Apple proposes new emoji to represent people with disabilities

"Apple is requesting the addition of emoji to better represent individuals with disabilities," Apple wrote in a submission to Unicode Consortium, the company that creates emoji. "Currently, emoji provide a wide range of options, but may not represent the experiences of those with disabilities.Diversifying the options available helps fill a significant gap and provides a more inclusive experience for all."

Proposed emoji would include emoji for blind and low vision individuals, deaf, person with a white cane, those with limited physical abilities, a person with a manual wheelchair, a service dog with a vest, an ear with a hearing aid, a guide dog with a harness and more.

Apple said the new set of proposed emoji will provide a wider array of options to represent basic categories for people with disabilities.

"This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all possible depictions of disabilities, but to provide an initial starting point for greater representation for diversity within the emoji universe," Apple wrote in its proposal.