After several consecutive betas, each bringing its own fair share of new features, Apple has finally released the stable version of the new version of its mobile operating system. iOS 16.4 adds many new features to compatible iPhones i.e. iPhone 8 and newer. We list all the new features and other minor changes made by Apple.
new emojis
Frequently, the new update comes with brand new emojis. This time, you’ll come across 21 new emojis that you can add to your daily chats (31 if you add the different skin tones available for each). Among the innovations, let’s cite some additional animals (like the goose and donkey), musical instruments (maracas and flute), and even blue, pink, and gray hearts.
Web app push notifications
You may know that in addition to the traditional apps that can be downloaded from the App Store, it is possible to add web apps to your home screen. These are basically website shortcuts. With iOS 16.4, Apple now lets developers send you notifications from web apps. Your iPhone is a little closer to a Mac, as websites can send notifications in the same way as apps.
Sound isolation for calls
In the latest iOS 16.4 beta, Apple added a feature called Noise Isolation that works like Clear Calling on Google Pixels. It helps reduce background noise while you’re talking so the person on the other end of the line can hear you better. Soundproofing is apparently not enabled by default. It must be enabled under “Microphone mode” in the Control Center during the call.
Crash Detection improved
Apple also announces improvements to Crash Detection, its collision detection functionality. The changes aren’t clearly detailed, but it’s safe to say that Apple has made sure to reduce false alarms. We remember that it’s also common for iPhone 14s to warn rescuers when falling on roller coasters and skiing.
Improved duplicate album in Photos
While iOS 16’s “Duplicates” album already makes it much easier to identify and remove duplicate photos from your library, this album will become even more useful. Duplicates will now also house unnecessary photos in your shared iCloud Photo Library, so you can easily clean it up.
Apple develops Podcasts app
With iOS 16.4, Podcast now offers a channel section. This means that a provider can collect all their podcast offerings in one place. Up Next also benefits from an additional feature. Episodes saved to your library will already be added to the queue, but you can tap and hold a show’s picture to remove it. Finally, listeners will easily be able to see how many unplayed episodes are at the top of each show page and in the “Recent Updates” section of the library.
Other minor changes
Among other more discreet changes, the update promises to fix issues that could cause Matter-enabled thermostats to become unresponsive when paired with the Apple Home. It also fixes an issue that caused purchase requests from children to not appear on the parent’s device. Finally, the update also brings back a feature Apple Books originally removed with the major version of iOS 16: the animation of the spinning page.
How to install iOS 16.4?
If you want to download and install iOS 16.4 on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update and the update should be available. Note that Apple has also released iOS 15.7.4 for iPhone users with older devices, and the update offers security improvements.
