By WILIAM HUNTER
Published: 09:01 EDT, 1 April 2025 | Updated: 09:01 EDT, 1 April 2025
From simple smiley faces and love hearts to high heels and rainbows, it seems like there is already an emoji for every possible situation.
Now, iPhone users have even more designs to use.
As part of Apple's iOS 18.4 update, iPhone users will have access to eight new emoji.
And there is one face that everyone is already saying will be their favourite.
The new emoji list includes some items that some iPhone users might find helpful including a harp, a shovel, a leafless tree, and a root vegetable.
Yet, this update also includes a few stranger choices, such as the purple 'splatter', a bright blue fingerprint, and the flag of Sark - a small Channel Island with a population of just 500.
However, it is the exhausted-looking 'face with bags under eyes' emoji that has Apple fans most excited.
On X, formerly Twitter, one excited iPhone user wrote: 'I've never related to an emoji so much in my life'.
Apple has unveiled the eight new emojis that are available on iPhone in iOS 18.4
Of the eight new emoji, the exhausted-looking 'face with bags under eyes' emoji has Apple fans most excited
Another commenter wrote: 'I'm still saying that this will be the most used emoji of the year.'
'Definitely this emoji is going to take off,' one Apple user chimed in.
While one added: 'The new iPhone 2025 emoji is accurate af'.
These have been selected from the September 2024 recommendations list created by the Unicode Consortium, the body responsible for deciding the standard set of emojis.
Tech giants such as Samsung, Apple and Meta apply stylised versions of the new emoji designs to their own operating systems.
And they are now available on iPhone to use as part of the iOS 18.4 update which was launched yesterday.
Keith Broni, editor-in-chief of Emojipedia, which is part of the Unicode Consortium, revealed the new Apple designs in a blog post.
Mr Broni writes: 'Today Apple has officially debuted eight new emoji designs within iOS 18.4, bringing the likes of a paint splatter, a harp, and a face with bags under its eyes to iPhones, iPads, and all other Apple devices across the world.'
Many Apple fans commented on how accurate the tired emoji was, saying that it captured how they felt
One commenter predicted that the tired emoji would be the 'most used emoji of the year'
What are the new emoji on iPhone?
Face with Bags Under Eyes
Fingerprint
Splatter
Root Vegetable
Leafless Tree
Harp
Shovel
cq Flag: Sark
The most surprising inclusion in this update is the new emoji for the flag of Sark.
The inclusion of Flag for Sark is a surprise because, as Unicode Consortium admits, it stopped the inclusion of any new flag emoji back in March 2022.
At the time, Emojipedia cited the 'transient nature' of many pride flags, and the 'challenges including some identities while excluding others'.
While Mr Broni says the policy 'remains in force' Sark was permitted a new emoji because it has its own official 'ISO' country code just like the island's geographical neighbours – Jersey and Guernsey – which have their own.
Yet that didn't stop many social media commenters expressing their surprise and confusion over the choice.
'Sark flag is crazy maybe a grand total of 3 people will ever use that', one commenter complained.
Another added: 'I’m obsessed with the Sark emoji - Why Sark'.
Social media users also welcomed the arrival of the harp emoji, particularly for its similarity to the Guinness logo.
The emoji for the flag of Sark was one of the most surprising editions, considering that Sark is a tiny Channel Island with a population of just 500
One commenter joked that the Sark flag emoji would be used by 'a grand total of 3 people'
Many iPhone fans celebrated the arrival of the harp emoji. This was mainly due to its similarity with the Guinness logo
One enthusiastic commenter wrote: 'Harp emoji is going to change my life (and my friends being aware of my Guinness consumption) forever.'
'Updating my iPhone for the first time in 3 years to get the little Guinness harp emoji,' one commenter wrote.
However, the most divisive emoji among iPhone users is the purple 'splatter', which was loved by some and loathed by others.
One confused Apple fan wrote: 'What makes them think we need a purple splat?!?'
'What the heck is the purple splat', asked another.
Another joked: 'Oh good what would I do without the purple blob'.
While one commenter added: 'They implemented the purple splat emoji oh my god I thought it was a joke'.
Yet the strange purple splat has garnered a few dedicated fans since its release.
Of all the new emoji, the purple splat has proven to be the most divisive with one commenter asking 'what makes them think we need a purple splat?!?'
Many commenters struggled to understand why the purple splat emoji had been added
One commenter sarcastically asked 'what would I do without the purple blob'
An excited commenter wrote: 'Splatter is goated'.
While one chipped in: 'I need the purple splat emoji so bad'.
If you want to try out these new emoji for yourself, you will need to update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS 18.
iOS 18.4 is compatible with all iPhones currently able to run iOS 18, which includes models from the iPhone X up to the latest iPhone 16 lineup.
To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone.
If you have automatic downloads enabled, the update will have been installed overnight provided your iPhone was charging and connected to Wi-Fi.
But, if that isn't the case, you should see a notification reading 'Software Update Available' from the Settings homepage.
Tapping this notification will bring you to the Software Update page, where you can see any new updates as they are released.
The purple splatter has gathered a few die-hard fans among iPhone users, with one user calling it 'goated' - standing for 'greatest of all time' (GOAT)
One iPhone user wrote that they 'need the purple splat emoji so bad'
If iOS 18.4 is available, simply select 'Install Now' to begin.
If the option reads 'Download and Install', tap it to download the update, enter your passcode, and then tap Install Now.
To find the Software Update page when there is no notification, select the tab marked 'General' and tap on 'Software Update'.
In addition to these new emoji the update includes a number of new features, including bringing the Genmoji option to European devices.
This allows iPhone users to automatically generate new emoji from simple word prompts using AI.
Other updates for Apple Intelligence, Apple's suite of AI features, include the rollout of priority notifications and some minor changes to Image Playground.
iPhone users will also be getting a new dedicated feature for playing ambient music from the Control Centre, in a similar manner to the Shazam music recognition feature.
The feature gives users access to four playlists titled Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
### THE TRILLION DOLLAR RISE OF APPLE
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1 1976 as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation's new Macintosh February 6, 1984 in California.
1981: Jobs became chairman.
1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.
1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
The then Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, with the iPhone
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad was unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones - the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner's face.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks at an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers.
2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all its bricks and mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus.
2021: In an online virtual event in April CEO Tim Cook declared Apple's goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year the iPhone 13 was announced.
2022: In September the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash as well as an improved camera system.
2023: Apple brought back its 'Home Pod' after the first generation was discontinued. The 'Home Pod' can be seen as an alternative to Amazon's Alexa or Google Home as it is powered by voice commands.
2024: Apple makes its first steps into artificial intelligence with the release of Apple Intelligence. The features are not all released at once with many delayed until the following year.