Squinting Face, Pickle, and Lighthouse Among New Emoji Coming to iOS
New emoji 2026 include a squinting face, pickle, and lighthouse—coming soon to iOS if approved by Unicode.
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Squinting Face, Pickle, and Lighthouse Among New Emoji Coming to iOS
What New Emoji Are Coming to iOS in 2026? If you’ve ever wished your texts could better convey side-eye skepticism or your undying love for pickles, good news is on the horizon. The Unicode Consortium has unveiled a draft list of 19 new emoji candidates for Emoji 18.0—slated for final approval in September 2026. Among the standout additions? A squinting face, a humble pickle, and a picturesque lighthouse. While nothing’s guaranteed until Apple gives its design stamp of approval, these fresh icons could soon be lighting up your iMessage threads. Credit: Google Why These Emoji Matter More Than You Think Emoji aren’t just cute decorations—they’re a vital part of digital communication, especially as remote work and texting dominate our daily interactions. The proposed squinting face, for instance, fills a long-noted gap in expressing doubt, suspicion, or playful teasing without resorting to clunky word explanations. Meanwhile, the addition of a dedicated pickle emoji responds to years of onli…