Say Goodbye To Your Gun Emoji, Hello To Your Water Gun
CUPERTINO (CBS SF) -- Apple has killed the gun emoji on its new iOS 10 update and replaced it with a toy.
The latest operating system for iPhone and iPad users dropped Tuesday, with 70 new emoji icons. The old rifle emoji has disappeared, and the revolver has evolved into a harmless-looking, bright green squirt gun.
Gun control advocates applauded Apple's decision to dump the handgun emoji when the tech giant announced the changes in August.
The latest batch of iOS 10 emoji features athletes, cops, twins, even hard-hat workers with multiple skin tones and hair colors. It also includes a new LGBT rainbow flag and single-parent family options.
The water pistol emoji has gotten a lot of unpopular reviews from folks who used it on social media to express the urge to "shoot themselves in the head."
iOS 10 replaced the pistol emoji with a squirt gun. I will dearly miss sending this to people during meetings. ????????
— Kim Russell (@kimberrussell) September 13, 2016
One user even got sentimental, saying, "...I'd like to thank the pistol emoji for being there for me when I needed to express my anger. Goodbye, my sweet."
Before I download iOS 10 I'd like to thank the pistol emoji for being there for me when I needed to express my anger ???? Goodbye, my sweet. ????
— Bensay (@bnsynvj) September 13, 2016
Others expressed a mixture of opinions for and against the removal.
Dear #iOS10,
— NUFF (@nuffsaidny) September 13, 2016
Changing the gun emoji to a water gun emoji & giving emojis race/skin tone options isn't going to stop gun violence or racism.
I know why they replaced the gun emoji its bc little white kids get iPhones these days and we don't want to give them ideas. #iOS10
— inactive (@KingsftBTS) September 13, 2016
Lool Apple blocked the gun EMOJI because it's dangerous but the US won't ban the real thing????????????????
— KingBeyondTheWall⍟???????????????? (@cap10sMjolnir) September 13, 2016
#iOS10
So the gun emoji got banned 'cause it's a critic topic, but here's an idea: WHY DON'T YOU BAN REAL GUNS? #ios10 pic.twitter.com/IkRvGXKACL
— V (@itsvalftjb) September 13, 2016
Luckily Apple ended gun violence by removing the pistol emoji. Hopefully they'll end cancer by getting rid of the ???? emoji next #iOS10
— J.R. Puffinstuff (@JeruhmyuhRay) September 13, 2016
okay now lets see how much less terrorism we will have after we got rid of the gun emoji ???????????? #iOS10
— w✨ (@passionic_) September 13, 2016
CBSSF.com writer, producer Jan Mabry is also executive producer and host of The Bronze Report. She lives in Northern California. Follow her on Twitter @janmabr.