Mark Zuckerberg announced that WhatsApp users can now respond to messages and group chats with a full selection of amusing emoticons and a skin tone selector within conversations as of this World Emoji Day.
In order to make conversations more lively and enjoyable, users were previously limited to using only six emojis to respond to messages and group chats.
Additionally, Meta has revealed usage patterns for some of our favorite emojis both in Pakistan and globally.
What’s New on WhatsApp Emoji Dock?
Emojis are quickly evolving into a universally understood visual language, according to trends. People of all generations, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, find it convenient to “speak” emojis when communicating with friends and family, coworkers, and strangers.
For this reason, Meta has been adding newer emojis to its emoji dock so that users can communicate with more nuance and variety.
Here are some of the most recent emojis that have started to appear in our conversations, and WhatsApp and Emojipedia have clarified what each one actually means to end user contention:
● 🧢 Blue Cap: We’re all probably going to get this one wrong. We had no idea how profound the significance of this unassuming headgear in a digital conversation would be.
● Melting Face: It is the current trendiest choice, but like the blue cap, it could also be misconstrued.
● 💀 Skull: The most misunderstanding surrounds this one. The skull, which is frequently used to symbolize death metaphorically, has taken on new significance for Gen Z in Pakistan and across the globe.
● ✍️ Taking Notes: To master the art of digital communication, each of us should be doing this right now.
Facebook Trends in Pakistan
Emojis are useful for keeping conversations on Facebook and Instagram informal, frank, and warm in addition to WhatsApp.
Meta trends reveal that Facebook users from all over the world used a variety of amusing emoticons, topped with a new set of emojis, each of which had a fun meaning and was easily usable, to express their emotions.
The Meta trends provide insight into our online personas, our likes and dislikes, and our communication styles in response to real-world events.
The same is true for Pakistanis, who have developed a new vocabulary of emojis, GIFs, and camera-based messaging that has made us more expressive than ever. This is due to our country’s growing reliance on visual forms of communication.
Each emoji’s associated semiotics is alive and well in our cultural environment, and they gain significance over time.
Like other parts of the world, in Pakistan too, some emojis clearly remained the top favorites for their ability to translate people’s emotions and situations people find themselves in or their age group and gender.
Amongst the newly released emojis on Facebook, (FACE_HOLDING_BACK_TEARS) remained the top favorite in Pakistan, followed by (FACE_WITH_PEEKING_EYE), SALUTING_FACE, (Heart_Hands), and (MELTING_FACE).
Pakistan’s young Gen Z users, aged between 18-24 years used the️ ❤️ (RED_HEART) the most, followed by😂 (FACE_WITH_TEARS_OF_JOY), (HEAVY_BLACK_HEART), 👍(Thumbs_up), and 🤣 (ROLLING_ON_THE_FLOOR_LAUGHING).
Millennials, aged 25-44 years old also preferred the ❤️ (RED_HEART) the most. (Thumbs_up) and FACE_WITH_TEARS_OF_JOY remained the second and third most favorites on their list.
Lastly, Gen-X and Baby Boomers, aged 45 and above were no different in their choice of visual communication. They also preferred the (RED_Heart), and 👍(Thumbs_up) apart from the 💕(TWO_Hearts) to convey their feelings.
Sports are one of the most popular sets of emojis on Facebook. In Pakistan, on Facebook 🏌️(Golfing), ⚽(Soccer Ball), and 🏹 (Bow and Arrow) topped the list of favorite sports emojis. While Soccer remained the most popular sports emoji globally, on Instagram 🏏 (Cricket) topped the list, followed by ⚽(Soccer) and 🏋️♂️(Weightlifting) in Pakistan.
Gen Z in Pakistan was found to be using the most diverse emoji set in their conversations like 🚑 (Ambulance), 🤡(Clown’s face), 💀 (Skull),🙃 (Upside Down face), and more to express themselves.
There are so many emojis on the Meta platform that it is hard to remember the meaning of each one of them. In such a case, Emojipedia can serve as the perfect guide to the universal visual language.
