Apple has released its latest software updates for iPhones and Apple Watches, iOS 16.4 and watchOS 9.4 respectively. The new software updates include security enhancements and new features. It is highly recommended that users download the updates through the Settings app on their devices to keep them up-to-date with the latest software for security reasons.
New Emoji Characters added in iOS 16.4
One of the most interesting new features of iOS 16.4 is the addition of 21 new emojis, bringing the total number of emojis on iPhones to over 3,600. The list of new emojis includes animals, hand gestures, and objects that users can use to express their emotions in more creative ways.
Safari Web Push Notifications now available on iPhone and iPad
Another exciting feature of iOS 16.4 is the support for Safari web push notifications on iPhone and iPad. This means that users can now add any website they want to their iPhone or iPad Home Screen as a web app and receive notifications just like any other app.
Focus support for web push notifications
iOS 16.4 also includes focus support for web push notifications, which means that users can now limit the number of apps or websites sending notifications at any given time, helping them stay focused on a single task or particular activity.
Badges for Home Screen Web Apps
The new updates also include badges for home screen web apps, which allows users to see how many unread messages, emails, or notifications they have without having to open the app.
Third-party browsers like Chrome can now let users add websites and apps to the Home Screen
The new software update also allows third-party browsers like Chrome to let users add websites and apps to their Home Screen directly from the browser.
Updated “Coverage” interface added in the Settings app
Apple has also improved its “Coverage” interface in the Settings app, which provides users with a quick overview of what’s covered under their cellular plan.
Emergency SOS via Satellite expanded to more countries
Another exciting update is the expansion of Emergency SOS via Satellite to more countries, which means that users can use their devices to call for emergency help even in remote areas where there is no cellular coverage.
Duplicate Image Removal added for iCloud Shared Photo Library
The latest iOS version 16.4 includes a feature to automatically detect and remove duplicate photos and videos in iCloud Shared Photo Libraries. The automatic duplicate detection feature was first introduced for personal libraries with iOS 16. The newly-expanded feature now works with iCloud shared libraries.
Duplicate photos and videos are grouped under a ‘Duplicates’ option in the Utilities menu. Users can merge the detected duplicate images into single files with a ‘Merge’ button. The app will detect alternate versions of images with different resolutions or quality settings, and merge them to retain the version with the highest quality. The app also notifies users whether the files are exact copies or merely similar before they proceed with the merge. Deleted copies can be found in the Recently Deleted album.
However, caution is advised when using the feature to delete photos and videos as many users may have no backup copies of their images outside of iCloud. The iCloud Shared Photo Libraries are frequently used by family members or close friends who already have copies of the same photos and videos in their personal libraries shared by other means.
Conclusion
Overall, Apple’s new software updates bring a range of interesting features and security enhancements that will make using iPhones and Apple Watches more fun and safer for users. It is essential for iPhone and Apple Watch users to download these updates through Settings to ensure optimum performance, security, and compatibility with other software applications.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
