Apple has introduced a new set of emoji in the latest iOS 18.4 beta 2, giving iPhone users a preview of the latest characters before the update’s official release. T
These additions are part of the Unicode 16.0 standard, which was first announced in September 2024. Among the most notable additions is the “Face with Bags Under Eyes,” an emoji depicting exhaustion that many users will likely find relatable. Other new additions include a fingerprint, a root vegetable, a leafless tree, a harp, a shovel, a paint splatter, and the Flag of Sark.
The process of bringing new emoji to iOS is lengthy, as Apple and other tech companies must create unique designs for each approved character. The Unicode Consortium officially approves new emoji, but it takes months for Apple to integrate them into iOS. Apple last introduced a batch of new emoji with iOS 17.4 in March 2024, which included a lime, an edible brown mushroom, a phoenix, a broken chain, and shaking head gestures for “yes” and “no.” With iOS 18.4, users will now have even more expressive symbols to use in messages, social media, and other forms of communication.
One particularly interesting addition is the Flag of Sark, representing a small island in the English Channel that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Unicode stopped accepting new flag proposals in 2022, but Sark received an exception due to its ISO 3166-1 code (CQ), which automatically made it eligible for a flag emoji. This marks the first time since Emoji 1.0 in 2015 that a new regional or national flag emoji has been added this way.
As with previous emoji updates, these new characters will only be visible to those running iOS 18.4 or later. If a user on an older version of iOS receives a message containing one of the new emoji, they will see a blank icon instead. While developers can access these emoji now through the beta, the final release of iOS 18.4 is expected to roll out to the public in April 2025.
Beyond new emoji, iOS 18.4 also introduces a range of new features, including expanded Apple Intelligence support for additional languages, a dedicated Food Recipes section in Apple News+, and the highly anticipated Priority Notifications feature. The update also brings enhancements to CarPlay, improving the in-car experience for Apple users.
