PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Check Out the Sloth, Other Emoji Heading to iPhone, Android

Apple plans to release 59 new emoji as part of a free software update for iOS, Mac, and Apple Watch this fall. Google will launch 65 new characters with Android Q later this year.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

Heads up, emoji lovers: In honor of World Emoji Day, which takes place today, Apple and Google have offered a look at the new characters headed to their mobile platforms this year.

A sloth, head of garlic, flamingo, skunk, waffle, stick of butter, yawning face, falafel, orangutan, banjo, kite, one-piece swimsuit, and parachute are among the new additions coming to iOS and Android. More disability-themed emoji, which Apple proposed to the Unicode Consortium last year, are also on tap, including a new guide dog, an ear with a hearing aid, wheelchairs, a prosthetic arm, and a prosthetic leg.

Apple plans to release 59 new emoji designs, based on the approved characters in Unicode 12.0, as part of a free software update for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch this fall. Check them out below.

Apple new Emoji 2019

"In a major update to the Holding Hands emoji typically used to represent couples and relationships, users will now be able to select any combination of skin tone, in addition to gender, to personalize the people holding hands, opening up more than 75 possible combinations," Apple wrote in a news release.

Google, meanwhile, plans to launch 65 new emoji (pictured atop this article) as part of Android Q later this year. The update will also include 71 multi-skintoned couples, and the 53 gender-inclusive designs Google debuted in May.

"The emoji for 'police officer' is commonly shown as male and 'person getting haircut' is female, which can reinforce gender stereotypes," a Google spokesperson told PCMag in an email. "With this update, emoji with no gender specified will default to a gender ambiguous design on Android—but you can still choose between male and female presentations if want to opt into a gender."

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

Read full bio