A more inclusive range of pictograms are coming this Fall
Unicode – the consortium responsible for regulating emojis worldwide – approved this year’s batch of additions earlier this year, but each major vendor has its own stylistic interpretation of the emoji.
Apple isn’t updating its pool of emoji until iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 launch later this year, but to whet the appetite its released a preview of some of the more notable changes.
These include new options for adjusting the skin tone and gender of the people in the classic holding hands emoji, meaning there are now 75 different combinations of partners and, as such, a much higher chance for a couple to be able to find one that matches.
You’ll also see several completely new emoji representing various disabilities, including guide dog, hearing aid, wheelchair, and prosthetic leg.
In a statement, Apple 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.”
Beyond the inclusive stuff, the pool of animals and foods is getting bigger, with sloths, skunks, waffles, and garlic being added alongside a bunch of other items. There’s also a yawning face and a pinching hand to add to the classic yellow emoji set.
These new emoji will be available to all users alongside the launch of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 this September.