Apple won’t release its next batch of emoji until a future version of its mobile operating system drops in October or November, but iOS 13.1 did include some emoji tweaks!
The company pushed out iOS 13.1 and iPadOS 13 yesterday (September 24) and with it, introduced a number of design changes to its emoji, including more accurate representations of its octopus, squid, mosquito, and abacus emoji to bring them in line with other emoji designs.
According to Emojipedia, Apple changed the designs to 24 emoji, including some designs of animals to make them more anatomically accurate following complaints from users over the years.
The squid, for example, featured a siphon on its head, but the Monterey Bay Aquarium confirmed that the siphon should appear on the back of the squid instead.
Indeed, the siphon on a squid is designed to help it move, breathe, and even discharge waste, so it makes more sense to have the siphon on the rear of the squid than on its front.
As a result, Apple has changed the emoji, as well as the mosquito, adding a sixth leg to make it more realistic.
The abacus, on the other hand, was reportedly drawn inaccurately and so was recreated featuring vertically-placed beads rather than horizontal beads.
The octopus now has suckers on its front tentacles and the jigsaw piece has had its colors changed from blue to green.
The hearts for eyes emoji, one of the most popular, has been given a new look, as has the kissing face emoji, the cat with hearts for eyes emoji, and the cow, owl, mouse, hedgehog, Malaysian flag, and tumbler glass.
Apple will add more than 230 new emoji as part of Emoji 12.0 later in the year. Although they have already been previewed, they’re not expected to come until iOS 13.2 or iOS 13.3.
Are you pleased with these subtle changes? Let us know over on Twitter @AppleMagazine.
