For the first time, WhatsApp introduces its own emoji set!

WhatsApp has now released a new beta version for its Android users. The new emojis are available on beta version 2.2.17.363 for Android and look pretty similar to the emojis spotted on Apple’s iPhone.

Emojipedia reported that these new emojis are currently for WhatsApp’s beta program and might change before its public release.

Image: Emojipedia

Along with WhatsApp, parent company Facebook will is also replacing he messenger's emoticons to give the same look over both the apps. According to the blog, there is precedent for WhatsApp designing its own emojis. WhatsApp was first to implement the middle finger emoji when no vendor had Unicode 7 support, and briefly added an emoji for the Olympic Rings.

With this beta, WhatsApp is ahead of iOS native emoji support. Emoji support is included up to Emoji 5.0 which is the latest version approved by Unicode. In the past, WhatsApp would tend to include Apple's new emojis a few months after they hit iOS.