Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is bringing support for Unicode 15.
- Support for Unicode 15 is available in the Android 13 QPR2 beta 2 update.
- The stable version of QPR2 is scheduled to come in March.
Google is rolling out its Android 13 QPR2 beta 2 update today. Along with the update will come support for Unicode 15, which will bring 2o new emoji to Pixel devices.
Emojipedia announced Unicode 15 — a consistent encoding, representation, and handling of text — back in September 2022. The latest version of the Unicode Standard contains a new batch of emojis that include things like a shaking face, a jellyfish, a donkey, and more. Shortly after the announcement, Google made its own announcement that it would bring support for Unicode 15 to its products early next year.
According to 9To5Google, the stable version of Android 13 QPR2 will roll out to Pixel phones in March with support for Unicode 15. However, the second beta for QPR2 is available starting today. Those who install the beta will have access to 20 new emojis.
In Emojipedia’s announcement, it mentions 31 new emojis, but that includes skin tone variants of the rightward and leftward pushing hand emoji.
Before you start using these emojis, there is something you need to know first. These emojis haven’t made their way to most Android devices officially yet. So while you’ll be able to send them to friends, only your friends who are running the QPR2 beta 2 will be able to see them.
If you’re a Samsung owner, however, you likely already have access to the emojis in this update as Samsung jumped ahead to include the standard in its Android 13-flavored One UI 5 update. However, that move made up for the company previously ignoring Unicode 14 back in 2021.
