The iOS 12.1 update will give iPhone and iPad owners new ways to express themselves via the beloved emoji characters. The latest beta version of the software features 70+ emoji, which Apple revealed back in July.
The characters – which include support for redheads, silver foxes/vixens, curly hair and… erm… baldness – were missing in action when iOS 12 arrived last month. However iOS and macOS users won’t have to wait too much longer to include them in instant messages.
As well as the new hairstyles (or lack thereof), there’s new superhero characters (male and female of course), a new party character, a freezing face and an infinity symbol.
It wouldn’t be a new series of emoji without animals and food represented. We’ve got a parrot, lobster, kangaroo and a peacock. We’ve got a llama, racoon, mosquito and swan. Foodies will benefit from a bagel, moon cake, cupcake, mango, some lettuce and a salt shaker.
Sports fans will see lacrosse, a frisby, and a skateboard, while travellers will benefit from a new compass icon, a suitcase and a hiking boot.
Related: iOS 12 features
Apple first revealed these characters on World Emoji Day on July 9, while they were first shown off as part of the Unicode 11 release in February. The Consortium then leaves it up to the major software makers to interpret the emoji as they sent fit. Google rolled out many of these emoji with Android Pie, so it’s good to see Apple jumping on board too.
iOS 12.1 will be the first major update since iOS 12 arrived in mid-September. The latest version of the mobile operating system includes a new Screen Time app, improved Do Not Disturb features, Siri Shortcuts, Memoji animations and ARKit 2.0. It also promises to speed up the older iPhone and iPad models still supported.
Are there still emoji missing from the line-up you’d like to see represented in future software updates? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
