Apple has that the latest iOS update will include a range of new emoji—including a group of gender-neutral characters.
“Hundreds of new emoji, including more emotive smiley faces, gender-neutral characters, clothing options, food types, animals, mythical creatures and more, are coming to iPhone and iPad with iOS 11.1,” Apple said in a statement.
The gender-neutral faces—which include a range of skin tones—depict non-binary people of all ages, including children, adults and seniors.
Source: Apple
A number of Twitter users have scoffed at the tech company’s inclusion of the new characters.
One person tweeted: “Gender neutral emoji’s, what’s happened to the world?”
Another exclaimed: "I didn't know emoji's had a gender... This whole gender thing is really getting ridiculous!”
Although the announcement has also been welcomed by a number of Apple users.
“The new blonde gender neutral emoji is me and I am so happy about it,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Apple has noted that the new emoji will “debut in next week’s developer and public beta previews of iOS 11.1, and will be available in upcoming software updates for iOS, macOS and watchOS.”
