Apple Releases Second Public Betas of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, HomeKit Update and More

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Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its launch. Today's betas come two weeks after the release of the first public betas.

iOS 16
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple's free beta testing program can download the ‌iOS 16.4‌ beta over the air after installing the proper certificate from the Public Beta website.

This is the last beta that will use certificates in this way as future beta updates will be linked to an Apple ID for both developers and public beta testers.

The iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates add a number of new emoji characters, including shaking head, pink heart, blue heart, gray heart, donkey, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, hyacinth, pea pod, ginger, fan, comb, flute, maracas, and left and right facing hand options.

ios 16 4 emoji characters
Safari Web Push notifications are available, but web developers will need to add support. With this feature, you can add a website to your Home Screen and the website can send you push notifications, just like on the Mac. These notifications behave like any other iOS notification and can be filtered out with Focus mode, delivered on Apple Watch, and more.

There's a new add to ‌Home Screen‌ option for third-party browsers so you can add a favorite Chrome site directly to your ‌Home Screen‌, plus the HomeKit architecture upgrade that was pulled from iOS 16.2 is now available again. The second beta reintroduces the page turning animation in Apple Books, and it has hints of Apple Music Classical.

Apple has made minor tweaks to the Podcasts app, ‌Apple Music‌ app, and the AppleCare coverage interface, plus there are new Shortcuts, 5G connectivity in Turkey, an option to add an always-on display filter to Focus more, and more. Full details on everything new can be found in our dedicated iOS 16.4 guide.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

GtrDude Avatar
GtrDude
23 months ago
Yet another completely useless iOS update from Apple.

Here's what I would like to see Apple do:

1. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

2. speaking of notifications, Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications it won't ring back. It needs to only go into the phone app. All other notifications take you to the app notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers. Apple needs to be on our side in this not the spammers.

3. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to swipe the notification up and then go back to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in.

4. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

5. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
It was great. Since then Apple has reduced it a little on every new release. Better yet, simply make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible, which is one step from being turned off anyway.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

6. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

7. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.
This has been available for the last 12-15 years on Android.

8. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

9. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right. I used to use this feature all the time when I had to text people who are in different time zones when they have to get the text at a certain time in their time zone but it's way too late for me to stay up to send the text. Just compose the text and it can be sent out while I'm sleeping or busy.

10. use an OS-wide clipboard and make cut and/or copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
You should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.
10b. make it possible to copy multiple copy entries ready to paste any one of them by long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible.

11. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

12. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

13. make it mandatory to app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app to navigate back. Hitting a tiny arrow, like some of them have, at the top left on some apps and not on others to go back is inconsistent and nuts.

14. and my goodness Apple... when using snooze allow us to cancel it before it comes on if we want to.
14b. make it possible for us to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes and that's that. If we want to snooze for 10 minutes, or 5 minutes, or....whatever we should be able to.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
Justin Cymbal
23 months ago
I’m looking forward to getting my Apple Home upgraded to the new Apple HomeKit architecture once this is released to the public

I’m still going to wait a week or two after Apple releases this to read the reviews online and make sure that there’s no bugs in the HomeKit architecture like there was the first time that Apple released it
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lakersfan74 Avatar
Lakersfan74
23 months ago
I deleted the profile after beta 1 and still got the beta 2 update
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
_Spinn_
23 months ago

I’m looking forward to getting my Apple Home upgraded to the new Apple HomeKit architecture once this is released to the public

I’m still going to wait a week or two after Apple releases this to read the reviews online and make sure that there’s no bugs in the HomeKit architecture like there was the first time that Apple released it
Same here.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NC12 Avatar
NC12
23 months ago

How does this work in relation to getting new updates. If you delete the first beta will you get the official public 16.4 release? I was toying with it yesterday but I didn't even know how to downgrade to the official 16.3.1.
With the newer beta versions profiles are no longer needed. If your Apple ID is enrolled in the public beta program or a developer account you can select which beta you want to install in update settings

Oddly enough I do not have a dev account but have the option for the Developer Beta anyway

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Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DotCom2 Avatar
DotCom2
23 months ago
I know I am going to use that jellyfish emoji a LOT! ?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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