The humble emoji, from grinning smileys to suggestive fruit, is a cornerstone of modern digital chat. Now, the lexicon is set to expand with nine brand new characters slated for release in the coming years, and one in particular – the pickle – is already generating a storm of online chatter for its potential to dethrone a notorious vegetable.
The New Emoji Line-Up Revealed
While users already have a vast library of over 3,900 emojis at their fingertips, a fresh batch was quietly uploaded to the Unicode Consortium's public archives late last year. The emoji reference site, Emojipedia, has now brought the proposed designs to light. The draft list for the Emoji 18.0 update includes two new hand gestures (leftward and rightward thumbs), a squinting face, a monarch butterfly, a lighthouse, a meteor, an eraser, a net with a handle, and the now-infamous pickle.
The sole new facial expression, a smiley face with tightly squinting eyes, has proven an instant hit on social media platform X. "I'm gonna use the squinting one SO much omg you don't even understand," one user exclaimed, while another declared, "SQUINTING FACE IS SO NECESSARY OMG." The new directional thumbs have also sparked creative interpretations, with one user quipping, "Get a load of this guy emoji."
Pickle Power: The New Aubergine?
However, the emoji stealing the spotlight is undoubtedly the green pickle. Online discourse has quickly zeroed in on its potential to become a new, coded symbol, with many suggesting it could replace the aubergine emoji, which is commonly used as a phallic reference. The reaction on X has been fervent and humorous.
"Pickle emoji gonna be huge," one user predicted. Another posted, "Eggplant emoji is shaking," and a third joked, "Pickle emoji about to send the eggplant emoji packing." The sentiment was widely shared, with one delighted commenter stating, "Finally the pickle emoji is arriving. I have been waiting for YEARS." Others were more sarcastic about its impending use: "oh wow i wonder how the pickle emoji will be used. definitely according to its literal meaning."
In contrast, some of the other new symbols, like the monarch butterfly, lighthouse, and meteor, received a more muted response. Confusion arose with users mistaking the new meteor for the existing comet and questioning the need for another butterfly emoji.
The Long Road to Your Keyboard
It's important to note that these emojis are not yet guaranteed. Emojipedia has clarified that both Unicode 18.0 and Emoji 18.0 remain in draft form and are subject to change. The Unicode Consortium will conduct several reviews of the draft candidates before final approval in September 2026. "Some proposals may not advance to final approval," the blog post cautioned.
Even after formal Unicode approval, there is typically a significant delay before the new pictograms appear on devices. Individual vendors like Apple, Google, and Samsung must design and implement their own versions. This process can take many months or even up to a year, meaning the public may not see the new emojis on their iPhone or Android keyboards until well after the 2026 approval date.
This upcoming update continues the evolution of our digital language, where a simple pickle can spark a wave of online anticipation and redefine informal communication. The journey from draft document to your text message is a long one, but for many, the wait for the perfect squint or a new symbolic vegetable will hopefully be worth it.
