The new water pistol emoji and the old gun emoji by Apple. Photograph: Apple.

Apple has replaced its hand gun emoji with a water pistol – reflecting growing despair in America and worldwide over gun crime.

The change comes in the wake of continuing gun violence in the US, including the killing of two black men by police and the resulting spate of deadly attacks against officers.

The new green and orange emoji, with white plastic trigger, looks distinctly like a harmless toy and will replace the black and silver revolver.

The change, which comes into effect from September, was announced as Apple released 100 new emoji, including a rainbow flag, female athletes, police officers and construction workers and single-parent families.

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Apple has previously pushed back against violent emojis. Earlier this year Apple and Microsoft successfully argued against the addition of a rifle emoji.

Via The Guardian. A longer, more thoughtful look at this change is on Upworthy.

I don’t use emoticons, I find them annoying, but I’m in favour of this change, and I wish all the weapon emoticons would also be disappeared.