Typically, the next minor release of iOS goes into beta a day or two after the major public release of the previous version. So when iOS 16.3 was released on January 23, we expected the 16.4 beta to start on January 24. It’s unusual, but the first iOS 16.4 beta finally arrived on February 16, more than three weeks later. Its contemporaries (iPadOS 16.4, watchOS 9.4 and macOS 13.3) also entered beta at the same time. We predict that a final version of iOS 16.4 will probably arrive in March, possibly during Apple’s spring event.
iOS 16.4: New features
Here are some of the important changes and additions in iOS 16.4. We will continue to update this section as new changes are discovered.
New emoji: This release adds the emoji that are part of the Unicode 15.0 standard. They include a shaking face (side to side, like “no”), several heart colors, hands that grow left and right, several new animals (moose, goose, jellyfish), some food and some musical instruments.
Web push notifications: This release adds support for web push notifications. Web apps registered to the home screen can send system notifications through the Push API, Notifications API, and Service Workers using the standard HTML5 Web Push API. Websites must ask for permission, just like apps, and it must be in response to a user action (like pressing a “subscribe” button or similar).
Simplified beta participation: If your device is registered as a beta tester, you can open Settings > General > Software updates and a new menu lets you select whether you want no beta updates, developer beta updates (if any), or public beta updates.
Upgrading the architecture of the house: The Home architecture upgrade that was pulled from iOS 16.2 is back in iOS 16.4. This is separate from the upgraded Home app, which remained.
New Podcasts app: A new Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad and CarPlay improves the Up Next queue and adds features like episode filtering and the ability to browse by season.
iOS 16.4: release date
We don’t expect iOS 16.4 to be released until at least the end of February, or even March. Apple is rumored to be hosting a spring event that may coincide with the release of the full version of the update.
iOS 16.4: How to install the public beta
This is the version of iOS 16.3 that most of us will be using before launch, because the developer beta is, as the name suggests, only for registered developers.
When the public beta of iOS 16 is released, you can install it by following the instructions below.
- Click Register on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
- Log in to the beta software program.
- Click on Enroll your iOS device. (If you signed up for the beta of a previous version last year, you might need to uninstall the profile for that and then sign up again for the new one.)
- Go to beta.apple.com/profile on your iOS device.
- Download and install the configuration profile.
- You may need to go to settings to activate the profile. Go to General > VPN and device management and tap the iOS 16 beta profile there.
- This will make the beta available in the Settings app, under General > Software update.
How to Install iOS 16.4 Developer Beta
Each stage of the iOS 16.3 development cycle will roll out first to developers and then to public beta testers (usually within about a day). If you are a developer and need to test your apps with the most recent OS version possible, this is the version to run.
First, check that your device is compatible. Quickly find out which iPhones and iPads can get iOS 16?
You will need to be registered as an Apple Developer. Joining the Apple Developer Program costs $99 per year.
Everything is ready ? All right! Here’s how to install the iOS 16.3 developer beta, in eight easy steps:
- In Safari on your iPhone or iPad, go to developer.apple.com and sign in using your Apple ID.
- Go to the Downloads section (you’ll find it in the left menu), scroll down to iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 beta and tap Install ProfileSO Accept.
- Open the Settings application. You should see Profile downloaded at the top of the main screen – tap it. If you don’t see it, go to General > VPN and device management and tap the iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 beta profile there.
- Faucet Install in the top right to install the iOS or iPadOS 16 beta profile.
- Read the developer consent form and (assuming you’re happy with the terms) give your consent.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Now go to Settings > General > Software update, where you should see that the beta version of iOS or iPadOS 16 is available. Faucet Download and install.
- Wait for your iPhone to finish downloading the update, then tap Install when prompted.
And if everything worked as it should, your iPhone will now be running iOS 16 beta.
iOS 16.4: Risks and precautions
First of all, note that betas are test versions of upcoming software. They are by definition unfinished, and while they should include most or all of the functionality of the finished product, there will be cosmetic differences and, inevitably, some bugs and other issues that will need to be ironed out during the development process.
In other words, don’t expect a perfect user experience. In particular, some existing apps (including ones you can rely on) may not work perfectly with the new version. In extreme cases, you may even find that your device is beta locked and cannot be used until the next beta release arrives. It is not uncommon for early beta software to also have issues such as excessive battery drain.
We can’t stress enough the importance of backing up your iPhone before installing a beta on your device, or better yet, using a secondary device rather than your primary iPhone or iPad.
Table of Contents