Unicode 12.0 added 230 new emoji in 2019, counting emoji characters and sequences.
The release included 59 distinct new emoji characters and 171 gender and skin-tone variants or other sequences. This is why the headline total is much larger than the number of brand-new base designs. The update added symbols such as White Heart, Guide Dog, Sloth, Flamingo, Waffle, and several accessibility-related emoji.
Unicode encodes the underlying characters and sequences, while individual technology companies draw the colorful images users see. As a result, an emoji can look different on Apple, Google, Microsoft, or Samsung devices while retaining the same Unicode identity.
The 230 figure therefore describes the standardized emoji repertoire introduced by the release, not one company’s artwork count.