User level: Level 1 (4 points)While searching for a prayer emoji as my aunt is very ill, searched for rosary too. Only prayer beads emoji, which is puzzling that they are not diverse and excludes many other religions. Thought there was one years ago. Would love to know why there isn’t diversity and inclusion.
[Edited by Moderator]
Original Title: Diversity of emojis???
Posted on Sep 21, 2026 2:18 PM
User level: Level 10 (105,996 points)Sep 21, 2026 2:28 PM in response to let203
Apple does not provide any of the Emojis you see. Those are maintained by the Unicode Consortium where you can request new emojis there.
https://unicode.org/emoji/proposals.html
The reason why that is the case is so the emojis are compatible across all device platforms. If they were not maintained by a third party, then each manufacturer could have their own emojis where you could send one on your device and it could appear as something completely different on another. The device manufacturers simply adopt the latest approved emoji set from the Unicode Consortium.
Emojis are not actually pictures that are sent from one device to another, they are just a unicode, like any character on the keyboard, and when the device receives that code it knows how to display that character/emoji.
Newer Apple devices are capable of using a feature called Genmoji, which lets you create a picture of your choice and it is used similarly to an emoji. A Genmoji is actually a picture though, so it does not suffer from the same compatibility restrictions of using an Emoji.
User level: Level 10 (169,253 points)Sep 21, 2026 2:51 PM in response to let203
The Unicode emoji committee establishes the emojis, and the related names.
Here is the entry for “beads” among the thousands of Emojis.
https://www.unicode.org/emoji/charts/emoji-list.html#1f4ff
One of the considerations for emojis is whether any particular new Emoji submission is “Already representable: Can the concept be represented by another emoji or sequence, even if the image is not exactly the same?”
Why? There are estimates of more than four thousand religions, and most of which will have their own views about and names for their own preferred selections of symbols and icons. And because all of these Emojis and their myriad variations all have to fit into everybody’s computers, phones, tablets, all of it.
Use “beads”, and then ask the Emoji committee to add your preferred name for the “beads” icon.
User level: Level 9 (73,779 points)Sep 22, 2026 8:02 AM in response to let203
To note, Rosary has already been submitted and declined by the Unicode Consortium.
Creating your own Genmoji of a rosary, or simply looking up a rosary image to place in your emails or text messages would be your next best option.
User level: Level 1 (4 points)Sep 21, 2026 5:15 PM in response to MrHoffman
Actually, am well aware of the number of religions that fall under the main five or so. However, the beads lean in on Eastern Religions. Unicode Emoji Consortium is helpful. Thanks.
User level: Level 1 (4 points)Sep 22, 2026 8:08 AM in response to Kurt Lang
Very enlightening about the “consortium”. I appreciate your response as it’s informative and factual. Thanks.
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256362226