Music app changes
- Playlists are now more compact in the library section
- New icon for sorting playlists
- Smaller animation when adding a song to the queue
- Waveform animation has changed
- Artist profile pictures are now visible at the top of the artist page
- Account profile picture is now visible on every tab
Podcast app changes
- New section called “Channel Shows”
- Recently updated section now shows the exact time a podcast episode was released
- Up next section now includes past episodes of podcasts you have listened to
- Voice isolation feature added to improve call quality
- 5G Standalone mode added for T-Mobile customers
- Beta update dates now have a separate section
Voice isolation feature
- Improves microphone quality while on phone calls
- Available for cellular phone calls
- Three options to choose from: standard, voice isolation, and wide spectrum
- Once turned on, it stays on for future phone calls
5G Standalone mode
- Available for T-Mobile customers
- Uses 5G for all cellular activity, including network connections
Beta update changes
- Beta update dates now have a separate section
- Shows either developer beta or public beta
- Apple is phasing out the profile method of getting betas.
- If you have the developer beta selected, your Apple ID must be associated with your developer account.
- Public betas can also be selected, and beta updates can be turned off.
Always-On Display Feature in Focus Mode
- In the focus settings, a new filter has been added for Always-On Display.
- This feature allows you to turn Always-On Display on or off while in focus mode.
- This is useful for avoiding distractions while working or recording a video.
Web Push Notifications for Web Apps
- Web push notifications are now available for web apps.
- This means that web applications can now receive notifications just like normal applications.
- These notifications are included in focus modes, allowing you to disable them when necessary.
- In iOS 16.4, other browsers besides Safari can now add web application bookmarks.
- This includes browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
- Bookmarks are now cleaner and higher quality.
Duplicate Detection in Shared Library
- The Photos app can now detect duplicates in the shared library.
- If you have duplicates, you will see them in both libraries.
Changes to Shortcuts App
- iOS 16.4 includes several changes to the Shortcuts app.
- New actions include SetVPN, A Lock Screen Action, and Shutdown.
- New icons and categories are available for shortcuts.
- The Ask for Input action now has a new toggle for allow multiple lines.
Home Architecture Upgrade
- iOS 16.4 re-releases the home architecture upgrade, which was previously pulled.
- This allows users who did not update with iOS 16.2 to update their home architecture.
Changes to Apple Card Payment Screen
- The buttons at the bottom of the Apple Card payment screen have been changed.
- “Pay Later” is now “Schedule”, “Pay Now” is now “Pay”, and “Show Keypad” is now “Other Amounts”.
- The screen after paying an amount has also changed.
- Users can now add order tracking widgets of different sizes (small, medium, and large)
- These widgets will show active orders made through Apple Pay cards in the Books app
Page Turn Animation in Books
- A new section has been added in the Themes and Settings for the page turn animation in Books
- The classic curl page turn animation has returned
- Users can disable the animation if they prefer a slide or no animation at all
Accessibility Feature: Dim Flashing Lights
- A long overdue accessibility feature has been added
- Users can now enable “Dim Flashing Lights” in the Motion settings to automatically dim video content that depicts repeated flashing or strobing lights
- This feature is especially helpful for people with epilepsy or sensitivity to flashing lights
VoiceOver for Maps and Weather
- VoiceOver is now available for the Maps and Weather app for better accessibility
- A glyph icon now appears next to the name of each paired device in the Coverage section of the General settings
- The glyph icon also appears for AirPods, Apple Watch, and other paired devices
Glyph Icons for Apple Devices
- The Face ID prompt in iOS 16.4 is now bolder and more round compared to the previous version
Verbiage Changes in Emergency SOS Settings
- Warnings, alarms, flashes, and VoiceOver audio will be silenced when using hold and release or five button presses to place an emergency call
- Emergency SOS via satellite now shows when the next satellite will pass
Number Format Options
- A new section for number format has been added in the Language and Region settings
- Users can choose between three different number formats
VPN Configuration Improvements
- A new sentence has been added to the VPN settings to explain that VPNs can be set up to control the routing of certain network traffic
Non-English Siri Voices
- New non-English Siri voices are now available for Arabic and Hebrew
- The Korean keyboard now has autocorrect enabled by default
- The Ukrainian keyboard now supports predictive text
Bug Fixes in Notification Cards and Matter Compatible Thermostats
- The notification cards UI bug has been fixed
- Matter-compatible thermostats are no longer unresponsive in the Home app
- New crash detection optimizations for iPhone 14 Pro series
Improved Performance
- Improved performance compared to the previous version, iOS 16.3.1
Battery Life Improvements
Should You Update Now or Wait?
If you’re already on iOS 16, it’s a no-brainer to update to 16.4.There are plenty of changes and improvements, including new emojis and security fixes.
However, if you prefer to play it safe, you can wait a few days to see how the update is running for others.The RC build for iOS 16.4 has been available for a week, so there is a good feel for how it runs.
Conclusion
Overall, iOS 16.4 runs great and there are many new features and improvements to enjoy.
