Image via Getty Images In the age of viral content and fast-paced social media trends, it only takes one tweet to send the internet into a frenzy. That’s exactly what happened when a satirical Twitter account known as Drop Pop posted a now-debunked claim that Apple’s upcoming iOS 18.5 update would include eight new emojis […]
In the age of viral content and fast-paced social media trends, it only takes one tweet to send the internet into a frenzy. That’s exactly what happened when a satirical Twitter account known as Drop Pop posted a now-debunked claim that Apple’s upcoming iOS 18.5 update would include eight new emojis based on global pop icons—Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Lana Del Rey, and Iggy Azalea.
The tweet caught fire instantly. Pop fans, especially Swifties, went wild with excitement, envisioning a world where texting included shorthand through mini digital divas. But the dream was short-lived.
The emoji designs that broke the internet for all the wrong reasons
The supposed emoji set, which looked more like a retro fan-made sticker pack than anything Apple-worthy, quickly raised eyebrows. Twitter users (now X) wasted no time pointing out everything wrong with the designs. One user joked, “Did they make these in 2014 and just find them in an email draft?” capturing the collective confusion over the outdated and bizarre visuals.
The Taylor Swift emoji, for instance, featured short hair and blue eyes—details not aligning with her current appearance. Lana Del Rey’s version had a bob cut that baffled fans, while Ariana Grande’s emoji raised the biggest concerns with noticeably darker skin tones. “Ari hasn’t been Black since 2019,” one fan quipped, while another added, “This is like 14 skin shades ago.”
Even Rihanna, known for her bold looks, was unrecognizable. A user asked, “Who is the blonde above Ariana?” mistaking her completely. Iggy Azalea’s emoji was confused for Christina Aguilera. It was chaos in the comments section, to say the least.
The reality check: these celebrity emojis were never real
Despite the viral traction, Drop Pop is a self-described “satirical pop culture news outlet,” and its bio clearly states, “nothing on this account represents factual news.” The parody tweet wasn’t meant to be taken seriously, though that didn’t stop fans from dreaming of a “Beyoncé, pink, dance” text shorthand.
What many overlook is that the Unicode Consortium, the official body governing emoji standards, does not approve emojis based on living people. So, a Taylor Swift emoji on your iPhone keyboard was never even a remote possibility.
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Apple’s actual iOS 18.4 update did include a few new emojis—but don’t expect a digital Beyoncé to join the lineup anytime soon. It turns out, the only thing real in this emoji saga was the internet’s ability to turn fiction into full-blown frenzy.
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