When you scroll through Apple’s emoji, there are 12 different flags, 13 different hearts, 58 different smileys, and 63 different animals. There are even two homosexual couples.
When it comes to ethnic diversification, however, the choices are limited, so the tech giant has pledged to issue a new set of more diverse emoji.
“Our emoji characters are based on the Unicode standard, which is necessary for them to be displayed properly across many platforms. There needs to be more diversity in the emoji character set, and we have been working closely with the Unicode Consortium in an effort to update the standard,” Katie Cotton, the company’s vice president of worldwide corporate communications, told MTV.
As always, Apple is being secretive about the roll-out date. The decision comes after Miley Cyrus and several other celebrities, along with thousands of Internet users, called for more multicultural emojis on social media and in online petitions.
[MTV]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com