A bloodless syringe, a heart on fire and a bearded woman are among the suite of new emojis that will be released with the next operating system update for iPhone.
A total of 217 emojis – a mixture of new creations and modifications – will come as part of iOS 14.5, which is expected to arrive within the next month.
The vast majority – a whopping 200 out of the full set – focus on allowing couples to more freely represent themselves by changing skin tones. The update might have just missed Valentine's Day, but now people in relationships can represent themselves as much more than just a pair of yellow faces across the set of loved-up emojis available on phones.
There are only three new smiley faces: exhaling face, face with spiral eyes and face in clouds.
They look like this:
Two additions to the wide range of heart emojis will also be available: one on fire and another called Mending Heart that's been bandaged up.
It is also now possible to specify a gender for a bearded person, and the blood has been removed from the syringe emoji, making it "more versatile when used to describe Covid-19 vaccination", writes Jeremy Burge, Emojipedia's chief emoji officer, in a blog post.
The headphone emoji, which once looked like AirPods, is also now a more generic over-ear device.
New emoji release date
The Unicode Consortium announced the 217 new designs for Emoji 13.1 in September.
For the past few years, new emojis and updates were approved in January to March, with them being released around October to November. Now, however, as they were approved later, it means they have to wait 13 months to release the characters ("too long") or one month ("too short, not enough time to prepare and test"), so a new release date in spring has been chosen.
Until then, designs are subject to change.
The effort to offer a wider range of skin tones comes after a 2019 study in the journal First Monday found that the Unicode Consortium emojis continue to centre on whiteness.
Lead author Miriam E Sweeney, an assistant professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama, told radio station WBHM: "The base decisions remain central. For instance, several black users noted that the emojis now have a different skin colour, but they still retain these kind of European phenotypic features, so the same smooth hair and facial structures as before. So it's a case where the representation did shift and become broader. But at the centre, that base character remains the same. We didn't rethink that original image and representation."
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
