iOS 16.4 Emoji Changelog

Today Apple has debuted 31 new emoji designs within its newly-released iOS 16.4 update, finally bringing a plain Pink Heart emoji to iPhones, iPads, and all other Apple devices across the world.

iOS 16.4 Emoji Changelog

Today Apple has debuted 31 new emoji designs within its newly-released iOS 16.4 update, finally bringing a plain Pink Heart emoji to iPhones, iPads, and all other Apple devices across the world.

Above: New emojis now available in iOS 16.4. Image: Apple designs / Emojipedia composite.

Each of the 31 new emojis included within iOS 16.4 are from Unicode's Emoji 15.0 recommendations, which were made in September of last year.

These emoji designs were first previewed midway through February this year, within the first beta release of iOS 16.4. Beta updates are made accessible to those signed up for the Apple Developer Program.

Unlike in last year's Apple emoji update, none of the initially revealed emoji designs have undergone revisions ahead of their official release today.

Last year the ๐ŸงŒ Troll emoji was revised during the iOS 15.4 beta period, while previous beta testing periods featured revisions (or attempted revisions) to the ๐Ÿฅฏ Bagel and ๐Ÿ‘ Peach emojis.

Additionally, no previously released emoji designs have been revised in iOS 16.4.

๐Ÿ†• New

Although iOS 16.4 only includes 31 new emojis, there are emoji additions across each of the major emoji categories.

Firstly, within ๐Ÿ˜ƒ Smileys & People there is one new smiley face and two new complimentary hand gestures (both of which support the standard five skin tone modifier options). ย 

Notably, while the designs for each of the skin tone options for ๐Ÿซธ Rightwards Pushing Hand and ๐Ÿซท Leftwards Pushing Hand are visible on Apple devices, the current Apple emoji keyboard does not allow for these skin tone options to be accessed through the usual press-and-hold selection method. This is expected to be resolved in a subsequent iOS update.

The ๐Ÿ’• Symbols category has also received five new additions, three of which are colorful new heart emojis.

As discussed in our coverage of the first iOS 16.4 beta, the plain ๐Ÿฉท Pink Heart emoji has been a popular request for quite some time and, alongside ๐Ÿฉต Light Blue Heart and ๐Ÿฉถ Grey Heart, closes some notable gaps within the heart emoji color spectrum.

Rounding out the new additions in ๐Ÿ’• Symbols category are the ย ๐Ÿชฏ Khanda, the symbol of the Sikh faith, and a ๐Ÿ›œ Wireless internet connection symbol.

The ๐Ÿป Animals & Nature has received the largest new additions in today's iOS 16.4 release, with six new additions. However, the ๐Ÿ” Food & Drink category has also gotten two new emojis that straddle the line between nature and foodstuff, namely a ๐Ÿซ› Pea Pod and the root from a ๐Ÿซš Ginger plant.

Finally, there are two new additions in both the โšฝ Activity and ๐Ÿ’ก Objects categories - two musical instruments (a ๐Ÿชˆ Flute and ๐Ÿช‡ Maracas) and two appearance-focused items (a ๐Ÿชฎ Hair Pick and a ๐Ÿชญ Folding Hand Fan).

๐Ÿ“ฒ Release

iOS 16.4 is available now as a free software update for the following Apple devices:

  • iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 / 13 Mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12 / 12 Mini/ 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone XS / XS Max
  • iPhone X / XR
  • iPhone 8 / 8 Plus
  • iPhone SE (2nd generation & 3rd generation)

The same 31 new emojis are also included as part of iPadOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4, watchOS 9.4, and macOS 13.3.

๐Ÿ“– Read More