We’re eagerly anticipating the quirky collection of emoji characters showcased back in May. It’s likely that we won’t actually see the shovel and weary face emojis alongside the fingerprint and purple splat until the release of iOS 18.4 next spring. Nonetheless, who can resist a sneak peek at the potential new emoji characters — even if they belong to the 2025/2026 lineup?
The emoji enthusiasts at Emojipedia have released a new article featuring descriptions and example images. Among the anticipated emoji for the 2025 Class of Exciting New Characters, Emojipedia has detailed the following:
- A distorted face, based on a design from the Emoji Kitchen
- A “fight cloud” symbol, reminiscent of those in cartoons and comic books
- A ballet dancer (depicted above with the dark skin tone modifier)
- An apple core
- An orca, also referred to as a “killer whale”
- A “hairy creature” inspired by various mythical “Big Foot”-like beings
- A trombone
- A landslide
- A treasure chest
Be sure to check out the complete article on Emojipedia for an exhaustive list of over 160 new emoji character proposals under consideration for approval next year. Realistically, we can expect to see these included in iOS 19, which is slated for late 2025 or early 2026 — assuming they gain approval next fall.
In the meantime, Apple Intelligence has already introduced custom emoji generation in the iOS 18.2 beta. While some users enjoy receiving their emoji in larger batches, the emoji generation feature is poised to become a standout trick of Apple Intelligence soon.
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