Apple wants to introduce new emojis to represent disabled people.
Included in the list of new emojis are a guide dog, a wheelchair, a hearing aid and prosthetic limbs.
Speaking on the proposal Apple said that very few current emojis “speak to the life experiences of those with disabilities”, they then added that “adding emoji emblematic to users’ life experiences helps foster a diverse culture that is inclusive of disability.”
? ? New: Apple has submitted a proposal to Unicode for accessibility emojis including people in wheelchairs, service dogs, and prosthetic limbs. If approved, they’ll be on phones next year https://t.co/ic87QRkDpj pic.twitter.com/d7NISQR0me
— Emojipedia ? (@Emojipedia) March 23, 2018
Apple’s submitted its proposal to the Unicode Consortium, the organisation which reviews requests for new emoji characters, Apple wishes to receive 13 new emojis which cover a wide spectrum of disabilities.
In the tech giants submission they wrote:
“Currently, emoji provide a wide range of options, but may not represent the experiences of those with disabilities.”
“Diversifying the options available helps fill a significant gap and provides a more inclusive experience for all.”
Continuing they said:
“This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all possible depictions of disabilities, but to provide an initial starting point for greater representation for diversity within the emoji universe.”
No expected arrival date has been announced for “if and when” these emojis get the green light, but we do look forward to their addition.
