Apple adds new emojis to the iPhone through regular iOS updates. This usually happens in the spring. A new draft from the Unicode Consortium now shows the emojis that could arrive in the next cycle. If approved, these designs will later appear on the iPhone with a future version of iOS.
This early list includes a mix of expressions, objects, and symbols. You will see a squinting face, two new thumb gestures, a pickle, and even a lighthouse. While these are only draft concepts, they offer a clear look at what Apple may adopt next.
New emojis are coming
The current draft for Unicode 18 includes nine new emoji concepts. These are the designs under review:
- A smiley face with squinting eyes
- A leftward thumb sign gesture
- A rightward thumb sign gesture
- A monarch butterfly
- A pickle
- A lighthouse
- A meteor
- An eraser
- A net with a handle
These images are not final. They serve as reference designs. Once Unicode approves them, companies such as Apple and Google create their own versions that match their platforms.
Apple turns drafts into iPhone emojis
The Unicode Consortium defines what each emoji represents. After approval, Apple redesigns every emoji to fit iOS. The look often changes, but the meaning stays the same. This is why the same emoji can appear different on iPhone, Android, or the web.
Emojipedia first pointed out the new draft this week. The site tracks upcoming Unicode updates and documents how companies adopt them. According to the standard release cycle, Unicode 18 is expected in September 2026. Apple usually adds those characters in a spring update the following year.
Apple has not yet added the Unicode 17 emojis, which were revealed in July 2025. Those are expected to arrive with iOS 26.4 around March or April. If Apple follows the same pattern, the Unicode 18 emojis will likely appear with iOS 27.4 in spring 2027.
For context, Apple last added a major batch of emojis in iOS 18.4 in March 2025, based on Unicode 16.
Do new emojis still matter
As the emoji library keeps growing, many iPhone users pay less attention to each new batch. Apple also introduced Genmoji in iOS 18 as part of Apple Intelligence. This feature lets users create custom emojis from text descriptions or by combining existing emojis. Because of that, some people now prefer making their own instead of waiting for official additions.
Still, standard emojis remain important. They work everywhere, appear the same in messages, and avoid compatibility issues. That is why each Unicode update continues to shape how people communicate on the iPhone.
If approved, the squinting face, new thumb gestures, and yes, the pickle, will eventually become part of the iPhone’s default keyboard. The designs may change, but the set is already taking shape.
I’ll be happy to get a pickle emoji. My eggplant emoji kind of overstates my situation.