Emoji Evolution: The Latest Additions for iPhone with iOS 27

Apple typically introduces new emojis to the iPhone through iOS updates in the spring. Recently, the Unicode Consortium released a comprehensive list of potential new emojis that could be unveiled next year, as reported by Emojipedia.

Included in the draft list for Unicode 18 are various new additions such as a smiley face with squinting eyes, a pickle, an eraser, and more.

The draft designs for these emojis have been shared by the consortium. Following approval, companies like Apple and Google will develop their own versions based on the Unicode Consortium’s descriptions and draft designs.

Despite the expanding catalog of emojis, iPhone users appear to be less interested in the new additions each year. Additionally, Apple introduced a new Genmoji feature as part of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18, enabling users to create their own emoji designs using text descriptions or blending existing emojis together.

While Unicode 17 characters were revealed in July 2025, Apple has yet to incorporate them into the iPhone. These Unicode 17 emojis are expected to arrive with a future update to iOS 26, likely iOS 26.4 in March or April. Consequently, the new Unicode 18 emojis mentioned earlier will likely be included in iOS 27.4 in March or April of 2027.

The last time Apple introduced new emojis to the iPhone was with iOS 18.4 in March 2025, based on the Unicode 16 release.

What are your thoughts on the new emojis? Are there any emojis you are eagerly anticipating the Unicode Consortium to approve? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

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