Snapchat is adding new assistive devices for Bitmoji avatars to expand its representation options for users. Now, users can add a hearing aid in a variety of colors and choose to have them in one ear or both. Snapchat has also added a selection of its most popular Bitmoji stickers featuring the avatar with a cane. Users can now also select wheelchair poses for their Bitmoji avatars.
Last year, the company released stickers featuring a manual wheelchair after listening to feedback from users. Snap says these stickers have been shared more than 30 million times and that it received additional feedback from people who wanted to see themselves in more parts of Snapchat.
“Bitmoji’s mission is to be the world’s avatar, which also means that we want to ensure that all of our communities are reflected in our products,” the company said in a blog post. “This is at the center of the work we do when designing new products and features, and we prioritize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Accessibility principles to improve the experiences of all Snapchatters on our platform.”
Snap says users should update to the latest version of the app to get access to the new assistive device options.
The launch comes shortly after Snapchat announced that it’s introducing a new ASL Alphabet lens to encourage users to start learning American Sign Language. The new AR lens will teach users to finger spell their name and practice the ASL alphabet. The lens also includes games that users can play to test their ASL knowledge.