While the highlight of the OS X 10.10.3 pre-release seed yesterday was the iPhoto replacement app simply called Photos, the beta version of the OS X software update also contains changes to how and which Emoji characters are presented.
First, the new Emoji picker found in the OS X 10.10.3 beta has been redesigned with a new window that allows you to scroll through each category of Emoji characters. The new design is similar to some third-party Emoji keyboards for iOS 8 including Emoji++ as sections no longer require choosing between various pages of characters.
Next, it appears Apple is preparing to include more diverse Emoji characters in the next OS X release as various place holders have been spotted on the beta’s current character picker.
We first heard about the effort among the members of the Unicode consortium to ship more diverse Emoji characters nearly a year ago in March. At the time, Apple explained that its Emoji keyboard was based on the standards set by the Unicode consortium and that it was working alongside the group to deliver more diverse characters for its users.
The implementation, which shows placeholders for multiple versions of the same Emoji character under a sub-menu, fits with the resolution described in detail by the Unicode consortium last fall. In that description, the group posted an early draft which involves 151 Emoji characters that display skin tones.
The resolution involves including multiple skin tones for each relevant Emoji character to include more ethnicities than the current implementation. Rather than presenting a single skin tone for each Emoji character, each Emoji that presents a skin tone will have its own sub-menu from which to choose.
In addition to presenting the expected sub-menus of various skin tones for the various Emoji characters, placeholders among the national flag section of the Emoji picker have been spotted. In total, 32 placeholders are present around the national flag section suggesting many more countries will be represented by the upcoming release.
Placeholders for 14 more Emoji characters are visible around the section representing people which could also reflect more diversity from the future update.
The free 10.10.3 update to OS X Yosemite is expected to be released to Mac users later this spring. Changes to the Emoji character set present on the Mac are also expected to make their way to iOS for iPhone and iPad users as well.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
If youre gonna fix the skin tone, you better fix the hair texture too. Cus if we’re going to make ethnically accurate cartoon faces for the PC police we damn sure can’t have free flowing locks of hair with cowlicks on the darker tones.
Why not? It works on The Sims.
The Sims series is so far ahead of its time with the ability to apply any skin tone to any face with any hair and have that character wear anything and behave in any way. That’s the kind of progressive, unassuming view we should all have in life…
Hopefully there will be a Hong Kong Flag, Hong Kong is not China. At least we have the new iPhone earlier.
…which is made in China
How is that relevant? It’s made in China for people anywhere in the world, doesn’t change the distinct cultural and political differences between mainland China and Hong Kong.
The notion of more “diverse” emoji is utterly absurd. Firstly, they’re symbolic, not photographic, and secondly, they were created for the exclusive use of the Japanese marketplace. Japan, for anyone who has never been there, is exclusively populated by people with light coloured skin, hence, emoji all look like Japanese people. What a shocker.
Umm no. Are we going to just pretend people from southern Japan, such as Okinawa, don’t exist? It’s sub-tropic/tropical weather out there so yeah, people predominantly have darker skin. At the same time, there are also Japanese people on “mainland” Honshu who are also darker skinned because of sun exposure and/or genetics.
Just because the celebrities are almost exclusively pale because of societal standards of beauty doesn’t mean the people actually aren’t darker.
You’re being pedantic. I’ve been to Okinawa, and yes, people have slightly darker skin. Emphasis on slightly.
The modifications talked about to emoji are not to reflect the skin colour of those from Okinawa, as you well know.
+1 for Mitch. Apple is a Global company with a culturally and ethnically diverse customers base. Some individuals from majority cultures and ethnicities are blind to the subtle trauma (akin to death by 1,000 cuts) inflicted on minorities by persistent representation of them as “not normal” or “the other.” Thank goodness that Apple is mindful of, and actively tries to avoid, this blind spot .. by going on the record, matching their deeds with their values and setting an example for other socially responsible businesses. @Inaba-kun: emoji stopped being a strictly Japanese cultural phenomena circa 1998. It is now a global, evolving symbol system and is being adapted accordingly. Our mindsets need to do the same.
lol this is such a useless joke
Cool.
Has anyone noticed that OS X is missing some emoji that are available on iOS?
Go to Messages on a Mac and look at the emojis. It’s missing the gun, needle, capsule, knife, and who knows what else.
Upon some digging, I found that they’re only missing in the Messages app. If you go to the character viewer, they are still there. I wonder if we’ll get them back with the new version of Unicode.
I found that you have to search for them in messages to find them
Apple folks didn’t have emoticons for many years until recently. Most of us have not gotten into the habit, whether good or bad, to use them. I never use them unless I’m at a forum someplace, never on a email.