Image copyright Apple/ Unicode

Some new emojis - including a wheelchair user, people with walking sticks and a hearing aid - have been revealed.

Apple and Android have provided a look at a selection of the new designs on World Emoji Day, ahead of a full release in the autumn.

The designs are meant to better represent disabled people.

An Apple spokesman said: "Celebrating diversity in all its many forms is integral to Apple's values.

"These new options help fill a significant gap in the emoji keyboard."

The new designs, which were first proposed last year, also include skin tone variations for the "holding hand" emoji, as well as animals like a flamingo and food including waffle and falafel icons.

They make up around 20 icons being announced now, with more coming in the autumn.

Image copyright Google Image caption Android emojis including a man with a probing cane, a service dog, and a deaf person signing

Proposals for the new emojis were accepted by the Unicode Consortium, who are in charge of approving new emoji characters.

When they were first announced Apple said it wanted to commission the new emojis to "speak to the life experiences of those with disabilities".

The tech giant has been keen to point out the new emojis do not represent all forms of disability, but should be seen as a starting point for better representation and diversity within the emoji world.

Image copyright Apple/Unicode Image caption Some of the new Apple emojis include animals and food

The new emojis ahead of the full list in autumn:

A guide dog

A man and woman walking with a cane

A man and woman signing that they are deaf

An ear with a hearing aid

A man and woman in both mechanical and manual wheelchairs

A service dog (a trained dog that helps those with hidden disabilities)

A prosthetic arm

A prosthetic leg

Skin tone variations for 'holding hands' emoji

Yawning face

Animals: Sloth, skunk, flamingo

Food: Garlic, waffle, falafel, butter, ice cube

Objects: Parachute, yo-yo, kite

Clothing: Safety vest, swimsuit

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