A First Look at the Beta 1 Release of iOS 16.4
Written by: Daniel Carmo, Agile Software Engineer, TribalScale
Originally published at https://tribalscale.com.
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With the release of iOS 16.3 we were given improvements to the Emergency SOS, physical security keys for improved security using your Apple ID, handoff improvements with HomePod, and Parking space improvements to apple maps-all of these updates you can check out in my last blog. Apple has now released the first beta of iOS 16.4 so let’s take a dive into what we can expect of the update coming in the spring.
New Emojis
iOS 16.4 brings on some new Emojis from Unicode 15, which includes a shaking face, additional heart colors, a moose, jellyfish, and many more.
Web Push Notifications
iOS 16.4 will allow you to get push notifications from websites through safari. This is an opt-in feature that allows websites to push notifications from pages on safari to your home screen. You will need to add the website as a web app on your homescreen to be able to allow these notifications to come through. Apples WebKit team describes the requirements as follows:
“ A web app that has been added to the Home Screen can request permission to receive push notifications as long as that request is in response to direct user interaction — such as tapping on a ‘subscribe’ button provided by the web app. iOS or iPadOS will prompt the user to give the web app permission to send notifications. The user can then manage those permissions per web app in Notifications Settings — just like any other app on iPhone and iPad.”
Updates to Beta Menu and Downloads
As of iOS 16.4 there is a new Beta menu for downloading betas in the Settings -> General -> Software Update. This will simplify the downloading of developer betas for Apple Ids that are a part of Apple’s Developer Program by skipping the step of downloading the profile from Apple before participating in the beta. This also gives the options to participate in Public betas or Developer betas only.
This option will automatically be available to users logged into their Apple developer account and will eventually become the only method to update to the beta releases on your device.
Channels Section and Playing Next Queue for Podcasts
This version of iOS brings us two improvements to the Podcasts app experience and CarPlay with Podcasts. When you open the Podcasts app to your Library, you’ll notice a new section for Channels. This lists any channels that you are following in a single convenient space.
The Playing Next Queue has been improved with some additional features. The queue when opened now allows you to rearrange the shows and swipe left to delete items from the queue. The queue also now shows episodes that have been partially listened to, including shows you don’t follow.
CarPlay now has access to the Up Next and Recently Played Queues from the Listen Now tab.
HomeKit Upgraded Architecture
iOS 16.2 attempted to release the latest HomeKit upgraded Architecture but it came with a large amount of bugs and issues for Apple users. This upgrade was quickly rolled back with the issues that presented themselves. iOS 16.4 is Apple’s next chance to implement this new Architecture.
If you have the Home app set up with devices, you will be prompted to update to the latest architecture. This is an optional upgrade, so you can reject it if you don’t want to upgrade. You can later install it in the Home in-app settings page. This will also require that all Apple devices are running on the latest operating systems.
Conclusion
This is a preliminary look at upcoming features that you can expect to come with the launch of iOS 16.4 expected this spring. This lists some of the features and there are likely more to come! New Emojis will add to your Messages and chats, Beta downloading made easy will encourage more developers to check it out, and Podcast improvements make the experience more enjoyable and simplified for iOS device users.
Daniel is an Agile Software Engineer with experience on a variety of platforms in both development and design. He also enjoys collaborative projects with clients, leading developer projects, and mentoring junior and intermediate developers on everything from code quality to programming knowledge. When he’s not coding, his hobbies include baking, running agility with his dog, raising chickens, and gaming.
