Apple Released iOS 16.4 Beta 2: What's New
Apple has just released iOS 16.4 Beta 2 for developers. While the most noticeable change is the addition of new emojis, there are also some significant updates that will impact our iOS experience in the future. For example, new features like web push notifications and beta enrollment updates are changing the way we interact with iOS.
New In iOS 16.4 Developer Beta 2
Books UI changes
Apple is finally bringing back the turn-page-animation on Books in iOS 16.4. This animation was somehow ditched by Apple when iOS 16 was launched last fall. Hardcore Books users have been complaining about this change ever since. This animation is finally making a comeback in this beta version.
Apple Pay launching in South Korea
(Update: Apple Pay launched in Korea on March 20, 2023)
Apple Pay is finally launching in a new market with iOS 16.4. According to evidence found within the code of iOS 16.4 by Steve Moser, Apple is bringing Apple Pay in South Korea soon. Apple is penetrating a market where competing payment solutions such as Samsung Pay are quite popular.
Apple Music Classical
(Update: Apple has announced Apple Music Classical which launches on March 28 as a standalone app)
Apple is still working on Apple Music Classical which is the rumoured dedicated section (or even separate app) for Classical Music. Following the acquisition of Primephonic (a streaming application for classical music) back in August 2021, Apple had announced that Apple would provide a dedicated experience “with the best features of Primephonic, including better browsing and search capabilities by composer and by repertoire, detailed displays of classical music metadata, plus new features and benefits.” This experience seems to be closer than ever according to the code of iOS 16.4 as identified by Steve Moser.
5G Standalone
Apple adds support for 5G standalone (5G SA). According to Dgtl Infra, “5G standalone (SA) is an implementation of 5G that solely uses a 5G core network, meaning it has no dependency on 4G LTE network control functions, for signaling and data transfer.” This is expected to bring faster access speeds, higher data transfer rates and lower latency for supported carriers (approximately 16% of carriers globally have implemented or tested 5G SA).
iOS 16.4 seems to be enabling 5G SA for T-Mobile users in the US which according to T-Mobile provides download speeds of up to 3GBs. 5G SA for T-mobile was introduced with iOS 16.4 Beta 1.
What’s new in beta 2 though? According to 9to5mac Apple is also bringing support for 5G SA to the customers of Japanese carrier Softbank and the Brazilian Carriers Vivo & TIM Brazil.
Apple is also bringing 5G support for Google Fi users as well as for certain carriers in Turkey and Macau.
Every Other New Feature In iOS 16.4
New Emojis
Apple is once again introducing a new set of emojis for iPhone and iPad users with the release of iOS 16.4 beta. These new Emojis (version 15.0) are based on the Unicode Standard version 15.0 released back in September 2022. Notable additions include the much-requested pink heart, a shaking face, and the wireless emoji, alongside several new animals and objects. This means that once you update your device to iOS 16.4 you will be able to enjoy the latest fun emojis!
Beta Enrolment Updates
Apple is making a significant change to how iPhone owners can enable developer and/or public betas directly from the Software Update menu in Settings.
Instead of downloading and installing a beta configuration profile, this process will now be tied to the Apple ID of the device. When a developer's Apple ID matches with the Apple ID of the device, the option to update your device will appear once the next Developer Beta is released. This change will exclude non-developers from testing upcoming iOS releases by downloading a developer configuration profile from a friend or other third-party online resource.
The alternative is to enrol in the public beta program, which enables users enrolled for free through beta.apple.com to receive pre-released software earlier than public releases. However, these updates are less frequent than those for developers. This change will streamline the beta testing process for developers and ensure that the beta testing experience remains secure and controlled.
New Order Tracking Widgets
With the introduction of iOS 16.4, Apple is rolling out a new Wallet Home Screen widget. If you've ever made a purchase using Apple Pay from a participating app or website on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can now easily track your order in Wallet on your iPhone with the new Order Tracking widget. This feature will make it more convenient to keep tabs on your purchases, so you can stay informed and up-to-date with your order status. Whether you're a frequent online shopper or just looking for a more efficient way to track your purchases, the new Order Tracking widget is definitely worth checking out.
Web Push Notifications & Browser
Apple is bringing a new feature to iOS that lets you receive web push notifications directly in Safari, without needing to download an app. This means you can stay up-to-date with your favorite websites without the extra hassle of downloading an iOS application from the App Store.
To use this feature, you will simply add a shortcut to your Home Screen from your favorite website. The shortcut icon will show you how many new notifications you have, just like a regular iOS app. When you tap on the Home Screen shortcut, you'll be taken directly to the website to see your notifications.
This new feature is expected to be especially useful for people who want to receive updates from their favourite websites but do not want to download an application. Plus, developers will be able to add support for web push notifications on their websites without requiring to develop their own iOS application. This is expected to be really useful for smaller, independent developers who do not have the resources to develop and maintain an application.
With this update, iOS users can look forward to a more streamlined and user-friendly web browsing experience.
More details are available here.
New Home Architecture
Home application has also been updated to support a new architecture for easier and more reliable performance. The app asks from users to update to the new architecture when launching the app for the first time since updating to iOS 16.4 from an earlier iOS 16 version. This update was about to be delivered with iOS 16.2 but it was later pulled off by Apple due to several performance and connectivity issues.
AppleCare Coverage
AppleCare Coverage details are now available for all of your devices with either the same Apple ID or those devices of your Family. This new menu is available under Settings - About - Coverage menu which shows the list of devices (beta 2 also shows the device glyph) and then separate coverage details for each related Apple device.
AOD Focus & Shortcuts
Apple now gives iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max owners the option to tie enabling or disabling the Always On Display of their device with any Focus mode. For example, users will be able to select disabling Always On display while in Sleep Mode, but keep it enabled while using another Focus mode.
Furthermore, Apple brings several new Shortcut options with iOS 16.4 including the option to enable or disable the Always On Display through Shortcut apps.
Podcasts App Changes
Apple key refining Podcasts on iOS and iPadOS including CarPlay. Podcasts app now includes a new Channels section in Library which provides easy access to followed shows and more from a users channels according to Apple.
Up next improvements allow users the option to resume episodes or simply remove any episodes that you may want to skip.
These changes are also reflected in the CarPlay version of Podcasts which also make it easier for you to quickly pick up where you left or find new shows in Browse.
Music App UI Optimisations
Apple keeps polishing the Music application with new animations that appear when you add a track to a Playlist or when you tap a song to play next. Apple is also improving the interaction with your personal profile if enabled on your Apple Music.
