You might be able to flip emoji direction in 2018

Emojipedia says the ability to switch the direction of emoji has been a long-requested feature and might not affect all emoji, but only the ones that would “benefit from it most.” Consider the blog’s unfortunate sample graphic below, that uses the train, runner, and gun emoji.

Images: Apple / Emojipedia composite

“Emoji with glyphs that face to the right or left may face either direction, according to vendor preference. However, that can cause a definite change in meaning when exchanging text across platforms. The following ZWJ mechanism can be used to pick an explicit direction.”

Ignoring the abundance of cringe above, the ability to flip emoji could definitely lend itself to conveying more subtle or pointed emoji messages. The pair of eyes that currently looks to the left, for example, would be one of my top picks for this. The shade I could impart if I could pick the direction!

Final decisions about next year’s emoji list will be made at the Unicode Technical Meeting in January, and once published, should roll out on major platforms in the latter half of 2018.

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