Unicode 9.0, the release that added 72 emoji, was published in 2016.
The Unicode Consortium released Unicode Standard version 9.0 on 21 June 2016. Alongside character additions and technical updates, the release introduced 72 new emoji. The set included popular additions such as ROFL, selfie, face palm, shrug, avocado and bacon.
The emoji count can cause confusion because Unicode version releases, emoji version releases and platform updates are related but not identical. A phone might receive a new emoji design months after Unicode defines the character, and different platforms may support the additions at different times.
Unicode 9.0 also expanded scripts and symbols beyond emoji. Its publication date therefore refers to the entire Unicode release, not simply the arrival of new pictures on a particular device. Later releases added larger emoji groups, making the 72-character figure specific to Unicode 9.0.