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Unicode announces 157 new emoji, including a lobster, pirate flag and loo roll

You’ll be able to send mangoes, swans and feet later this year.

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Leafy greens, a cupcake and a bagel join the emoji line-up (Emojipedia/PA)

The gatekeepers of emoji, the Unicode Consortium, have just published their new emoji list which includes a mosquito, softball and flat shoes.

The Emoji 11.0 update will add 157 new emoji you may not have realised you needed, including mini legs, feet, teeth and microbe images.

In the objects category, you’ll be able to send a compass, bricks, skateboard and a suitcase.

You’ll be able to send a variety of superheroes and super villains of different genders and skin tones.

Left to right: lobster, toilet roll and male super villain emojis
The lobster, toilet roll and superhero emojis should be on phones by September (Emojipedia/PA)

One particularly happy customer was Maine Senator Angus King, who had long advocated for a lobster, one of his state’s most famous exports, to join the emoji line-up.

He even wrote a letter to Unicode asking for it.

For traditional emoticon-esque face emoji, we’ll soon be able to send hot and cold smileys, a partying face, a pleading face, and something Unicode refers to as a “woozy face”.

For food lovers, there’ll be cupcake, mango, salt shaker and bagel emojis.

In the sports section, you’ll finally be able to send frisbees, a lacrosse stick and a softball.

Other miscellaneous new emoji are the abacus, thread spool, chess pawn and a nazar, or evil eye amulet.

Although the Unicode 11.0 release is scheduled for June, the Android and Apple variants probably won’t be on phones until August or September.

The Unicode Consortium is the independent standards body for the picture-based language, and accepts proposals for new emoji which are then approved by its emoji subcommittee.

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