New emoji selected for iOS 26

Eight new emoji are chosen for inclusion in iOS 26 following a selection process.

New emoji announced for iOS 26 with Unicode Consortium selections

Today, the Unicode Consortium announced new emoji for the upcoming iOS 26. This year, eight new emoji were selected from over 160 suggestions. Included in the new set are images of an apple core, ballet dancers, a distorted face, a fight cloud, a hairy creature, an orca, a trombone, and a treasure chest. Apple will design its own versions of these emoji, but the Unicode Consortium has released their initial designs as well. Typically, the new emoji are not available in the first release but might appear in future updates like iOS 26.1 or 26.2 before the year's end.

The continued expansion of emoji reflects ongoing cultural trends and user demand for diversity in digital communication. As technology evolves, the way people express themselves online also changes. The power of the Unicode Consortium in these matters raises questions about representation and inclusion. Choosing these particular emoji signals a response to current interests, aiming to resonate with a broad range of users. In a world where emoji adds nuance to text, the choices made here are significant for user expression.

Highlights

The evolving emoji landscape continues to shape how we communicate in the digital age.