Apple is out with its latest update for iOS 17, which brings some security-focused upgrades, bug fixes, and some fun additions with 100+ new emoji. Download iOS 17.4 or iPadOS 17.4 right now via Settings > General > Software Update. Here's what you can expect.
More Options With Stolen Device Protection
Introduced with iOS 17.3, Stolen Device Protection prevents someone from accessing key data or making changes on your iPhone by requiring authentication solely through Face ID or Touch ID. There’s also a Security Delay layer that will make you wait an hour before you can make serious changes. By default, that only activates if you’re away from a known location, like home or work, but with iOS 17.4, you can opt to have it on at all times, regardless of location.
Apple Cash Virtual Card Numbers
Apple's debit-card like service will now let you spend Apple Cash at stores that don’t yet accept Apple Pay, like certain websites, thanks to a new virtual card number option. Just type in your number from Wallet or use Safari AutoFill.
Battery Health Details
If you have an iPhone 15, the Battery Health section under Settings will now show battery cycle count, manufacture date, and first use. This comes a few weeks after Apple said the iPhone 15 will retain 80% of its original battery capacity after 1,000 cycles, which is up from 500 cycles in previous models. Read more on this option here.
Automatic Podcast Transcripts
Shows posted to Apple Podcasts are getting automatic transcripts, meaning users can read the full text of an episode, search episodes for a specific word or phrase, and tap the text to play the podcast from that point in the episode. Apple Podcasts will highlight words as they’re spoken. This is currently supported for podcasts in English, French, and German, and will automatically be available for new episodes shortly after episodes are published. Older episodes will be transcribed “over time,” Apple says.
New Emoji
Among the 118 new emoji in iOS 17.4 are the mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chair, and shaking hands. Plus, you’ll find several gender-neutral family designs. “Instead of displaying colorful people emojis alongside one another, all of the family emojis now display different combinations of white non-gender-indicative silhouettes overlayed on a gray square icon,” according to Emojipedia.
Other Updates in iOS 17.4
Music recognition lets you add songs you have identified to your Apple Music Playlists and Library, as well as Apple Music Classical.
Siri has a new option to announce messages you receive in any supported language.
Call identification displays Apple-verified business name, logo, and department name when available.
Business updates in Messages for Business provide trusted information for order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts or other transactions you opt into.
Fixes an issue where contact pictures are blank in Find My.
Fixes an issue for Dual SIM users where the phone number changes from primary to secondary and is visible to a group they have messaged.
In the EU, this update will allow people to download apps from third-party stores as part of Apple's compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple has no plans to do that in the US, however.
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