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Apple announced iOS 18 at his WWDC 2024 event on June 10, but be sure to check out all the new features the tech giant is packing iOS 17.4. This iPhone OS update was released on March 5 and brought big changes for people in the European Union, new emoticons and important bug fixes.
Here’s what iOS 17.4 brought to your iPhone.
Read more: Why Apple’s WWDC Keynote Changed My Mind About iOS 18
Download other EU app stores
Apple introduced a significant change to Safari, the App Store, and iOS with iOS 17.4, but only for people in Europe. With iOS 17.4, people in the EU can download an alternative app store and apps outside of the App Store. Like CNET’s Katie Collins reportsthis marks one of the biggest changes to the App Store since its inception in 2008. People in the EU will also get new controls for default apps, giving them more ways to customize their iPhone experience.
People in the EU now have access to other app stores and more.
Apple made these changesannounced in January to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act.
Read more: Apple will allow competing iPhone app stores to be installed in Europe
More in-app payment options
Apple introduced more ways to make in-app payments with iOS 17.4. If you go to Settings > Privacy & Securityyou will see an option called Contactless and NFCor near field communication. If you tap the new option, you’ll be taken to a mostly blank page that has a small disclaimer that says the page will show apps that have requested the ability to use contactless and NFC payments in the future. Apple announced these options alongside the changes for people in the EU, and there is no word on whether this will be used by apps outside of that region.
At least 100 new emoticons
Some of the new emoji in iOS 17.4 include a phoenix, a lime wedge, and broken chains.
Apple presented over 100 new emoticons for iPhone users with iOS 17.4. These emoticons include heads that bob up and down or left and right, a phoenix, and a lime wedge. These emoticons were announced in 2023 and some Android devices including latest Samsung phonesalready have them.
Improved iMessage protection against future threats
With iOS 17.4, your iMessage chats get enhanced security to protect them from cyberattacks that involve quantum computing. According to CNET’s David LumbApple said it hasn’t seen any such cyberattacks yet, but the company wants to get ahead of the potential threat now.
Read more: Apple’s next iOS update protects iMessage against future quantum computing attacks
Podcasts can now show transcripts
You can now read a transcript of your favorite podcasts with iOS 17.4.
In iOS 17.4, you can read the transcripts of your favorite podcasts while you listen to them. To view the transcripts, enter the Podcasts app and start listening to a show, then tap the media player at the bottom of the screen. There is a new button in the lower left corner of your screen that looks like a speech bubble with quotes inside. Tap this button and you’ll see the transcript of the show you’re listening to.
You can also search the transcript, so if someone mentions a book or movie title and you only remember part of it, you can search the part you know and find the full title.
Read more: What you need to know about podcast transcripts in iOS 17.4
Virtual card numbers are coming to Apple Cash
Yours Apple Cash it also gets an upgrade with iOS 17.4. Now you can see virtual card numbers for your Apple Cash which allows you to shop in online stores that do not accept Apple Pay. This card comes with its own number, expiration date and three-digit security code, just like a physical card. You can also easily request a new card number if you believe your card has been compromised.
Read more: How to view Apple Cash virtual card numbers
Another digital clock widget
In iOS 17.4, Apple introduced a new digital clock app widget called City Digital. This widget displays the time as well as a set location as opposed to where your iPhone is currently located. This can be useful if you travel or live far from family and friends but want to stay in touch without waking them up in the middle of the night.
Apple introduced the digital clock widget to the iPhone with the release of the iOS 17.2.
More options to protect against stolen devices
Stolen device protection now allows you to always request a security delay or only when you’re away from places like your home.
Apple introduced several new options in the Protection from stolen devices with iOS 17.4. The new options let you choose whether you want to always require a 1-hour security delay to access certain settings or make changes, or only require the delay when you’re away from a familiar location like your home.
Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection with iOS 17.3 with the intention of protecting some of your data if your device is stolen or falls into criminal hands. The feature doesn’t protect all of your data, but Apple still recommends that everyone turn it on.
Read more: How to boost your iPhone’s protection from a stolen device
New battery health reading for iPhone 15 models
With iOS 17.4, iPhone 15 models get a new one Battery health read aloud. If you go to Settings > Battery, you’ll see a new option that tells you the health status of your battery in one word, like Normal or Service. You can also tap this option for more details about your battery, such as the number of cycles and maximum capacity. Before, your iPhone would display a percentage related to your battery health without any indication of what it meant.
Read more: iOS 17.4’s new tool shows if your iPhone 15’s battery health is normal
New Home button in Music and Books apps
Apple introduced a Home button in Apple Music and the Books app with iOS 17.4. If you open either app and look at the bottom of the screen, the Home button is in the far left corner. This button replaced Listen Now in Apple Music and Read Now in Books.
If you’re an Apple Music subscriber and tap the button, you’ll be taken to a page that shows you menus like Recently Played and recommendations based on artists you’ve been listening to. If you tap this button in the Books app, you’ll see menus like Current Bestsellers and Start Reading for Free.
Previous iOS updates brought Home buttons to the Podcasts and Apple TV apps, so this change is likely Apple trying to enforce some uniformity across its apps.
Siri can read messages in multiple languages
In iOS 17.4, Apple gave Siri the ability to read messages in multiple languages. Once activated, Siri can read messages in languages such as Spanish, dialects of Mandarin, and Thai. Apple says this won’t change the primary language in which Siri listens and responds.
Read more: How to enable Siri to read messages in more languages
New Apple CarPlay and Maps experience in select vehicles
Some vehicles supported by Apple CarPlay will display a new Maps dashboard with iOS 17.4.
With iOS 17.4, if you’re using Apple CarPlay with Maps in certain supported vehicles, you’ll see a new instrument cluster.
“With CarPlay supported vehicles, Apple Maps will present a new instrument cluster experience with information about upcoming maneuvers,” Apple wrote online. “Users will be able to switch the desired display type between the main and instrument cluster screens by tapping the map configuration button in the upper right corner of the main Maps screen.”
Apple did not say which vehicles support this new feature, and the company did not respond to a request for comment.
Here are the full iOS 17.4 release notes.
Emoticons
New mushroom, phoenix, linden, broken chain and wobbly head emoticons are now available in the emoticon keyboard.
18 people and body emoticons add the option to address them in any direction.
Apple Podcasts
Transcripts allow you to follow an episode with text that is highlighted in sync with the audio in English, Spanish, French and German.
Episode text can be read in full, searched for a word or phrase, tapped to play from a specific point, and used with accessibility features such as text size, increased contrast, and VoiceOver.
This update includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
Music recognition lets you add songs you’ve identified to your Apple Music playlists and library, as well as Apple Music Classic.
Siri has a new option to announce messages you receive in any supported language.
Stolen device protection supports the enhanced security option in all locations.
Battery health in settings shows the number of battery cycles, date of manufacture and first use of iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models.
Caller ID displays an Apple-verified company name, logo, and department name when available.
Business updates in Messages for Business provide reliable information about order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts or other transactions that you have selected.
Apple Cash virtual card numbers let you pay with Apple Cash at merchants that don’t yet accept Apple Pay by entering your number from Wallet or using Safari AutoFill.
Fixes an issue where contact photos 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 sent.
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. For information about the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
For more information about Apple, you can check out everything the company has announced on WWDC 2024 and all upcoming features iOS 18. You can also check how to download iOS 18 developer beta and why you might want to wait.
Watch this: Everything announced at Apple’s WWDC 2024
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