The wait for iOS 16.4 is almost over. Apple released iOS 16.4 beta 4 to public beta testers on Thursday, about a week after the company released the third public beta of iOS 16.4. This fourth beta release means the wide unveiling of iOS 16.4 is likely close. Beta testers can now try out new iOS features, including new emoji.
These features are only available to people who are part of Apple Beta Software Program. New iOS features can be fun, but we recommend only downloading a beta to something other than your primary phone, just in case the new software causes problems. Apple provides beta testers with an application called Feedback. The app allows testers to notify Apple of any issues in new software so that the issue can be resolved before general release.
Here are some of the new features testers can find in iOS 16.4 betas.
Apple Books Updates
The iOS 16.4 beta 2 update brings the page turning animation back to Apple Books, after it was removed in a previous iOS update. Before, when you turned a page of an e-book on your iPhone, the page would slide to one side of your screen or it would disappear and be replaced by the next page. Beta testers can still choose these other page-turning animations in addition to the curl animation.
With iOS 16.4 beta 4, a new pop-up appears when you open Apple Books for the first time after downloading the update. It lets you know that you can change your page turning animation, theme, etc.
31 new emojis
The first iOS 16.4 beta software brought 31 new emoji on your iOS device. The new emoji include a new smiley; new animals, such as a moose and a goose; and new heart colors, like pink and light blue.
Some of the new emoji released in the first beta of iOS 16.4.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The new emoji are all from the September 2022 Unicode recommendation list, Emoji 15.0.
Apple Podcast Updates
The first beta made some changes to the way you browse Apple Podcasts. You can now access the podcast channels you subscribe to in your library. You can also use Up Next to resume podcast episodes you’ve started, start episodes you’ve saved, and delete episodes you want to skip.
Apple ID and Beta Software Updates
The latest beta allows you to sign in to another Apple ID to access other beta software.
Zach McAuliffe/CNET
With the third beta of iOS 16.4, developers and beta testers can check whether their Apple ID is associated with the developer beta, public beta, or both. If you have another Apple ID, like your work one, that has access to beta updates, iOS 16.4 beta 3 also lets you switch to that account from your device.
Preview of Mastodon links in messages
Apple’s first beta of iOS 16.4 enabled rich previews of Mastodon links in Messages. It’s good because Mastodon saw a 400% increase in the rate of new accounts in December, so you might receive Mastodon links in Messages.
Changes to the Music app
A small banner appears at the bottom of the screen when you choose to play a song next in Apple Music in the first iOS 16.4 beta.
Zach McAuliffe/CNET
The Music interface has been slightly modified in the first beta version of iOS 16.4. When you add a song to your queue, a small banner appears at the bottom of your screen instead of a full screen popup.
Find out who and what is covered by AppleCare
Starting with iOS 16.4 beta 1, you can access Settings to check who and what devices are covered on your AppleCare plan. With iOS 16.4 beta 2, this menu will show you a small icon next to each device covered by AppleCare.
Focus mode, shortcuts and always-on display
If you have a iPhone 14 Pro or Pro MaxiOS 16.4 beta 1 lets you enable or disable the always-on display option with certain Focus modes. A new option in Shortcuts called Set always on screen has also been added, in addition to new Lock Screen and Set VPN actions.
New Apple Wallet Widgets
You can add three new order tracking widgets for Apple Wallet to your home screen with the first beta of iOS 16.4. Each widget displays your tracking information about active orders, but the widgets come in different sizes: small, medium, and large.
The medium-sized Apple Wallet order tracking widget takes up three tile spaces on your iPhone screen.
Zach McAuliffe/CNET
More accessibility options
The first beta update also added a new accessibility option. The new option is called Dim flashing lights, and you can find it in Movement menu in Settings. The option description indicates that video content that depicts repeated flashing or strobe lights will be automatically dimmed. Video timelines will also display when flashing lights occur.
New keyboards, Siri voices and language updates
The first iOS 16.4 beta added keyboards for the Choctaw and Chickasaw languages, and there are new Siri voices for Arabic and Hebrew. Language updates have also been made to Korean, Ukrainian, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Urdu.
It’s unclear when iOS 16.4 will be released. There is no guarantee that these beta features will be released with iOS 16.4, or that they will be the only features released with the update.
To find out more, see how to become an apple beta tester, what was included in iOS 16.3.1 And features you may have missed in iOS 16.3.
Video: iOS 16: Powerful Features You May Have Missed
