What is the Apple 16.4 iOS update? What are the new features?
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Apple’s latest software update – iOS 16.4 – was made available today for iPhone models from the iPhone 8 and later.
The operating system comes with a range of new features, including the addition of 21 new emoji to the keyboard.
This includes the long-awaited pink heart icon, as well as a shaking face (“I’m shook”), a moose, stem ginger, the Wi-Fi symbol, and a pair of maracas.
That’s not all, as there are also improvements to Voice Isolation, which blocks out background noise when you’re speaking on a phone call.
MailOnline takes a closer look at the major new additions and bug fixes of iOS 16.4.
Apple’s latest software update – iOS 16.4 – has been made available today for iPhone models from the iPhone 8 and later
The operating system comes with a range of new features, including the addition of 21 new emoji to the keyboard. This includes the long-awaited pink heart icon, as well as a shaking face (“I’m shook”), a moose, stem ginger, the Wi-Fi symbol, and a pair of maracas
1. New emoji
The biggest addition that comes with the software update is 21 brand new emoji.
These were formally announced last year by The Unicode Consortium, the body for standardizing characters in the world’s writing systems.
In addition to the pink heart, light blue and gray hearts will be available to use while texting.
There are also new push right hand and left push hand emojis, each available in five different skin tones.
Other new emojis in the updated set include a donkey, an angel wing, a jellyfish, a black bird, a goose, a hyacinth flower, and a pea pod.
A folding fan, hair pick, flute and the khanda – the symbol of the Sikh faith – complete the new line-up.
2. Web App Notifications
Websites added as apps to the home screen can now send push notifications.
These are the alerts that appear on your device’s lock screen or come down as a banner when the device is unlocked.
Any website can be added to the iPhone as an app by creating a shortcut to a web app.
To do this, navigate to the chosen site in Safari, tap the Share icon at the bottom of the screen (the square with the up arrow), then tap “Add to Home Screen.”
Not all websites can send push notifications directly, as they must be set up to do so.
The website requests permission to send push notifications through the app, which the user can accept or decline.
With this update, browsers other than Safari can also give the user the option to create a web app, such as Chrome.
Voice Isolation is a feature that uses algorithms to reduce background noise and isolate the sound of the user’s voice during calls and recordings. The iOS 16.4 upgrade comes with improvements to this feature, which can be turned on or off in Settings (stock image)
3. Voice isolation improved
Voice Isolation is a feature that uses algorithms to reduce background noise and isolate the sound of the user’s voice during calls and recordings.
It is designed to improve the clarity and quality of audio by filtering out unwanted sounds such as wind, traffic or other voices.
When Voice Isolation is enabled, iPhone uses its built-in microphones and machine learning models to differentiate between the user’s voice and other sounds.
It then applies audio processing techniques to amplify the voice and reduce the noise, making it easier for you to hear the conversation partner.
The iOS 16.4 upgrade comes with improvements to this feature, which can be turned on or off in Settings.
4. Remove Duplicate Image in Shared iCloud Photo Library
The option to delete duplicate photos in a device’s photo library with the tap of a button was added to iOS 16 last year.
Identical photos will automatically appear in a folder called “Duplicates” in the Albums section of the Photos app, and pressing “Merge” will convert them into a single image.
It combines all captions, keywords and other data into one photo to save precious space on the device.
Now this space-saving option is extended to the iCloud shared photo library, allowing families and groups of friends to store more images together.
The option to merge identical images in the library can be found in the Utilities album under Duplicates.
5. VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app
VoiceOver is an accessibility feature that, when enabled, reads aloud text, buttons, icons, and other elements on the device’s screen.
It can also describe what is displayed on the screen, such as the size and location of buttons.
This is to help people who are blind or have low vision use their device.
In the new update, VoiceOver can now be used in the Maps feature of the Weather app on iPhone.
6. Option to automatically dim video during light flashes or strobe effects
Another accessibility feature has been added that automatically dims the brightness of a video when strobe effects or flashes of light are detected.
This can be turned on in Settings, Accessibility, Motion, then by hitting the switch next to the ‘Dimmed flashing lights’ option.
Owners of any iPhone 14 model can access a feature called “Crash Detection,” which automatically calls for emergency assistance if you’re involved in a car accident
7. Crash detection optimizations
Owners of any model of iPhone 14 can access a feature called “Crash Detection,” which automatically calls for emergency assistance if it detects you’re involved in a car accident.
These latest devices feature a dual-core accelerometer – capable of detecting G-force measurements up to 256Gs – and a new high dynamic range gyroscope.
These are used in conjunction with components in earlier iPhone models, such as the barometer, which can detect pressure changes in the cabin, the GPS for additional input for speed changes, and the microphone, which can recognize loud noises typical of serious car accidents.
Apple has trained its algorithms on over a million hours of real-world driving and crash log data to accurately detect when an accident has occurred.
However, some emergency responders have been bombarded with fake emergency calls when the feature accidentally detects a car accident.
The system seems particularly easy to fool when skiers wipe out on a mountain, despite being completely unharmed.
For iOS 16.4, Apple has updated the Crash Detection feature to reduce the chance of such accidental distress call.
8. Emergency SOS via satellite updates
Those with an iPhone 14 model located in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands or Portugal can now use Emergency SOS via Satellite.
This feature allows users to send text messages in the event of an emergency while out of cellular range and Wi-Fi coverage.
The messages are sent in about 15 seconds if the user has a direct view of the sky and horizon, but the call for help can take longer if there are obstacles such as forests or mountains nearby.
Apple will also now let users know how long it will take for the next satellite to come within range of their device in hours and minutes.