SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 13 — Apple has announced hundreds of new and redesigned emojis for iOS 10.2.

The free software update is available from today.

The emojis themselves were approved by the Unicode Consortium in June.

Users can expect to see more diverse characters, new professions, expressions like face palm, shrug and fingers crossed, and new emoji representing sports, food, animals and more, which can be shared right from within Messages.

The art style of the emojis has been revised to appear "more bulbous” and lifelike.

Here are some of the new emojis, available in five different skin tone/hair colour combinations.

Female fire fighter. — Courtesy of Apple

Female scientist. — Courtesy of Apple

Hand with index and middle fingers crossed. — Courtesy of Apple

Rolling on the floor laughing. — Courtesy of Apple

There’s also new food like the all-important bacon.

Bacon. — Courtesy of Apple