Apple releases iOS 8.3 update with bug fixes, 300 new emojis

Apple has released its latest iOS update to all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users, offering 300 new emoji characters aside from fixing some bugs.

The iOS 8.3 has added support for Apple's personal assistant Siri in new languages, allowing it to operate in many countries. Siri can now also place calls that immediately start from the speakerphone rather than requiring users to toggle it on manually.

The update is also said to have improved stability, overall performance and fixed bugs for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, third-party keyboards and a host of other apps.

Among other changes, Apple now allow users to report junk messages and filter iMessages if they don't come from the user's contacts.

In iPhone 6 Plus, users will now find a dedicated formatting keys for bold and underline in the landscape keyboard. Apple has also fixed the bug in Safari searches by adjustments to the keyboard and the fixing of the space bar.

However, the biggest talking point of the update is the addition of 300 new emojis, allowing diverse options to users.

All the emoji that were previously "white" have been made a generic yellow that matches the most basic smiley-face emoji. The update has also added more variety to the family emoji, including same-sex parents. The traditional "white" emoji faces that users are familiar with are, however, still there.

There are more options for sports and flags as well.

Apple is working hard to solidify iOS 8's reliability as the company prepares to shift its focus to the next version, iOS 9, which is likely to be unveiled in June.