Apple released the iOS 17.4 RC (release candidate) to public beta testers and developers on Tuesday. This release comes more than a month after iOS 17.3 was released to the general public. The latest iOS RC brings new features, including major changes for people in the European Union and new emoji and bug fixes to the iPhones of some developers and beta testers.
Read more: Why You Should Download iOS 17.3 Now
We recommend downloading the RC on something other than your primary device. Since this isn’t the final version of iOS 17.4, these features might be buggy and battery life may be short, and it’s best to keep those troubles on a secondary device.
If you’re a developer or public beta tester, here are some of the new features you can find in the iOS 17.4 RC. There’s no word on the public release for iOS 17.4 just yet, but Apple has indicated it’ll likely be in March.
Downloading other app stores in the EU
Apple introduced a significant change to Safari, the App Store and iOS with iOS 17.4 beta 1, but only for people in the EU. With iOS 17.4 beta 1, people in the EU can download an alternative app store and apps from outside the App Store. According to CNET’s Katie Collins, this marks one of the largest changes to the App Store since its inception in 2008. People in the EU will also be given new default app controls, giving them more ways to customize their iPhone experience.
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People in the EU will soon have access to other app stores and more.
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Some of the new emoji coming to iOS 17.4 include a phoenix, a slice of lime and broken chains.
Apple introduced over 100 new emoji to iPhone users with the first beta of iOS 17.4. Those emoji include heads shaking up and down as well as left and right, a phoenix emoji and a slice of lime. These emoji were announced in 2023, and some Android devices, including the latest Samsung phones, already have them.
Improved iMessage security against future threats
With iOS 17.4, your iMessage chats will get a security boost to protect them from cyberattacks that involve quantum computing. According to CNET’s David Lumb, Apple said it hasn’t seen these kinds of 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
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You can read a transcript of your favorite podcasts with the first iOS 17.4 beta.
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Stolen Device Protection now lets you always require a security delay, or only when you’re away from locations like your home.
With iOS 17.4 beta 1, Apple introduced a few new options in Stolen Device Protection. The new options let you choose whether you want to always require a one-hour security delay to access certain settings or make changes, or to only require the delay when you’re away from a familiar location like your home.
Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection with iOS 17.3, and the intent of the feature is to protect some of your data if your device is stolen or falls into nefarious hands. The feature doesn’t protect all your data, but Apple still recommends everyone turn it on.
New Battery Health readout for iPhone 15 models
With iOS 17.4 beta 4, if you go to Settings > Battery there is a new Battery Health readout in the iPhone 15 models which tells you the status of your battery’s health in a word, like Normal or Service. You can also tap this option for more details about your battery, like its cycle count and maximum capacity. Before, your iPhone would show a percentage in relation to your battery’s health without any indication of what it means.
Read more: iOS 17.4’s New Tool Shows if Your iPhone 15’s Battery Health Is Normal
New Home button in the Music and Books apps
Apple introduced a Home button in Apple Music with iOS 17.4 beta 1 and in the Books app with iOS 17.4 beta 2. If you open either app and look at the bottom of your 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’re taken to a page that shows you menus, like Recently Played, and recommendations based on artists you’ve listened to. If you tap this button in the Books app, you 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 apply some uniformity across its apps.
Siri can send messages in more than one language
In the first iOS 17.4 beta, Apple gave Siri the ability to send messages in multiple languages. If you go to Settings > Siri & Search, you’ll see the option Messaging with Siri, which replaced Automatically Send Messages. Tap Messaging with Siri and you’ll see Add Language. If you tap this, you can have Siri send messages in other languages, like Arabic, Spanish and Thai. Apple writes that Siri will also read messages using the languages in this list, but choosing one from this list won’t change the primary language Siri listens and responds in. Prior to this, Siri could only send messages in English.
New Apple CarPlay and Maps experience in certain vehicles
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Certain Apple CarPlay supported vehicles will show a new Maps instrument cluster with iOS 17.4 beta 4.
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