New emoji for iOS and Android include a high five and shaking face

It’s World Emoji Day on Sunday, so that means we’re getting a preview of the emoji that will eventually come to iOS and Android. While designs will vary per platform, Emojipedia has a draft list and sample images for Emoji 15.0. The Unicode Consortium only has 31 draft emoji this year that will likely be rolled out in 2022 and 2023. While the draft emoji can change between now and finalization in September, most (if not all) will make it through. Contenders include a shaking face and much-needed high five and wireless emojis.

The shaking face emoji will be primarily used for shock reactions, or it could become the official earthquake emoji thanks to its vibration-like attributes. While people often use the Folded Hands emoji as a high five, this year we’re getting an official one. Rightwards and Leftwards Pushing Hand will both act as a way to refuse something, or a high five when used together. The perfect reaction if your boss asks you to do something, and then you can innocently claim you’re just high fiving like a true professional.

We’re also finally getting a wireless emoji. Surprisingly, there isn’t a Wi-Fi emoji right now, so everyone had to use the Antenna Bars emoji which is designed to mimic a mobile signal. The Wireless emoji will save all Wi-Fi lovers. If you’ve been waiting on a pink heart emoji, that looks set to arrive later this year, too.

Image: Emojipedia

It wouldn’t be an emoji update without some new animals and plants. Emoji 15 includes new mammals, birds, and even a jellyfish emoji that nobody wants to find on a beach. This year we’re getting a moose face, donkey, black bird, goose, and a wing. Hyacinth, ginger, and pea pods are also on the way.

Latin music fans will be pleased to hear that the maracas should appear as emoji in iOS and Android later this year. And if you were forced to play a recorder or flute at a young age, a flute emoji is arriving to relive those childhood memories.

In total there are 31 recommended emojis for Emoji 15, which is significantly less than the 112 recommendations last year and the 334 in 2020. “In fact, it is the smallest number of new emojis that Unicode has ever recommended at any one time,” says Emojipedia.

This list won’t be finalized by the Unicode Consortium until September, but most draft candidates are usually accepted. The Verge’s own Jay Peters has previously contributed proposals for the saluting face, bubbles, yawning face, and waffle emoji. You can read about the journey of making emoji right here.