Apple has quietly updated its “Face with Medical Mask” emoji with friendlier eyes, eyebrows, and rosy cheeks. Before, it looked a little lethargic. Now, it’s almost happy? You can practically imagine a smile underneath.
As Emojipedia points out, the new emoji is literally Apple’s existing “Smiling Face” with a mask on top. Do you think the artist was imagining a frown under there? Probably not.
The change is just the latest way that emoji have evolved to express the anguish of 2020 — even as other emoji are getting delayed until 2021. It’s also the latest way that Korea appears to have a jump on the United States where masks are concerned, seeing how Samsung beat Apple to the idea of a happier mask back in March.
The full Emojipedia piece is a neat look at how a symbol like this can evolve. iOS 14.2 is due out sometime this fall.
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