📜 History & Unicode
Where emoji came from, how new ones get approved, and why they look different on every phone.
Emoji 18.0: All 9 New Emojis and When You'll Get ThemEmoji 18.0 adds 9 new emojis, including a pickle, a meteor and a cracking face. See the full list, what each one is for, and when your phone gets them.September 28, 2026 · History & Unicode · 5 min readWhy Some Emoji Never Get Used: The Least Popular Emoji in the StandardEver wonder why some Unicode emoji almost never appear in chats? This guide explains why niche symbols and rare flags stay unpopular by design, not accident.July 27, 2026 · History & Unicode · 1 min readFlag Emojis Explained: Why Some Countries Are MissingWondering why some countries lack flag emoji? This article explains how ISO country codes determine flags and why certain regions get left out entirely.May 11, 2026 · History & Unicode · 2 min readThe Most Controversial Emoji Redesigns in HistoryFrom Apple's water pistol swap to Samsung's rolling eyes, this article looks at the emoji redesigns that sparked real user confusion and heated debate.May 4, 2026 · History & Unicode · 1 min readEmoji vs Emoticon: What's the Difference?Confused about emoji versus emoticons? This guide explains their key differences, from Unicode standardization to cross-device rendering and searchability.April 13, 2026 · History & Unicode · 1 min readThe Emoji Approval Process: How New Emojis Actually Get MadeA look at the Unicode Consortium's process for reviewing and approving new emoji proposals.April 6, 2026 · History & Unicode · 1 min readThe Weirdest Emoji Unicode Has Ever ApprovedA tour through some of the stranger, more specific entries in the emoji standard.March 16, 2026 · History & Unicode · 1 min readHow Many Emojis Are There? A Breakdown by CategoryThe current emoji count, how it's grown over time, and which categories have the most.March 9, 2026 · History & Unicode · 1 min readThe History of Emoji: From Japanese Pagers to Global LanguageHow a 12x12 pixel grid became one of the most-used forms of digital communication.January 19, 2026 · History & Unicode · 2 min readWhy Does the Same Emoji Look Different on iPhone and Android?Unicode standardizes what an emoji means, but not what it looks like — here's why that matters.January 12, 2026 · History & Unicode · 2 min read