July 18, 2025, 11:29 am | Read time: 3 minutes
With the upcoming Unicode 17.0 version, the Unicode Consortium is announcing several new emojis–including quirky additions like a Bigfoot-like creature, a trombone, and an apple core. The symbols are set to be released in the fall, with integration into iOS and Android to follow later.
Unicode used World Emoji Day, which takes place annually on July 17, to introduce the new designs. The list of announced emojis includes a total of nine new symbols: trombone, treasure chest, distorted face, hairy creature, fight cloud, apple core, orca, and ballet dancer. The “hairy creature” emoji has drawn particular attention as it clearly references the North American Bigfoot. However, due to Unicode’s global usage, regional names have been avoided. Depending on the culture, the figure can also be interpreted as a Yeti or Almas.
New Emojis Likely Available in Spring 2026
Although the release of Unicode 17.0 is planned for September 9, 2025, it is expected to take until spring 2026 for the new emojis to be available on iOS and Android. Manufacturers like Apple, Google, and Microsoft typically integrate the new characters with major software updates. Until then, users will have to rely on alternative emoji tools such as Genmoji or Emoji Kitchen.
The inclusion of Bigfoot–albeit under a different name–illustrates how emojis increasingly convey cultural symbols. They serve not only for visual communication but also reflect societal trends. Over time, emojis have become more inclusive, featuring a variety of national flags, including the Sark flag introduced with Unicode 16.0, and expressing emotions. Consider the face with bags under the eyes, which is also part of Unicode 16.0.
The Unicode Consortium continuously develops the emoji catalog, regularly adding new figures, often in response to suggestions from users worldwide.
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Changes to Bigfoot Emoji Still Possible
Unicode 17.0 is currently still in draft form. It is therefore possible that some emoji proposals may be removed or additional ones added. Moreover, the visual representations of emojis will vary by platform, as companies follow their own design styles. Those wishing to submit their own proposals can continue to do so with the consortium.
The nine new designs were selected from a range of such proposals. The Emoji Standard & Research Working Group–formerly known as the Emoji Subcommittee–introduced a total of 164 new emojis earlier this month.
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In addition to these new symbols, the working group has proposed 150 additional emojis in the form of new skin tone variants for existing designs. Specifically, this concerns the “people with bunny ears” and “people wrestling” emojis. Although Unicode had not previously recommended official skin tone support for these designs, some variants have already been implemented by manufacturers. The new ballet dancer emoji is expected to support all five skin tones, but no gender-specific variants are planned.