# A sneak peek at nine new(ish) emoji on the way

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-07-15 16:07 UTC · Category: Technology

## Executive Summary
The Unicode Consortium unveils nine new emoji designs for Unicode 18, introducing characters like a cracked smiling face and a lighthouse.

## Intelligence Brief
According to coverage from outlets including Macworld, Lifehacker, Mashable, Hypebeast, Engadget, Unicode, The Verge, and 9to5Mac, a new wave of emoji is currently making news across the technology sector. Among the specific additions highlighted in the reports are a cracked smiling face, a pickle, and a lighthouse. These new visual symbols span a range of expressive possibilities, with reports noting they are designed to evoke everything from beauty to existential dread. Coverage specifically highlights the cracking face emoji as a standout addition that could become an all-timer for digital communication. Media organizations have approached the announcement from various angles, detailing both the specific characters and the broader implications for digital communication standards. Hypebeast reports on the unveiling by the Unicode Consortium for Unicode 18, while Mashable and 9to5Mac focus on the introduction of the nine new emoji designed to help users sum up the year.


Engadget emphasizes the emotional range of the upcoming wave, noting characters that can evoke beauty and existential dread. Meanwhile, Lifehacker provides practical guidance on how individuals can officially suggest new emojis, and Macworld discusses the future arrival of these symbols as the 2027 iPhone emoji. The official Unicode source also addresses user familiarity regarding why some new emoji look the way they do, and The Verge explicitly highlights the cracking face emoji as a potential all-time classic. The context surrounding this trend centers on the ongoing evolution and standardization of digital text and symbols managed by the Unicode Consortium. The introduction of Unicode 18 represents the next incremental step in updating the global vocabulary of emoji available across consumer devices. Outlets such as Macworld tie these upcoming designs directly to future hardware timelines, specifically identifying them as the anticipated 2027 iPhone emoji lineup.


At the same time, platforms like Lifehacker point to the structured process through which new symbols are proposed and eventually adopted. The coverage underscores how deeply integrated emoji have become in everyday digital expression, making any announcement of new characters a notable event across tech media. As the rollout progresses from this initial sneak peek to final standardization, coverage does not yet specify exact release dates for when users will see these nine new emoji appear on consumer devices. Observers and users will be tracking further updates from the Unicode Consortium regarding the formal adoption of Unicode 18 and subsequent integration announcements by major operating system developers and hardware manufacturers like Apple. Future reports are expected to clarify implementation timelines and provide deeper looks into the complete finalized design sets as they move closer to consumer availability across platforms.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Macworld | Cracked smiling face, pickle, and lighthouse: Meet the 2027 iPhone emoji | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitgFBVV95cUxQbVVjUWdHUE9kT0hodkhWcmZuWk1qN09kOWJlV1NXWmo4QXNNWE9GMHBWRURrRDd6cGRBY21lX3ZkWkNnVl9kbGpCUXBERWNYbnEwUzlVMDlkS2oxcFRSNFhnWHEwYUlsa1AwV25iSVROMDhsdU9kRXlxbVdqOUVzMTVmRTZkdDFYZG15eG0yT3poTHdxcUJGdXpzWXgyaGFUckVVS25GU1BLWW9rS2drODVhS18tZw?oc=5) |
| Lifehacker | Here's How to Officially Suggest New Emojis | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZEFVX3lxTE1sQ3k2QnVpdHYwS0tmeUE2WXVyWF9lSTZYRnVIcEJrSUctdGpoNUw1NjJFQzZHWGQ0dE9lOWFSUHJ1ZDJsczV5NFZQU1VvYUhUSnpYYkxRVmpFbUh3NGVXeklWVkU?oc=5) |
| Mashable | Meet the 9 new emoji to help sum up 2026 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiXkFVX3lxTE9VbVJ1b0FVaFFXTE9ZUmZUVmEwcUZ0REhGZHBxSDFNcEtnalBUcmptZ3FWYWxnbXl3aGpBa3Z3Wnp0dFg5SldQWHY3bVBQSmk2Q011VEJQblV1ZE5MS3c?oc=5) |
| Hypebeast | The Unicode Consortium Unveils Nine New Emoji Designs for Unicode 18 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwFBVV95cUxORnk1RUJYcmJFc3I0MHpBeWhSZm5fOF93R3ZuRGwtTVNGZEZqczVNR3I2ZDlka2dNdUgyOHJlTGFGWkNnVEs5d2pUSWR4MF96WHVRSkNUTF9GNVA4b0RjQjN6SE9KaEdFX2xhTXN1TDZfUkFrV1dqTVV3YUx0aGxTRXhBUEpyU2c?oc=5) |
| Engadget | The Next Wave Of Emoji Could Help You Evoke Beauty And Existential Dread | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqgFBVV95cUxPTG9kSDREazEyU0JEVkpIMnRMQjZJMnhhSzdLQ3VEN1dFOXlrbnhzbTQ5NDczM1AwZ3Y0MmJ4WmUtS1hIYUZZanMtQ0tLaGVTRG9DMkZlWEx6Z2d2ZlhQMXBMMHJHQnVFbmRiRmk5ZmpZdUk5b201dVl3QnB1MFhsbzFwX1dFNDNJd0VjR3J4QzQ2Ym9teFRWV3dHb1U4SHQ0TVB5VV8wV0E0Zw?oc=5) |
| Unicode – The World Standard for Text and Emoji | Why do some new emoji look familiar? | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMifEFVX3lxTE1IdU5TbXRaTkJjR29kaTBrUHd2UVRkT05OWjlNSTNtMXlBY2tfbVNIbENlaFN6UnRtLXIzcW1rZVNYREk4aGdqTFloXzN3ZlY4QmNoNE1WSFRnYzJaMF9VQ1FnSk4tODc1d2s5WUFVc2FCM3hTX05OWDY2TXk?oc=5) |
| The Verge | The new cracking face emoji might be an all-timer. | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMijwFBVV95cUxQUzZvZjM1NzJGLVBvY3pDNkswaVF4UFF1NU03czFUeE5iVFFJZFRwbkF3NXg3dmlmZmhROHZyRmloVkJTZ01UM3NZMklmamNnR3RpRmw1Znpac3NqcUlXZkVLcWdkNGRUM3dMSUcxbnRwZmI3Q3lqUmE3Y1NuOXJaWmxjamc2T09BRFZqbkRFUQ?oc=5) |
| 9to5Mac | A sneak peek at nine new(ish) emoji on the way | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiggFBVV95cUxNbENyekMwMVNub1FDajRtU0ZRUlFuRkJ6dFRCWWlHR3B3cGktM25XWEphMFNjQ0QxampuRlIyUGM3NkNWQ2R6eVpkdVpTYzRDdFFkcVNFbXJKTGdqWFppSWFmS21WVGN0S3FXR2E0U0E0dUxVbU1scWI5RWRuQWVKcTl3?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-07-15/a-sneak-peek-at-nine-new-ish-emoji-on-the-way*