What the Tech: New emojis and their features

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does that mean for the many emojis many of us share in text messages? Emoji is the fastest-growing language in the world - and it just got larger.

Brand new emoji on iPhones and Android devices may provide just the right word you’re looking for.

At some time, you needed to text “hyacinth” but just didn’t have the time to type out all those letters. Now, there are new emojis for hyacinth, jellyfish, hair pick, and other words you’ll never use.

In the new iOS 16.4 available to iPhones there are nearly two dozen new emoji. Including, goose, moose, peapod, ginger, and donkey. There’s the shaking face emoji which can mean confusion, disbelief, dizziness, or being in an earthquake.

And new pushing hands in a variety of skin tones can be used for a high five, or to say, “talk to the hand, cause the face ain’t listening.” Like other emojis, these can be used with others to give an entirely new meaning.

You can also emphasize emoji characters by using the “send with flair” option. Tap out your text or emoji, hold down the send arrow, and you’ll have options to send it as animations such as ‘loud’ or “slam” or, send a text full screen, as a spotlight, confetti, or lasers.

And if you struggle to understand the meaning of emoji, type out your message and hold down the emoji icon on the keyboard. It’ll highlight words in the text for which there are emojis. You’ll find the new emoji when you update to iOS 16, or when they roll out to Android devices - which should happen later this year.

The new emojis were approved by a worldwide consortium of technology and sociology experts last year. There are now 3,664 total emojis.

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