IOS 16.4 Launch Is Imminent - Here Are The New Features For Your IPhone

The latest version of iOS 16 is just around the corner and signs suggest that it will bring a whole host of new features for iPhone users.

We don’t have a definitive release date yet, but Apple is aiming for spring, which means we could see the launch in March or April. Of course, just a few months later, we’re lining up for WWDC 2023 to get our first look at iOS 17.

As with all iOS updates, it doesn’t cost you anything to download and you’ll be automatically notified when it’s available for your device. You can either install it manually when you get the notification or, if you prefer, wait until a more convenient time.

If you leave your iPhone charging overnight, it can update itself automatically while you sleep.

Apple has focused on a few key improvements with iOS 16.4, including web push notifications and of course a new list of emojis. Let’s start there.

New emoji

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide/Apple)

iOS 16.4 brings with it all the new emojis introduced with Unicode 15.0. These are the first new emoji characters in over a year and include 21 new symbols. That goes up to 31 if you count the skin tone variations.

They contain a mix of hearts, animals, food, and a few other graphics. Some of the highlights are the trembling face and the “talk with hand” gesture.

Here is the full list of the new emojis:

Smiley Face ShakingAngel WingsDonkeyHand FanMooseJellyfishGray HeartPink HeartLight Blue HeartGooseHyacinthPea PodGingerFluteHair PicksMaracasWi-FiKhandaPush Hand Right (Six Skin Tone Variations)Push Hand Left (Six Skin Tone Variations)Web Push Notifications

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(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Once iOS 16.4 is active on your iPhone, you’ll be able to use Safari’s web-based notifications.

Just like with an app, users can choose to receive notifications from the web browser. For example, this may mean that you want to receive notifications from a site like Tom’s Guide when a new article is published.

To avoid being bombarded with pings, only websites saved on the home screen are given permission to send push notifications.

Podcast Improvements

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

The divisive Apple Podcasts app got a minor update with iOS 16.4 and will now include a section dedicated to channels. This means a provider can have all of their podcast offerings in one place. Listeners can browse the channel and discover new shows on iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Up Next also gets additional features. Episodes saved to your library are already added to the queue, but you can touch and hold a show’s picture to remove it. Up Next (and Recently Played) can also appear when using Podcasts with CarPlay.

In addition, the episode dashboard has been made clearer. Listeners can see how many unplayed episodes are available to them at the top of each show page and in the Recently Updated section of the library. They can quickly see when a new episode was released and identify “Early Access” subscriber episodes made available to them as part of their subscription.

New Home app architecture

(Image credit: Future)

With iOS 16.4, Apple introduces the revamped Home app architecture originally introduced with iOS 16.2. This version has been cleaned for bugs but reappears with this update.

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The revised architecture aims to improve communication between smart home accessories and Apple devices. So if you’re a fan of Philips Hue bulbs, for example, you can expect a more reliable connection from your iPhone.

Apple has been working on this increase in efficiency since it announced iOS 16 at WWDC 2022 last year.

Easier beta opt-in

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

iOS 16.4 allows users to enable beta updates in your Settings app instead of having to first download the correct device profile via a browser.

To find it, navigate to General > Software Update in the iPhone’s Settings app. This means that if you’re part of Apple’s developer program, you can streamline the process of testing app trials. This new menu also allows you to enable public betas of iOS itself.

iOS 16.4 launch is imminent – here are the new features for your iPhone

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