Is the Seahorse Emoji a Mandela Effect? Exploring the Controversy Among iPhone Fans

Is there ever a seahorse emoji on the iPhone keyboard? This question has taken the internet by storm, sparked by a viral reel. It appears that many iPhone users cannot accurately recall the emoji, leading to discussions around the ‘Mandela effect.’

The conversation began when a content creator posed the question to Google’s Gemini AI in an Instagram reel. Gemini responded, stating, “No.” Following the video’s viral success, numerous individuals began asserting that a seahorse emoji had existed on iPhones at some point but had mysteriously disappeared.

This claim led to the proliferation of social media posts and the creation of elaborate conspiracy theories regarding the supposed removal of the seahorse emoji, despite the fact that it has never been available on iPhones. This situation prompted speculation about whether it constitutes a ‘Mandela effect.’

For those unfamiliar, the ‘Mandela effect’ refers to instances where a significant group of people collectively misremembers something. The term derives from Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, who many mistakenly believed died in prison after being incarcerated for 27 years.

A subreddit dedicated to discussing and documenting the ‘Mandela effect’ contains numerous user comments detailing similar occurrences. A review of this subreddit reveals that such collective misremembering is quite common, with users sharing instances like the alleged disappearance of the seahorse emoji.