing more than emojis, you can also create your own personal domain, again composed only of these small icons, representing, for example, your personality or your business.

This is possible thanks to a partnership with Yat, a company that allows users to acquire their own personalized strings of one to five emojis, redirecting web users to a given site. Early adopters include artists such as rapper Lil Wayne, who chose to associate the alien emoji with music notes, or DJ Steve Aoki, who opted for the birthday cake followed by music notes. All you have to do is enter the emojis in the Opera address bar to visit the artists' websites. This service is now open to all, individuals and professionals alike.

Often forward-thinking, Opera recently presented a beta version of its new Crypto browser project, which, as its name suggests, is geared up for blockchain and crypto uses.

See how it works in this video: youtu.be/toQj9LZGyIg

© Agence France-Presse