Plenty of GIF and emoji fun with Android's latest update
Google's latest Android update has arrived and it comes with a new set of emoji.
The company is now starting to roll out the Android 7.1 update, which includes its new gender-diverse emoji. It also includes new home screen shortcuts for apps and support for GIF keyboards.
The new emoji include 11 new characters portraying professional women -- as doctors, welders, scientists, chefs, coders and more -- as well as the dozens of new male and female versions of existing emoji. All of the new characters are available in different skin tones.
The Android 7.1 update also adds new home screen shortcuts for apps. Similar to Apple's 3D Touch, the feature allows developers to create shortcuts to certain parts of their app when you long press on an app's icon.
Elsewhere, Google added support for GIF keyboards to make it easier to share animated GIFs in messaging apps like Hangouts.
As with other Android releases, Nexus and Pixel devices will be among the first to get the update, which is rolling out "over the next several weeks," according to the company. Google didn't say when devices from other Android manufacturers, like Samsung and LG, would get the update but it will likely be a little longer.
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
