New emojis 2021: From the syringe to squirly face, these will be the most popular
It’s about time emojis got up to date with Covid.
After Unicode Consortium declared at the start of the pandemic that their next release of emojis would be delayed, Apple has now announced over 200 new options arriving on iPhones with the next system update (lucky Google Pixel owners have had access to the new icons since December).
And with the laugh cry emoji officially being declared ‘old’ by Gen Z (along with side partings and skinny jeans, get with the times), we need a new lease of life in our texting dictionary.
So what’s on offer in the update?
New syringe
The updated syringe is undoubtedly the star of the show. As vaccines increase (along with the ever-so-slightly-smug ‘I got my vaccine!’ Instagram story) so too does the usage of the syringe emoji – except the old one was spouting blood droplets. Hardly encouraging for the needle-averse among us. The new version sports a clear liquid, making it passable for just about anything (PSA: Trump supporters – this does NOT mean disinfectant).
Bearded lady
Conchita Wurst fans at the ready, your favourite Eurovision queen is now available in emoji form. Or is it just a long-haired bearded hipster? Either way, the bearded lady has made her way to the more gender-diverse emoji selection, which also includes a different array of ‘couples kissing’ and ‘couple with heart’ to include more gender neutral options, as well as further skin tones. Sadly too late for Valentine ’s Day, but a much-needed update. Come on people, it’s 2021!
Squirly face
This is the emoji I intend to set as my permanent Whatsapp status as soon as pubs reopen. No words, just squirly face vibes. Emojipedia officially declares this face indicates dizziness or other forms of disorientation, because they’re not allowed to say ‘had too many G&Ts and has now lost her shoes’ for some reason.
New hearts
Although some people (me) may argue that the heart section of the emoji selection is in fact its most over-populated, Apple are nevertheless releasing two new versions. Enter ‘flaming heart’ and ‘mending heart’. Whilst the former will no doubt prove useful to the long-distance couples trying to keep the spark alive over lockdown, the latter can be reserved for those on the mend after a 2020 break up. Emojis see you, and are here for you.
Exhaling and cloudy faces
Is it smoke? Is it a sigh of relief? Is it a Covid-loaded cough? Whatever it is, it’s bound to come in useful for the events of 2021. Joining the exhaling face is the ‘face in clouds’, which can apparently indicate ‘a foggy state of mind, or even a sense of calm bliss’. I’m no fortune teller, but I think I can see this one getting co-opted for something else.
