iOS 16.4 Arrives on iPhones: Here's What's New With this Update

Similar to iOS 16, version 16.4 supports the iPhone 8 series and newer models all the way to the iPhone 14. Feature availability varies depending on the model. Apart from the added items, iOS 16.4 also brings bug fixes and the latest security patches to compatible iPhones.

What's new with iOS 16.4: Emojis to standalone 5G

The most notable enhancements to iOS 16.4 were already mentioned in previous beta versions such as web app notifications on the home screen and a new set of 21 emojis. Depending on the carrier, standalone 5G is arriving in the US and a few other countries in addition to 5G support for Turkey.

Under accessibility, VoiceOver will come to Maps in the Weather app. A new strobe and flashlight effect reduction toggle is also available to dim video apps including YouTube (potentially reducing the risk of photosensitive epilepsy). The Voice Isolation option is also arriving for cellular voice calls which was previously limited to Face Time calls.

Duplicate photos can be detected for iCloud Shared albums in Photos. Apple is also resolving the issue where Ask to Buy requests from children's accounts will not appear on the parent's iPhone or iPad. As for iPhone 14 (review) and iPhone 14 Pro (review) users, Apple will once again optimize Crash Detection to avoid further false triggers caused by high-speed sports.

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
● 21 new emoji including animals, hand gestures, and objects are now available in emoji keyboard
● Notifications for web apps added to the Home Screen
● Voice Isolation for cellular calls prioritizes your voice and blocks out ambient noise around you
● Duplicates album in Photos expands support to detect duplicate photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library
● VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app
● Accessibility setting to automatically dim video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected
● Fixes an issue where Ask to Buy requests from children may fail to appear on the parent's device
● Addresses issues where Matter-compatible thermostats could become unresponsive when paired to Apple Home
● Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models

Changes not mentioned in the iOS 16.4 release notes: Apple Music to Emergency SOS via Satellite

As for items that were not highlighted in the official release notes, there are minor and important changes happening to other apps and services, such as Apple Music, Apple CarPlay, and Podcasts apps. At the same time, Apple is also releasing its dedicated Apple Music Classical starting today.

In Books, a curl animation is added on top of the slide effect when turning a page while Shortcuts used for automation received a handful ofnew actions. Under the Wallet section, order tracking widgets were introduced.

Arriving in half a dozen countries are emergency SOS via satellite. Users in Belgium, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, and the Netherlands can now rely on the lifesaving feature which first debuted on the iPhone 14. You can test out the emergency SOS via satellite in our guide. 

How to check and install the update on your iPhone

To manually check whether the update is already available for your iPhone, just head to Settings and select General and further select Software Update to install iOS 16.4. Otherwise, you should be notified within the day when the new firmware is already available for your device and in your country.

Are you updating to iOS 16.4 today? Which device are you installing it on? Tell us in the comments.