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New Android Emoji Release Confirmed

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When it comes to typing on our mobile devices everyone seems to love using emoji, especially on the iPhone. Earlier this week Apple debuted iOS 9.1 with over 150 new emoji for iPhone owners, but it looks like Android users will soon be able to enjoy the same treat.

This week iOS received a huge update and millions of iPhone users were happy to learn that they now have over 150 additional emoji characters on the default keyboard. Allowing fun and creative messages like never before, including the middle finger. Sadly, Android users are unable to see most of them, and messages come through as a blank space, or a bunch of boxes. That’s about to change.

Read: How to Use Emoji on Galaxy S6

After Apple’s release this week there has been an uproar of complaints from Android users complaining about the lack of emoji options, especially now that Apple users have more than ever. As a result, one of Google’s own has just confirmed some good news for Android users. Read on for all the details.

Galaxy-S6-Edge-Emoji-Keyboard

Android emoji are nothing new, and there are a vast array of 3rd party keyboards on the Google Play Store that add even more. Even the popular text message app Textra allows users to select from Android emoji, or iOS, for those who’d like to be able to enjoy all those funny emoji symbols that they otherwise couldn’t.

For the most part, emoji aren’t all that fun on Android, and most end up adding an expansion app from the Play Store to get access to everything available on the iPhone. However, in the very near future that won’t be a problem.

Late last night Google’s senior VP of Android, Hiroshi Lockheimer, posted to Twitter confirming that the Android emoji game is about to get a lot more exciting, and that the company is “on it”. Sadly, that’s about all we know. He didn’t say what, or when, or how many, but that more are coming.

Following the release of iOS 9.1 there have been countless complaints from Android users, and Google heard the cries. His tweet confirms that they’ve received all the feedback and appreciate the response from users, that they’re “on it”, and ends by saying sorry.

So what does this mean exactly? Well, more emoji are coming to Android in some way or another, and soon, but we don’t know when or how. Google recently released Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and a small patch just for emoji isn’t likely. That said, this needs to be a software-side update, not just through the Google Play Store.

More details will likely be announced soon, but it isn’t as easy as updating the Google Keyboard on the Play Store. This is a font change in the operating system, in order for it to be an Android-wide experience. With all the attention the iPhone emoji update has been getting lately, Google should be on this rather quick.

Read: How to Disable the Middle Finger Emoji on iPhone

Not all emoji are good, and as you can see above Apple users have been complaining about the offensive middle finger on iOS, and as a result we’ve had to share a guide explaining how to disable it. So it’s not all rainbows and smiley faces.

Google’s Lockheimer further responded again to Twitter after that announcement, filling a post with emoji to tease Android users. For now though, we’re still stuck with what we have, other options on the Play Store, and will have to wait for Google to make another announcement, update or release to add more. Stay tuned for more details.

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