Apple has released iOS 8.3, which allows iPhone users to select from over 300 emojis ranging from faces to hand gestures.
On Wednesday, April 8, tech giant Apple released software updates for iOS (8.3) and OS X (10.10.3), unveiling to both their mobile operating system and Mac users a diverse new set of emojis, a new Photos app for Macs, besides the customary list of enhanced stability and bug fixes.
According to E! News, one of the main new features of iOS 8.3 that managed to surprise more than just a few people was the enhanced emoji keyboard, which finally encompassed racially diverse characters.
Emoji users have pressed for a more racially-inclusive package for so long, which they apparently got with the new iOS 8.3 beta update. However, users who don't have the updated iOS will reportedly not see the new emojis accurately.
For example, when a user with the iOS 8.3 update sends a black nose to someone with the update, the receiving user sees a white nose along with a little alien box, which without a doubt is problematic and offensive, according to The Week.
The new emojis add an array of skin tones to the popular characters, faces and hands that puts Apple's pictographs of people together.
WSJ noted that there are nearly 300 new emojis in the updates. Comedians, as well as critics, have mourned over the shortage of black emoji cartoon characters. Currently there are over 20.
Here's how the skin color on any emoji on an iOS device can be changed.
Simply tap and hold the icon and a menu will pop up, allowing you to choose from six options (in OS X, you can pick your emoji by holding the Control, Command and Space keys). Once you choose a skin color for your emoji, both iOS and OS X will keep that as your default until you change it again.
Non-human pictographs, such as ghosts, food items, animals etc, don't get the ethnicity option.
In addition, the update includes bug fixes for both iOS and OS X Yosemite, besides enhanced Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Although it's reportedly unlikely that Apple means any harm by the racially diverse emojis, do you think this is a problem they could have avoided? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
