Apple publicly launched iOS 16, along with macOS Ventura, back in late 2022. Since then, the great iPhone maker has been working on minor versions to smoothen out leftover bugs and introduce the missing features it has already announced. Now that iOS 16.3.1 has been released in its stable form, the Cupertino firm has started developing the next iOS iteration. iOS 16.4 beta 1 is now available to those registered in Apple's developer program. Here's a list of the new features and changes included in this updated build.
What's new in iOS 16.4 beta 1
Unicode 15.0 emoji
iOS 16.4 beta 1 introduces Unicode 15.0 emoji. These include a Wi-Fi symbol, jellyfish, flute, and more. Do note that if you send them to someone on an older operating system, then they won't be able to view them. Instead, they will appear as boxes with question mark in them, indicating the presence of an unsupported character.
Advanced Software Update settings
iOS 16.4 beta 1 also includes new Software Update toggles that allow a user to pick between the developer beta channel, public beta channel, or neither. Apple will seemingly retire beta configuration profiles going forward.
Web push notifications
If you add a supported web app to your Home Screen, starting iOS 16.4 beta 1, you can optionally receive push notifications from it. Additionally, third-party web browsers can now support adding web apps to the iPhone Home Screen.
New widgets
iOS 16.4 beta 1 additionally introduces new Home Screen widgets for order tracking. These widgets mirror the relevant information from the Apple Wallet app.
Music app tweaks
On iOS 16.4 beta 1, the Apple Music app no longer shows intrusive popups in the middle of the screen when a user takes a certain action, such as adding a song to the queue. Instead, it shows a tiny banner towards the bottom of the screen. Additionally, it now shows the user's profile photo in the Library tab, making account settings even more accessible.
We're still in the process of digging through iOS 16.4 beta 1 to uncover the other fresh additions it may offer. We will update this article if we discover any other features or tweaks. In the meantime, you can read Apple's official changelog, where the company typically includes a list of the major bugs and fixes included in a build.
If you have the iOS 16 Developer Beta profile installed, you can update your compatible iPhone to iOS 16.4 beta 1 by following the steps below:
- Launch the Settings app.
- Head to the General section.
- Tap on Software Update.
- Give the page a few second to refresh.
- The update will then appear.
- Tap on Download and install.
- Agree to the Terms of Service, after reading them thoroughly and carefully.
- Make sure your iPhone is connected to a power source until the update finishes downloading and installing.
- Voila! You're now running iOS 16.4 beta 1.
What's your favorite iOS 16 feature? Let us know in the comments section below.