The Unicode Consortium has revealed a draft list of 19 new emoji candidates for Emoji 18.0, expected to be finalized in September 2026. Among the proposed additions are a squinting face, left- and right-pointing thumb gestures, a pickle, lighthouse, meteor, eraser, and a net with a handle. A monarch butterfly emoji is also included, offering a more specific alternative to the existing butterfly emoji.

Alongside these, Emoji 18.0 would introduce 10 additional skin tone variants, bringing the total number of recommended emoji characters close to 4,000. These new emojis are likely to arrive on iPhone devices in late 2026 or early 2027 as part of iOS 27. This update signifies Apple's continuous commitment to adopting new Unicode emoji, enhancing digital communication by providing users with a more diverse set of expressive tools.

The integration of these emojis is expected to reflect Apple's ongoing efforts to stay current with global digital trends and user preferences, potentially influencing other tech companies to follow suit.