Signal-ios: Avatar for contact with emoji needs design/change

[riyapenn]

• [X ] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates (but feel like I've overlooked something so this could also be mentioned in another issue) However, https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-iOS/issues/1512 regarding unsaved contacts is related.

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Bug description

If a contact's name starts with an emoji character in the contact list entry, a character is displayed in the Avatar

Steps to reproduce

• Have contact name in contact list with an avatar
• view message compose contact list, view invite contact list or open conversation thread and go to inbox view of contact list

OR

• Have contact saved in contact list with JUST a phone number, NO NAME.
• view message compose contact list, view invite contact list or open conversation thread and go to inbox view of contact list

Actual result: Character with an A is displayed
Expected result: Suggestion is a cleaner avatar or different character. For example, Signal Desktop displays diamond with a question mark (image below)

Screenshots

iOS image of avatar for contact with name '[Emoji] Google Voice'

Signal Desktop handling of emoji as first character of contact name:

Device info

Device: iPhone 5C
iOS version: 10.1.1
Signal version: 2.6.6

[michaelkirk]

One approach would be to restrict initials to alphanumeric characters only.