Just under a week after the beta 4, Apple has released the Release Candidate versions of iOS and iPadOS 16.4, macOS Ventura 13.3, watchOS 9.4 and tvOS 16.4 to both developers and public beta testers. The release of the RC version suggests that, barring unforeseen circumstances, stable releases will arrive early next week. Apple also released a beta of iOS 15.7.4 for those still running iOS 15.
These RCs can be installed in OTA mode, directly through the appropriate menu in the system settings, by those who have already installed a previous beta. In fact, Apple is changing the way in which betas can be tested by eliminating the system of profiles that seem to have already disappeared from these versions. In the future, probably starting with iOS 17, beta updates they will be installed directly on a device using an Apple ID linked to a developer account. Apple has implemented the possibility of using a second Apple ID to be able to download the betas in the future while continuing to use your standard account for all other functions.
As always, for installation on iPhone and iPad you must have at least 20% charge left or keep the device connected to the mains. For watchOS, the app on the connected iPhone must be used and the Apple Watch must have at least 50% autonomy and be within range of the iPhone‌ it is associated with.
In addition to the new beta access system, evidently designed to prevent these versions from being installed by ordinary users, with iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4 and macOS 13.3 21 new emojis have arrived (including some with different skin tone options) that further expand the vast list of those already present.
Another novelty concerns the implementation of push notifications for Safari but only on condition that the sites are previously saved in the home as a web app. Apple has also reintroduced a new HomeKit architectureadded the support to search for duplicates in photos also in an iCloud shared library and support VoiceOver for maps in the Weather app. There are also the usual improvements and bug fixes.
There’s also a new one voice isolation function which allows you to prioritize your voice by blocking ambient noise, improving the quality of calls over the cellular network. This feature is in addition to what is already available for VoIP calls using FaceTime, WhatsApp and other apps on devices running iOS 15 or macOS Monterey or later.
In this RC of iOS 16.4 references to unpublished works have been found AirPods that have a model number A3048 and AirPods case with a model number A2968. To date there are no rumors about the arrival of new AirPods. Not to exclude that it may be a new version with a USB-C charging connector instead of Lightning.
This is the complete changelog of iOS 16.4
- 21 new emoji including animals, hand gestures and objects are now available in emoji keyboard
- Notifications for web apps added to the Home screen
- Voice Isolation for Cell Phone Calls prioritizes your voice and blocks ambient noise around you
- The Duplicates in Photos album expands support for detecting duplicate photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library
- VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app
- Accessibility setting to automatically dim video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected
- Fixes an issue where “Ask to Buy” requests from children may not appear on the parent’s device
- Fixes issues where Matter-compatible thermostats may become unresponsive when paired with Apple Home
- Improvements to incident detection on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models
This, however, the changelog of macOS 13.3 Ventura
- The Remove Background option in Freeform automatically isolates the subject in the image
- Duplicate Photo Album expands support for detecting duplicate photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library
- Transliteration support for Gujarati, Punjabi and Urdu keyboards
- New keyboard layouts for Choctaw, Chickasaw, Akan, Hausa and Yoruba
- Accessibility setting to automatically dim video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected
- VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app
- Fixes an issue where trackpad gestures may occasionally become unresponsive
- Fixes an issue where children’s Ask to Buy requests may not appear on the parent’s device
- Fixes an issue where VoiceOver may become unresponsive after using the Finder
In iOS 16.4, finally, there are also more precise information for the satellite SOS function (which is also arriving in Italy), various interface changes and icon changes in Apple Musicone new screen in the Settings app where you can see all your AppleCare coveragea new Home screen widget for the feature order tracking integration of the Wallet app and other minor changes to the Books, Podcasts and Commands apps. iOS 16.4 will also allow users to Monitor the impact of Always-On Display on battery life.