WATCH ABOVE: In response to a public outcry over a lack of racial choices, users will be able to choose from six different skin tones for people related images. Vladimir Duthiers reports.
TORONTO – Apple has responded to calls to make its emoji more racially diverse – and now, thanks to OS X developers, users have a sneak peak at the new characters.
The new emoji will have six different options for hair and skin tone. These iterations will be available on characters, such as the princess and hand raising emoji, and on the symbols, such as the high five and thumbs up.
It appears that the emoji will be displayed in a yellow “cartoon” colour by default and users will be able to choose the iteration of the character by tapping and holding to reveal a drop-down menu with skin tone choices.
Right now, only Apple developers with access to the beta version of the OS are able to access the new emoji. According to reports, Apple will roll out the new emoji keyboard with its next version of iOS and OS X.
The current emoji keyboard only shows “human” characters with Caucasian skin tones. The only emoji with dark skin is wearing what appears to be a religious headdress – something many users found offensive.
Calls for more diverse emoji have been growing since last year. Celebrities, including Miley Cyrus, tweeted about the issue using the hashtag #emojiethnicityupdate.
Apple acknowledged the need for more diverse emoji in March of last year; however, the tech company wasn’t responsible for the final say in changes made to the text characters. Unicode Consortium, the non-profit organization that sets the standards for these pictograms, had to approve any changes before they were made by tech companies.
In November, the Unicode Consortium said it was looking at adding five new skin colours to the emoji keyboard.
According to reports, the Unicode Consortium used the Fitzpatrick scale – a numerical classification system for human skin tones, developed by a Harvard dermatologist – to come up with the additional skin tones.
The new emoji keyboard will also include 30 new country flag options – including a Canadian flag – after many complaints from Canadian users.
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