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It’s tedious having to always update your phone, but it may be worth it thanks to a nod to Baltimore in the form of a new emoji — a black bird that could work as a raven.
The icon was one of 21 emojis the iOS 16.4 update introduced this week. As if people needed more emoji options to use instead of their words.
The black bird option started making the rounds on Twitter, naturally, and people are calling it a raven. It could pass for one, depending on how you look at it.
If you know, you know. But if you don’t, the raven is pretty symbolic in Baltimore. It’s the title of the famous poem written by the king of melancholy, Edgar Allan Poe. Though born in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe lived and eventually died in Baltimore quite mysteriously. It’s also the name of Baltimore’s National Football League team (because of Poe’s poem) and the brand certainly leans into the idea that fans “flock” to the games.
The two mascots for the team are ravens named Edgar and Allan.
The update also includes bug fixes and other enhancements like voice isolation for calls, with features depending on region and Apple devices. With the additional emojis, there are more than 3,600 available, according to USA Today. Along with animals, like a donkey and moose, there are also new hand gestures and other random objects.
But, back to the bird. Usually, emojis look different depending on where you’re using them, but so far, the black bird looks the same on a reporter’s iPhone when posted on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter — but that could change. And before anyone starts giddily sending the new black bird emoji around, they should know that if someone receives it and hasn’t updated their phone, it shows up as a grayish bird head with a black box next to it.
Initially, the bird might look like a black pigeon, to me. On Android phones, the bird looks like it wants to be an oriole, another connection, this time to baseball, because of the hint of orange. It also resembles an Angry Birds character that didn’t make the cut. Android’s version also seems a lot smaller like a baby bird.
Either way, Baltimoreans might now have a chance to show their pride and flood group chats and social media come football season or Poe Day. That is, if a majority of folks even consider the new black bird emoji to be a raven.
Let’s see if this is something worth celebrating or if it’s for the birds. Only time will tell.
jasmine.vaughn@thebaltimorebanner.com
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Jasmine Vaughn-Hall is a neighborhood and community reporter at the Baltimore Banner, covering the people, challenges, and solutions within West Baltimore. Have a tip about something happening in your community? Taco recommendations? Call or text Jasmine at 443-608-8983.
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