Apple’s iOS 10 update features gender-sensitive emojis

The new iOS 10 update for iPhone and iPad reflects Apple's gender-sensitivity as it features female athletes and professionals and a new rainbow flag among its new emoji offerings. According to Apple, the addition of new emojis on iOS 10 is meant to reflect the diversity of people across the globe.

“Apple is working closely with the Unicode Consortium to ensure that popular emoji characters reflect the diversity of people everywhere,” Apple said in a statement.

Among the new emojis are female runner, cyclist, swimmer, surfer, weight-lifter, basketball player, investigator, engineer and mother. There is also a rainbow flag, which symbolises the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

There are new emojis featuring a motherless family of three and a fatherless family of two.

“This exciting update brings more gender options to existing characters, including new female athletes and professionals, adds beautiful redesigns of popular emoji, a new rainbow flag and more family options,” Apple added.

According to the Unicode Consortium, which makes the final decisions about the global emoji roster, there are 72 new emojis that were released under Unicode 9.0 in June. Nearly two dozen of the emojis also made their debut.

Notably, the old pistol emoji has been altered with a green water pistol on the iOS 10 update, apparently to convey Apple’s opposition to gun-related violence.

1 billionth iPhone

Apple earlier reported a dismal profit increase for the 3rd quarter ending June 30. However, CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple has sold its 1 billionth iPhone on July 27.

"Last week we passed another major milestone when we sold the billionth iPhone. We never set out to make the most, but we’ve always set out to make the best products that make a difference. Thank you to everyone at Apple for helping change the world every day,” he said in an employee meeting in Cupertino, California.

"iPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history. It's become more than a constant companion. iPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and e (nables much of what we do throughout the day," Cook added.

iOS 10 has been offered to programmers for beta testing. It will be likely released to the general public this fall.