iPhone 11's inclusive new emoji unveiled as Apple confirms icons coming to iOS 13

Apple new emojis
Some of Apple's new emojis. Image credit: Apple (Image credit: Apple)

Apple has unveiled a selection of the new diversity-themed emoji that will be coming to the iPhone 11 and other devices later this year, showing its twist on the base icons.

In February Unicode unveiled this new range of emoji, which had an emphasis on diversity and disability (and waffles). Apple has now announced when it'll release them on its products, and as expected, it looks set to ship with iOS 13.

Apple has announced a "fall" launch date of Emoji 12.0 on Apple devices, which includes the emoji, via its newsroom, to coincide with World Emoji Day (yes, that's really a thing). Fall likely means some time between September and November.

Apple also unveiled its 'takes' on the emoji, and it's gone for its usual blobby cartoon-style approach, although all its renderings are noticeably more 3D than the 2D images Unicode typically goes for.

We were expecting to see the new range of emoji around September anyway along with iOS 13, and as Apple tends to release its new operating system at the same time as its new phones we'll likely see the emoji on the iPhone 11 from the outset.

You'll also be able to use the new emojis on all other iOS, iPadOS, MacOS and WatchOS products, before you worry they'll be exclusive to newer products, so everyone with an Apple product will be able to use them by the end of 2019.

Android devices will also be able to use the new emoji soon, although at this point we've heard no word on when these will become available on any other devices. We'd expect it to be at the same time, though.

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.

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