Apple is adding a range of new emojis with a focus on inclusivity, plus some notable extras and timely updates. Of the 217 new icons included in the iOS 14.5 beta, 200 include couples with a mix of skin color, including same-sex parties, according to Emojipedia. There are also new gender options for the beard emoji, which means you can choose between a woman or man with facial hair.
Emojipedia
Other notable changes include a vaccine-friendly syringe with the blood removed. This is not the first time Apple has adapted an emoji: it previously swapped the pistol for a water pistol following a series of shooting incidents in the US in 2016.
Emojipedia
Elsewhere, Apple’s brand remains on point, as the generic over-the-ear headphone emoji has been replaced in black with its latest AirPod Max in white. The review is similar to the other emoji devices that match Apple’s range, including a Mac desktop and Macbook, an iPhone and an Apple Watch.
Emojipedia
For those who bring out new smileys, three new variants are offered, including an exhaled face, a face with spiral eyes and a hazy face in the clouds – all of which seem appropriate for our current illness. There are also some new hearts available from across the novel spectrum, including a burning heart and a connected heart.
Emojipedia
These updates are currently limited to developers, but will be accessible to everyone on iOS in the spring. The new emoji (version 13.1) was approved by the Unicode Consortium in September after a change in schedule and has been available to vendors ever since, and Apple is now choosing to integrate it.