Unicode Draft Reveals New Emoji Coming to iOS

Apple users might soon see a fresh set of emoji land on their devices by late 2026 or early 2027. The Unicode Consortium has shared a draft of potential candidates for the upcoming emoji update.

Unicode Publishes Draft Emoji List for Emoji 18.0

The Unicode Consortium has unveiled a draft for Emoji 18.0, which, according to Emojipedia, features 19 emoji candidates currently undergoing review. The final sign-off is anticipated by September 2026, suggesting that the list could undergo further revisions before being formally approved.

New emoji likely coming to iPhone with iOS 27

Some of the standout emoji in this draft include:

Squinting face emoji
Left and right pointing thumb gestures
Pickle
Lighthouse
Meteor
Eraser
Net with a handle

Interestingly, a monarch butterfly emoji is also being considered, offering a more detailed alternative to the generic butterfly emoji in use.

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Skin Tone Variants Would Also Expand the Emoji Lineup

Beyond the nine new emoji concepts, Emoji 18.0 also proposes 10 additional skin tone variants linked to two base emoji, pending approval in its existing form. Should these be included, the total number of endorsed emoji characters would approach 4,000.

Apple Will Design its Own Versions in The Apple Emoji Style

While Emojipedia has provided example artwork for the proposed emoji, Apple will fashion its own interpretations before introducing them to its lineup of devices, which includes the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro. As with previous years, the draft set isn’t set in stone and may undergo changes during Unicode’s assessment process.

Expected iOS Release Timeline for Emoji 18.0

Once Unicode finalizes Emoji 18.0, Apple will incorporate these emoji into its software through a future update. Judging by previous schedules, these emoji might hit iPhones in late 2026 or early 2027, likely alongside the release of iOS 27.

In the meantime, emoji additions from Unicode 17 are projected to debut earlier via iOS 26.4, in conjunction with updates for iPadOS 26.4, macOS 26.4, watchOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4, which should be available around March or April 2026.

Curious about which new emoji you’ll be using next? Share your thoughts with us below.