[swasheck]

the data types were introduced with SQL Server 7 (1998) so i’m not sure it’s accurate to state that it’s considered as the new thing.

[SigmundA]

UTF-8 was introduced in SQL Server 2019:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/sql-server/what-s-new-...

[swasheck]

thanks. now i see the point that the poster was making.