Apple to unveil 217 new emojis, including gender neutral faces

Apple's new update will include more inclusive emojis

Apple's upcoming iOS update is set to include 217 new emojis, as well as new variations on existing emojis. The iOS 14.5 update is expected to land in a few weeks with a flaming heart, a mended heart and new skin tones for couple emojis. Apple have also created new emojis more inclusive to the trans community, creating a new bearded emoji with a long haired option. Before your backwards thinking uncle gets riled up about this supposedly PC-gone-mad-ness, consider that basically 99 per cent of emojis have always been gender neutral. Mad, init? Some existing emojis have also been redesigned. These include the syringe emoji, the headphone emoji, and the climbing emoji, which now includes a helmet - a minimal, inconsequential change though reminiscent of the death of the gun emoji, which was replaced by a water pistol. RIP gunny. The syringe emoji has been altered to remove the blood at a time when Covid-19 jabs are being administered across much of the western world. Why? It's not entirely clear. But again, it doesn't really matter. The creators of the iPhone also worked with charities ahead of this update, with the American Council of the Blind, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, and the National Association of the Deaf all consulted to ensure their new emojis would be appropriately representative.