Emoji update brings ‘more diversity to the keyboard’
Photo credit: Apple.
19 July 2019 at 5:24 pm
Apple has unveiled several new disability-themed emojis as part of a plan to help fill “a significant gap in the emoji keyboard”.
The tech giant previewed the designs – which will be made available later this year – to mark World Emoji Day on 17 July.
The new emojis include a guide dog, an ear with a hearing aid, a prosthetic arm and leg, and wheelchairs.
In a statement, Apple said the update made good on the company’s pledge last year to introduce more disability-themed emoji.
“To celebrate World Emoji Day, Apple is previewing a selection of new emoji… that bring even more diversity to the keyboard,” the company said.
“Celebrating diversity in all its many forms is integral to Apple’s values and these new options help fill a significant gap in the emoji keyboard.”
In a further push to increase diversity, Apple has also updated its holding hands emoji so users can select any combination of skin tone, as well as gender, to personalise the people holding hands.
Other new emojis include a smiley face for yawning, a one-piece swimsuit, new food including a waffle and a falafel, and new animals like the sloth, flamingo, and skunk.
In other emoji news, custom-made Indigenous emojis – developed by young people on Arrernte country – will soon be released to Australian mobile users.
