New Emoji Coming in 2027: Comet, Meteor, and Cracked Face
Unicode is set to release nine new emoji in spring 2027, including a distinct comet and meteor, an eraser, and a cracked smiling face reflecting complex emotions.
Jennifer Daniel, the chair of the Unicode Consortium's emoji subcommittee, has offered a first look at nine emoji slated for release in spring 2027. While many will be familiar concepts, the update includes refinements and entirely new additions aimed at enhancing communication and clarity. A key change involves separating the celestial imagery of a comet and a meteor into distinct emoji, addressing previous design ambiguities.
The original comet emoji, introduced some time ago, underwent a design shift from a blue icy ball to a red-hot rock. This created confusion, as the visual representation no longer aligned with the intended meaning. To rectify this, Unicode is introducing a dedicated Meteor emoji. The fiery rock design will be re-homed to this new emoji, while the comet will retain its blue, icy appearance, representing a wish or a distant celestial body. The meteor, conversely, is positioned as a symbol for more dramatic or catastrophic events, suitable for signaling existential dread or times of significant upheaval, including representing the act of doomscrolling.
Beyond celestial bodies, the update also brings clarity to related items. Users can anticipate distinct emoji for cucumbers and pickles, as well as separate blue and orange butterflies. These distinctions aim to prevent misinterpretation and offer more nuanced visual language for everyday communication.
Reflecting Complex Emotions and New Concepts
Several entirely new emoji are also on the horizon. A Lighthouse emoji is being introduced to serve as a symbol of guidance or a beacon in darkness. An Eraser emoji will offer a visual cue for rectifying mistakes, setting boundaries, or wiping the slate clean, though it cannot undo past actions like a regretted late-night text message.
New hand gestures are also part of the release. The existing pointing finger emoji will be complemented by Leftwards and Rightwards Thumb Sign emoji, offering new ways to direct attention. Perhaps one of the most anticipated is the Cracked Smiling Face emoji. This new symbol is designed to convey the complex emotion where outward happiness masks inner turmoil, representing the failure of a carefully maintained public persona. It signifies the tension between one's public presentation and private reality, useful for moments when someone is smiling through significant distress.
Additionally, a Net emoji is being added, symbolizing the act of catching, pulling, or harvesting something, whether it's data from the digital ether, a general "vibe," or any form of collection. These additions underscore Unicode's ongoing effort to expand the emoji lexicon to better reflect the complexities of modern communication and human experience. The full set of new emoji is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2027, following their standardization.