Apple has a new update ready for your iPhone. iOS 16.4 brings a lot of improvements to your smartphone, but also provides it with new features. OMT editor Jeroen Kraak tells you all about it.
Over the past few weeks, we have already gained quite a bit of insight into what exactly the new software version brings. Developers and beta testers have been able to work with the new update for some time.
iOS 16.4: improvements and features to your iPhone
iOS 16.4 may not seem like a very big update at first glance, but it’s fair to say that the necessary improvements, features and fixes make it worthwhile. These include access to Apple Music Classical, a feature that isolates voices, and an updated form of AppleCare.
How do I update my iPhone?
On your iPhone, follow these steps to install the iOS 16.4 update: 1⃣ Go to Settings 2⃣ Select General 3⃣ Choose Software Update The update will now be pulled in and installed automatically (or manually).
#1 Apple Music Classical is finally here
Apple has finally released its dedicated classical music application. Rumors about the streaming service had been circulating for some time, and the beta of iOS 16.4 seemed to actually confirm its arrival. Starting today, fans with a valid Apple Music subscription can enjoy an impressive collection.
#2 AppleCare renewed on your iPhone
AppleCare, also known as Dekking in the Netherlands, gets some changes in iOS 16.4. Not only does it show you how your iPhone’s warranty is doing, it also shows you paired products such as the Apple Watch and AirPods, including an icon. Handy, because that way you can see exactly what the warranty status of all your products is.
Want to find out more about your current coverage? On your iPhone, go to Settings>General>Info>Coverage to get all the information.
#3 The cover animation is back in Apple Books
Sometimes it’s the little things that do the trick. Apple has updated the animation for turning a page in Apple Books. This was previously just removed. Many users missed this feature.
Twitter is not loading because you did not give permission.
Apple brought back the Apple Books page turn in iOS 16.4 Beta 2. Thanks @SteveMoser for sharing pic.twitter.com/QJyifHQ6Pc
– Aaron Zollo (@zollotech) February 28, 2023
#4 5G Standalone on your iPhone
Although iOS 16.4 is rolling out internationally, not all features are useful for everyone. For example, Dutch consumers with an iPhone will not benefit from the change in 5G Standalone support.
This is still only for the United States and Brazil. It is a special network on which 3GB per second is achieved on the iPhone. Let’s hope it comes to the Netherlands soon.
#5 Prompts for the Rapid Security update.
Users now get prompts if a Rapid Security update has caused problems with apps or the operating system. If you have installed such an update, it is also possible to uninstall it again. The prompts help you if the system notices that an app crashes as a result.
#6 Car Key support changes in iOS 16.4
In the new iOS 16.4 beta, Car Key will be supported for fewer phones. This is because Apple seems to want to say goodbye to cars that do not have Ultra Broadband or only NFC technology. That means the service can only be used with iPhone 11 or newer models and the Apple Watch Series 6 or later.
Electric is the future (Image: Aditya Chinchure)
#7 Changes to the Podcasts app
The layout of the Podcasts app looks a little different. Channels you subscribe to will appear at the top, followed by free shows you listen to regularly. Users can press on those to see different episodes.
From now on, you will also see how many unlistened episodes there are and how recent the last episode is. In addition, you can also see if there are early access. Also coming to Up Next and Browse to- Apple CarPlay.
#8 Push notifications in iOS 16.4
Developers can now send push messages to web apps, a feature we saw before in Safari 16.1 for macOS Ventura. By the way, this only happens to users who give permission to do so. In iOS 16, by the way, this is not just the case for Safari; other browsers like Chrome can do this as well.
#9 Battery consumption of the iPhone 14 Pro’s Always-On screen.
One of the new features of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max is the Always-On screen. The name says it all, you can leave your screen on. Still, it does have a drawback: it costs you battery.
iOS 16 is coming. (Image: Apple / Edit: OMT)
Want to know exactly how much? iOS 16.4 now gives you an answer to that. You’ll find the overview simply in the battery menu. That way, you can make the decision for yourself whether you might prefer to leave the screen off when you’re not using it after all.
#10 iMessage provides content previews for Mastadon
Mastadon is, of course, Twitter’s big competitor. Because of all the hassle with the latter, more and more users are switching over. Do you have an iPhone and use the service? Then you can now share a message very easily, as iMessage now provides an extended content preview. So you can immediately see what’s in a post.
#11 New Lock Screen Commands.
With Commands, or in English Shortcuts, you give your iPhone specific commands. You can now command it to turn off the lock screen after a certain amount of time. In addition, for example, you choose a different way to lock your screen, instead of pressing the side button.
#12 Crash detection is improved on iPhone
Crash detection is of course a very nice feature that we first saw on the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. As soon as you get into an accident, your phone automatically calls emergency services. Still, the iOS feature does not work flawlessly.
The Bolt Ultimate Sea Coaster (Image: Maurer Rides)
In recent months, for example, there have been frequent complaints that crash detection does not work optimally. For example, the feature went off during skiing or a roller coaster ride.
#13 Purchase protection children on iPhone
Does your child have an iPhone? Then you don’t want him not to make purchases without permission. It could previously happen that purchases did not appear on the parent’s device. This problem has now been addressed.
#14 Voice isolation during a phone call
Of course, it can be quite irritating when you are calling in an environment with a lot of noise. Possibly the other person cannot hear you properly. iOS 16.4 concentrates on your voice and blocks irritating noises around you. That way, your iPhone calls will go even better.
#15 Duplicate photos in iOS 16.4
If you have multiple photo albums on your iPhone, you may find that photos are duplicated on your device, which of course is a shame because it occupies disk space. This feature automatically removes duplicate snapshots in your iCloud.
Share it! (Image: Apple)
#16 Flash images automatically dimmed on iPhone
Not everyone can stand flashy images equally well. There is now a solution in the accessibility screen. You can automatically dim the image if it detects flashes of light. You turn this feature on in the accessibility options.
#17 problems with Matter connection fixed
A thermostat connecting to the Home app via Matter may not be working properly. This issue is now being addressed and now everything should work flawlessly.
No major but fine updates in iOS 16.4
All in all, the updates in iOS 16.4 are not too big, but still, we shouldn’t look a given horse in the mouth. We are especially curious about Apple Classical on the iPhone.
So is that service really going to happen? We are already looking forward to it.
