Apple iOS 10 will add new emoji - like a water gun instead of a pistol

Apple has announced a new feature in its upcoming iOS 10 software, and it could be considered politically correct.

The Cupertino, CA-based company on Monday revealed that more than 100 new and redesign emoji characters will be available this autumn, with the consumer release of iOS 10 to iPhone and iPad users. The update, which is currently being tested by both developers and the public before it officially rolls out, will add more gender options to existing emoji, including new female athletes and professionals, according to Apple.

But one of the most obvious emoji changes is the removal of the pistol emoji. Apple has instead replaced it with a green water gun and has promised to work closely with the Unicode Consortium, a nonprofit organisation that governs the Unicode Standard and determines which emoji are accepted, to "ensure that popular emoji characters reflect the diversity of people everywhere".

The pistol has long been a controversial emoji character. A French court even ruled that it could equal a death threat, sentencing a man to three months in prison for texting the emoji to his ex-girlfriend, according to The Telegraph. A group called New Yorkers Against Gun Violence also started a campaign last year to have Apple replace the pistol emoji, though Google, Facebook, and Twitter all use realistic pistol emoji too.

Apart from the toy gun, iOS 10 will introduce redesigns of the rainbow flag and more family emoji options.