Although unmentioned in the official release notes accompanying last weekend’s release of iOS 11.2, Apple’s latest software update has actually altered designs for more than a dozen emojis on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
While no new emojis have been added or removed in this update, Emojipedia (the definite resource for all things emoji) notes, via The Loop’s Dave Mark, that the following seventeen emoji characters saw their appearances tweaked by iOS 11.2:
- Ant has been replaced with a cuter version with large eyes and a bulbous body
- Lady Beetle looks cuter
- Tumbler Glass has reverted to the old design
- Fork and Knife and Fork and Knife with Plate show a more elegant shape, with the fork now including four tines and a more reflective surface
- Spoon also gains a new design, appearing more like a silver spoon than a plastic spoon
- Globe Showing Europe-Africa, Globe Showing Americas and Globe Showing Asia-Australia all have more contrast between the sea and the land
- Hospital looks more realistic
- Camera and Camera with Flash show a different model of camera with a larger lens and optical viewfinder
- Inbox Tray and Outbox Tray are larger, fitting documents approximately twice as wide
- Dagger is prettier
- Crossed Swords looks nicer
- Gear keeps the same number of cogs, but gains additional rings in the center
Most notably, the Tumbler Glass emoji (often used for whisky) has reverted to the design used prior to October 2017. The other main theme in this update is metallic objects gaining a more reflective and higher contrast exterior.
“The redesign introduced in iOS 11.1 didn’t get much love from the general public, so it seems likely that Apple reverted this design based on user feedback,” writes Emojipedia.
The same emoji changes apply to tvOS 11.2, watchOS 4.2 and macOS 10.13.2, which are due soon. Keep in mind that these tweaked emoji may appear differently on other platforms.
How do you like the updated emoji designs in iOS 11.2?
Let us know in the comments!