Apple unveils new emojis including vaccine syringe and gender neutral faces
17 February 2021, 12:05
Apple's latest update for iPhones has brought a raft of new emojis including a vaccine syringe, gender neutral faces and a blazing heart.
The new emojis, which are part of the iOS 14.5 update that is due in a few weeks.
The syringe emoji, which used to be coloured red, has been adapted to be used for depicting vaccinations.
It is the second pandemic-inspired change Apple has made, as the company previously altered the icon of a person wearing a face mask to be smiling, in a bid to reflect the way their role has changed during the pandemic.
As well as this, three new smileys have been introduced - exhaling face, face with spiral eyes and face in clouds.
Two new hearts also feature in the update - one on fire and another with bandages around it.
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Other emojis changed include the headphones emoji, which has been adapted to look more like the over-ear headphones recently released by Apple.
This is a common trait of the company, with the laptop, mobile phone, and watch emojis previously changed to appear closer to its own products.
The vast majority of changes in the update are for couples, as 200 of the 217 new emojis have been designed for two people with mixed skin tones.
There is also the option to specify more gender neutral faces, including an update that allows for both women and men with beards.
