Apple is replacing the pistol emoji with a squirt gun

pistol vs gun
Apple

Apple is replacing the pistol emoji with a squirt gun emoji, the company announced on Monday

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New emoji icons, including emoji that depict female athletes and professionals, will be included as part of a new beta version of iOS for iPhones and iPads.

But as part of the latest update, Apple actually removed an emoji. Apple has replaced the handgun emoji with a bright green icon that looks like a classic Super Soaker water pistol.  

This appears to be an Apple decision to change its icon — not a decision by Unicode, the body that writes the standards for computer characters, including emoji. 

Earlier this year, Apple started a discussion at a Unicode meeting to remove a proposed rifle emoji from a package of proposed icons meant to commemorate the Summer Olympics.

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Activist groups have put pressure on Apple to change its cartoonish gun emoji, given the level of gun violence in the United States. Microsoft's emoji font already interprets the gun emoji as a toy gun. 

Apple has previously introduced emoji of its own, without Unicode's help, in the past, including an eye emoji as part of an anti-bullying campaign. 

Here are some of the new emoji: 

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Here's what the gun emoji used to look like:

Gun Emoji
Apple

But starting with this fall's iPhone update, it will soon look like this:

Apple_Emoji_Water_Pistol
Apple
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Soon, every emoji on iPhone will have both a male and female gender option.

Apple_Emoji_Basketball
Apple

The update includes over 100 new emoji.

Apple_Emoji_Body_Builder
Apple
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You can change skin tone on all of these new emoji as well.

Apple_Emoji_Mountain_Biker
Apple

The new Unicode standard used by Apple will also include 11 new professional emoji — and a rainbow flag for Pride.

Apple_Emoji_Rainbow_Flag
Apple
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Apple also added emoji for single-parent families. Like Dad:

Apple_Emoji_Single_Family_Dad
Apple

... and Mom.

Apple_Emoji_Single_Family_Mom
Apple
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The female surfer is a new option.

Apple_Emoji_Surfer
Apple

And so is the swimmer.

Apple_Emoji_Swimmer
Apple
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If you want to try out these new emoji, you'll have to download the iOS 10 beta on your iPhone or iPad.

Apple_Emoji_Sleuth
Apple
Apple
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