Apple’s latest update features loads of cool new emojis

Everything you need to know about the new iOS 14.5 update

Flat yellow emoji collection
(Image credit: Getty Images / Iefym Turkin)
Naomi Jamieson
By Naomi Jamieson
published

Emojis have become an important part of functioning life—can you even remember a time before the yellow smiley face? Honestly, what would dating apps be without them? They've become such a normal piece of our social media and messaging practice that Apple is working tirelessly to provide everything you could need, and more. 

The Unicode Consortium is the organization that governs emojis, but Apple is always offering up suggestions for new ones. Most recently, Unicode added accessibility emoticons including an ear with a hearing aid, a guide dog, and a prosthetic leg and arm, thanks to Apple's input. The tech giant worked closely with organizations including the American National Association of the Deaf, the American Council of the Blind and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation to ensure the emojis were as correct and inclusive as they could be.

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The new iOS 14.5 update includes some exciting additions: the new emojis will see a mended heart, a flaming heart, a sighing emoji and a person with a beard. Most excitingly, they've added new skin tones to the kissing couple emoticon and the couple with a heart.

Apple has also redesigned some old favorites. The syringe emoji has had a modern makeover, as have the headphones, and even the climbing emoji has had a revamp. The climbing character now sports a helmet, which is important for obvious safety reasons.

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The Memojis are getting a bump-up, too. Apple is working to make them more accurate, with a wider range of hair options, better representation and improved facial recognition features. In iOS 14, new hair styles and pieces were added, including fades, waves and durags.

The new-wave Memojis can also now blush, fist bump, give virtual hugs and can also wear a choice of two face masks—that’s Apple's way of telling you that if your Memoji can wear a mask, then so can you.

So be sure to update your Apple device ASAP, to get your hands on the latest exciting emoji and Memoji upgrades. Happy texting!

Naomi Jamieson
Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Women's Lifestyle team, where she covers everything from entertainment to fashion and beauty, as well as TikTok trends for Woman&Home, after previously writing for My Imperfect Life and GoodTo. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but lept into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing and earned her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ.


Before working for Future Publishing’s Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn’t writing articles on celebs, fashion trends, or the newest shows on Netflix, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.

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