emoji

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on emoji:

Create custom emoji in Messages using Genmoji

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Make Your Own Emoji
Genmoji can fit every occasion.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Using Genmoji, you can create custom emoji when you can’t find the exact right one to express yourself nonverbally. An Apple Intelligence feature coming in iOS 18.2, Genmoji generates emoji on the fly based on your description.

Finally, you can enhance your conversations about ostriches or shovels or tissues boxes with your own emoji. Or make an emoji that matches your pet, like a white cat or a Pomeranian dog. You can even make emoji versions of the people you know.

Here’s how.

Bigfoot emoji might be sighted next year

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Bigfoot emoji might be sighted next year
Say, what’s that "hairy creature"?
Photo: Emojipedia/Cult of Mac

The list of additions to the official collection of emoji we can use in text message includes an orca, a trombone an Apple core and, wait, is that Bigfoot?!

The industry group responsible for choosing new emoji proposed nine major additions and dozens of tweaks for the next update. If approved, they will come to iPhone, Mac and iPad, as well as Androids, PCs and many social media applications.

Weird story links World Emoji Day to Apple

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The roots of World Emoji Day go deep into Apple history.
The roots of World Emoji Day go deep into Apple history.
Image: Cult of Mac

World Emoji Day happens on July 17 every year — but why? The holiday’s story takes a circuitous path through Apple history, tying together Mac OS X Jaguar, calendar software, Japanese cellphone carriers, Macworld Expo and Emojipedia creator Jeremy Burge.

World’s most unpopular emoji: Did your favorites make the list?

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world's most unpopular emoji
Supersize collected the 14 least popular emoji worldwide and in the United States.
Image: Superside

A whole gaggle of once-popular emoji seem to be falling out of favor among texters and others, according to a new report from creative subscription service Superside. So now you can see if your faves made the list of the world’s most unpopular emoji.

“When conducting our study, it was shocking to see some once-popular emoji among the most endangered globally,” a Superside spokesperson told Cult of Mac. “As new emoji continue to emerge, it will be quite interesting to see if these rankings might change as the years go on and trends change.”

And what happens to deeply unpopular emoji, anyway? In a word, nothing.

Messages app gets satellite connectivity in iOS 18, plus emoji Tapbacks

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WWDC24 screenshot announcing Messages via satellite
You'll be able to send and receive messages via satellite in iOS 18.
Photo: Apple

Apple Let Loose Event:

You will soon be able to send and receive texts via satellite, Apple said Monday.

In addition, the Messages app will also support message scheduling, plus reacting to texts with any emoji.

“Now you can use the satellite capabilities on iPhone 14 and later to connect to satellites hundreds of miles above the Earth to text your friends and family when you’re off the grid,” said Apple exec Ronak Shah during Monday’s WWDC24 keynote.

iOS 18 could feature generative AI-powered custom emoji tool

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Emoji search coming in iOS 14
iOS 18 might let you create custom emoji using generative AI.
Photo: Bernard Hermant

Apple might use generative AI in iOS 18 to allow iPhone users to create custom emojis, letting them express themselves just the way they want. The company is already at the forefront of adding the latest Unicode emoji to iOS.

Additionally, Apple is working on an AI-powered smart recaps feature. It will provide you with a summary of your missed notifications, new messages, documents, and more.

Proposed emoji might make you feel sleepy

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Proposed Emoji 16.0 might make you feel sleepy
Prettier versions of these are likely to be added to iPhone, Mac, etc. this autumn.
Photo: Unicode Consortium

The list of fresh emoji up for consideration includes a tired-looking face, a fingerprint, a leafless tree, a harp and several more.

If approved, they’ll be added to iPhone, Mac and iPad as well as many social media applications.

Here are the new features to try in macOS Sonoma 14.4

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macOS 14 Sonoma
macOS Sonoma 14.4 brings in a couple of nice tweaks.
Photo: Apple

The wait is over for macOS Sonoma 14.4, with the new version going out a bit sooner than expected. It brings in new emoji plus auto-generated transcripts in the Apple Podcasts app.

watchOS 10.4 also went to all users on Thursday, as did tvOS 17.4 and visionOS 1.1.

iOS 17.4 with new emoji, huge changes for EU is almost here

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iOS 17.4 logo
iOS 17.4 will bring changes, but you'll have to live in Europe to get most of them.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple just seeded the release candidate of iOS 17.4 to developers. When it goes to the general public — probably next week — it’ll bring in a collection of new emoji to iPhone, and a more secure version of iMessage. For Europeans, the update will be a major one, as it’ll usher in sideloading and other changes.

The release candidate for iPadOS 17.4 also came out Tuesday. However, macOS Sonoma 14.4 is still on beta 5.

First iOS 17.4 beta brings new emoji plus huge changes for EU

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iOS 17.4 logo
iOS 17.4 will bring changes, but you'll have to live in Europe to get most of them.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 17.4 to developers Thursday, offering a first look at new emoji coming soon to iPhone. For Europeans, the update will be a major one, as it will allow users to sideload apps (among other big changes).

Also on Thursday came the initial betas of iPadOS 17.4 and tvOS 17.4. There’s no sign yet of macOS 14.4 beta 1, however.

You’ll laugh and cry at the most popular emoji on World Emoji Day

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You’ll laugh and cry at the most popular emoji on World Emoji Day
Did your favorite emoji make the top 20 list? Find out now.
Image: Facemoji/Cult of Mac

There’s no better day to check into the state of emoji than World Emoji Day, celebrated every year on July 17. There’s a new most popular one this year, though the top five stayed consistent. And the top 20 also boasts a new entry you should be aware of.

It’s wise to know the meaning of the most popular so you’re not confused when someone sends you a 🗿.

The most confusing and misused emoji will melt your brain

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We have a winner: survey finds Woman Tipping Hand is most-confusing emoji.
We have a winner: Survey finds Woman Tipping Hand is the most-confusing emoji.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Ever find yourself perplexed by the intended meaning of an emoji in a message? A recent survey suggests you’re not alone. Even on World Emoji Day (July 17), a lot of the little graphics have people scratching their heads and even offending each other.

Ukraine-based language-learning platform Preply sought to understand which emoji cause the most confusion and misuse — unintentionally or intentionally — among Americans. You can see the main findings below.

Nod your head at the emoji coming in 2024

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Proposed Emoji 15.1 additions
You’ll almost certainly be able to add these to your IMs in 2024.
Image: Emojipedia

The list of new emoji up for approval includes a phoenix, a breaking chain, a lime, a person nodding or shaking their head, plus a handful more.

These are being proposed to the Unicode Consortium in September, but are very unlikely to appear on iPhone and other computers before 2024.

macOS Ventura 13.3 and iPadOS 16.4 usher in new emoji and other improvements

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First public betas for iOS 16, macOS Ventura arrive
Apple released OS updates for its various computers today, including Mac and iPad.
Photo: Apple

The wait is over for macOS Ventura 13.3 and iPadOS 16.4, which Apple released Monday. While not major upgrades, they do bring new emoji, a better way for devs to work with betas, and other changes (including security updates).

Apple also released iOS 16.4, as well as watchOS 9.4 and tvOS 16.4, today.

15 new features in iOS 16.4 you should try right away

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iOS 16.4 release candidate
After you upgrade your iPhone, try these new features in iOS 16.4.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple released iOS 16.4 on Monday, bringing significant changes and new features to its iPhone operating system.

Once you install iOS 16.4, the biggest point release of iOS 16 so far, check out these 15 features to try right away — including the new “high five emoji” combo.

iOS 16.4 beta 3: All the new features and changes

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New emoji will arrive in iOS 16.4 and macOS Ventura 13.3
iOS 16.4 beta packs plenty of new features and changes.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A week after the second iOS 16.4 beta dropped, Apple seeded the third build to developers. Unlike the first and second build, the third beta is light on changes.

You can find everything new in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 beta 3 below. There’s also an archive of the new features spotted in beta 1 and 2.

New emoji? Talk to the hand!

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Proposed new emoji list shows we already have all the emoji we need
These are some of the emoji coming to Apple devices... probably in 2023.
Image: Emojipedia

Emoji are about visual communication, and the some of the new ones just approved say “Talk to the hand.” And there’s a new way to express love, too. Or there’s good news for everyone desperately waiting on a moose emoji.

Other new additions approved by the Unicode Consortium include a shaking face, a donkey, a jellyfish and a flute.

And the world’s hottest laptop is … the M2 MacBook Air! [The CultCast]

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The CultCast Apple podcast: Nobody's got anything bad to say about the new MacBook Air.
Nobody's got anything bad to say about the new MacBook Air.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Everyone’s raving about the new M2-powered MacBook Air — and so are we. Although Erfon just bought a different Apple laptop (and offers up a pro tip for anybody thinking of getting the hot new MBA).

Also on The CultCast:

  • Bye-bye, Jony Ive. We’re gonna miss ya. Mostly.
  • The emoji people scrape the bottom of the barrel.
  • Toys are about to get personal (but brace yourself for disfigured plastic selfies).
  • BMW foists an outrageous subscription plan on car buyers.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: CultCloth

Get the only cleaning cloth you need: CultCloth!

Proposed new emoji list shows we already have all the emoji we need

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Proposed new emoji list shows we already have all the emoji we need
These are some of the emoji that might be added to Apple devices in 2023.
Image: Emojipedia

The collection of emoji will grow in the coming months, with the 31 proposed new entries including a shaking face, a donkey, a jellyfish and hearts in a range of colors. The proposal also includes an array of left- and right-facing hands, which likely will be used to indicate high fives.

This is by far the shortest list of new emoji proposed in years. It seems the Unicode Consortium thinks the already available collection is close to complete.

MaskerAid effortlessly masks faces with emoji in your photos

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MaskerAid auto-detects faces in photos and adds emoji in their place
MaskerAid will auto-detects faces in photos and add emoji in their place
Screenshots: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

I rarely share photos of my family – and more specifically, my daughter – online. I believe that she should have the right to choose if, and when her face is shared online.

This means that I typically only share photos with her face cropped out, or I resort to clunky editing processes to obscure her face. With the brand new app MaskerAid, now hiding her face can be done instantly.

Microsoft Teams emoji gets a cute 3D makeover

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Microsoft Teams 3D emoji
A sweet emoji upgrade.
Image: Microsoft

How do you make your emoji stand out in a sea of similar designs? You give them an awesome 3D makeover, of course! That’s exactly what Microsoft is doing with more than 1,800 emoji characters inside Microsoft Teams.

The redesign, which starts rolling out today in an early preview, will be available all platforms — including macOS, iOS and the web.

Incoming: New features in iOS 15.4, new gear at Apple’s March event [The CultCast]

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The CultCast: Face ID might play nice with masks in the near future. Better late than never!
Face ID might play nice with masks in the near future. Better late than never!
Photo: Julio Lopez/Unsplash license; Image: Killian Bell, Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 15.4 packs a punch with some fun and useful new features. It’s still just a beta, but it will give us lots of new emoji for our critical, high-level communications when it goes live. Plus, the beta includes a convenient new way to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask — just in time for the end of the pandemic! 🤞

Also on The CultCast:

  • An Apple event in March looks quite likely.
  • Mini-LED iMac Pro might be delayed.
  • An Apple car patent sheds light on an advanced sunroof.
  • How to download Wordle, just in case The New York Times screws up the popular game.
  • Donkey talk!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below (down by the headlines and donkey links).

Fun new emoji coming in iOS 15.4 will let you salute, melt and tear up

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Fun new emoji coming in iOS 15.4 will let you salute, melt and tear up
Here are some, but not all, of the new emoji coming soon to iPhone and iPad.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Soon you’ll be able to use an emoji to show that your battery is low. Or that you’re melting, are feeling ambivalent or patriotic, or getting teary-eyed. This is because the crop of fresh emoji approved in fall 2021 will debut when iOS 15.4 does.

Then they be used in texts, emails … wherever.

iOS 15.4 beta lets you use Face ID while wearing a mask

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Why Apple Watch’s iPhone unlock will change your freakin’ life
Being able to easily unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask is coming in iOS 15.4.
Photo: Ivan Samkov/Pexels CC

Face ID in iOS 15.4 will let users unlock their iPhones while wearing a mask. No Apple Watch necessary. The system will scan just the area around eyes. It comes with a warning that the change makes Face ID less secure, though.

Apple seeded the first iOS 15.4 beta to developers Thursday.

2021’s most popular emoji will leave you crying with joy

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2021’s most popular emoji will have you crying with joy
The two most used emoji are way ahead by a wide margin.
Graphic: Unicode Consortium

People like to laugh. And that leads to Tears of Joy accounting for over 5% of all emoji use in 2021. We also love to love. That put the heart in second place.

The Unicode Consortium compiled a list of all the most popular emoji for the year. And also shared data on the different types of emoji that get used the most.