69 pointsby nateJun 13, 2026

8 Comments

ameliusJun 16, 2026
In case anyone is actually interested in the emoji:

https://emojipedia.org/apple

AissenJun 16, 2026
More specifically, it was this set: https://emojipedia.org/apple/iphone-os-2.2

Interesting tidbit:

> Emoji support required iPhone OS 2.2 and a SoftBank SIM card.

ameliusJun 16, 2026
To be honest, the images look like things I've seen a hundred times over in comic books and not much more original than GenAI.
throawayontheJun 16, 2026
is that not sorta the point? i don't get the genai reference
reaperducerJun 16, 2026
not much more original than GenAI.

What exactly do you think the "GenAI" trained on?

TazeTSchnitzelJun 16, 2026
These are very nostalgic. The way Apple's emoji look has subtly changed since then.
TepixJun 16, 2026
Are the emojis on Apple (macOS, iOS etc) vector graphics these days?
LoganDarkJun 16, 2026
They are not. They are perhaps higher resolution than they once were, but still raster:

https://logandark.net/files/328S6690-9Q368809-16843Q53-RR2SN...

NoSaltJun 16, 2026
Why does that site feel like I am reading typed text on paper?
reaperducerJun 16, 2026
Did you print it out?
NoSaltJun 16, 2026
LOL
CharlesWJun 16, 2026
It's a combination of the layout, the typeface (https://monokrom.no/fonts/satyr), and the thoughtful typography.
alnwlsnJun 16, 2026
Serif font?
holistioJun 16, 2026
There is still no walnut emoji. Blonde-haired, black-skinned pregnant man? Yes. Walnut? No.
wpmJun 16, 2026
Be the petty, small change you wish to see in the world: https://joypixels.com/blog/how-to-submit-an-emoji-to-unicode
JtariiJun 16, 2026
Gotta love websites that hijack basic browser functions, in this case forcing smooth scroll on.
embedding-shapeJun 16, 2026
Seems to be some sort of design agency or similar, it's basically internet-law at this point that those always fuck with the scroll movements of your browser, for some reason.
holistioJun 16, 2026
I will be. Thanks.

By the way, Walnut Creek is less than 100 miles from Cupertino.

I love walnuts.

j1000Jun 16, 2026
Also no thief emoji or pirate emoji. Can someone enlighten me why we don't have it?
dagmxJun 16, 2026
Simply because nobody has successfully pitched the Unicode group to add one.

Anyone can pitch new emoji, they just have to go through the fairly easy but strict formal process.

blanchedJun 16, 2026
Alex Schmidt, a humor writer (formerly of Cracked and others) did this process for the bison emoji. I enjoyed his “miniseries” about it: https://www.bisonemojipodcast.com/
baschJun 16, 2026
does the reverse notebooklm exist yet that turns podcasts into longform journalism?
blanchedJun 16, 2026
Not that I know of. And I generally prefer written pieces to podcasts :).

The show notes for episode 2 have good references (no fun commentary though): https://www.bisonemojipodcast.com/show-notes

wvbdmpJun 16, 2026
What’s next, a cowboy emoji? A ninja emoji? But seriously, as much as I like emojis, I kind of feel like they should stick to emotions. Maybe other intangible things. They’re hard to convey verbally (and succinctly), simple concrete nouns are good for a bit of fun and for UI icons, but really not very useful if we’re being honest. Unless you’re texting with a lizard, or my lazy elementary-school niece who shouldn’t really have a phone anyway…
holistioJun 16, 2026
Or you're texting with people whose native language uses a logographic system.
hbnJun 16, 2026
I was looking for a pirate emoji like 5 minutes ago. I'm sure it's not the first time but I'm super surprised that still isn't in there. Seems so obvious.
carrozoJun 16, 2026
still no Guillotine Emoji either, although not for a lack of trying.

https://www.carrozo.com/guillotine-emoji

hbnJun 16, 2026
I love the pregnant man emoji, I use it all the time after a big meal
afortyJun 16, 2026
So cool to get the background story on this. I remember adding the Japanese keyboard here in the US just so I could get access to emojis.
ollienJun 16, 2026
If the author is reading this, the hyperlink to the book in the first paragraph is broken. Looks like it's attempting to direct you to an absolute url that was meant to be relative.

    <a href="https://books/face-with-tears-of-joy">
9devJun 16, 2026
> We mapped almost 1:1 to SoftBank’s set, though Apple chose to omit a few of the more risqué ones.

Which are these risqué emojis mentioned here? I don't think I have ever seen any that are even slightly graphic, which is probably why all the emoji slang conventions have spread like fire (Aubergine, Peach, etc.)

stringfoodJun 16, 2026
long eggplant and a smaller Pinching Hand emoji were probably the first to go
pimlottcJun 16, 2026
That's a good question. Comparing the Softbank emoji from June 2008 [0] and the initial batch of Apple emoji that shipping in iPhone OS 2.2 (Nov 2008) [1], it doesn't look like there are any missing at all, it's a perfect 1:1 mapping.

0: https://emojipedia.org/softbank/2008

1: https://emojipedia.org/apple/iphone-os-2.2

edm0ndJun 16, 2026
Its kinda odd how a lot of the major tech companies have self censored emojis like they are some savior of the planet for doing so.

For example the gun emoji by turning it into a water pistol instead of a real looking firearm handgun lol.

WOW THEY SURE CAUSED COUNTLESS LIVES TO BE SAVED W THAT ONE SINGLE MOVE!

dwflanaganJun 16, 2026
I just finished Keith Houston's previous book _Empire of the Sum_, a history of calculators, I'll be reading this next.