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Apple today introduced the first betas of iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 to developers, bringing some radical updates to the iPhone and iPad in Europe. Most of the big changes will only impact EU users, but there are also updates in the operating system that are available worldwide.

iOS-17.4-Feature-Blue.jpg

In this article, we've rounded up everything new in iOS 17.4 beta 1.

EU Changes

Apple implemented several major changes to the way the App Store and apps operate in the European Union in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act. These changes are included in iOS 17.4, but are generally limited to countries that are in the European Union.

iOS-App-Store-General-Feature-Black.jpg

Alternative App Stores and New App Store Terms

App developers in the EU can opt to offer alternative app stores or install their apps through alternative stores, and Apple has a whole new fee structure that goes along with this change. There's a new business structure that developers can opt in to, which applies to both apps distributed in the App Store and apps that are distributed through alternative means.

App developers using the new system will need to pay a standard fee of 0.50 euros per user per year, with the first million installs offered for free. Apps distributed through alternative app stores will have no commission. Apps distributed through the App Store will pay a reduced 17 percent commission, or 10 percent for those in the small business program or for user subscriptions older than a year.

Developers can choose not to opt in to the new system and can use the existing system with the same 15/30 percent commission that's available elsewhere in the world. Apple has a fee calculator to help developers determine what they'll pay with the existing setup, with the new setup, with the new setup using alternative app stores, and with the new setup using the App Store.

Users are able to set their preferred alternative app store as the default app store on their device if desired. EU users will see an option for this in the Settings app.

There are a huge number of behind-the-scene changes that are enabling this feature in the EU, with updates to all kinds of system messaging. Users in the EU will, for example, get a pop up warning when an app from an alternative app store contains malware, and there are new screens for verifying the information from an alternative app.

A Screen Time setting will allow parents to decide whether their children's devices are able to install apps from alternative app marketplaces.

Alternative Payment Options

Apple is also allowing apps to use alternative payment options in their apps, and there is no longer a requirement to use in-app purchase. Developers who distribute apps through the App Store and use an alternative payment option will see a three percent discount in their App Store fees.

Developers who distribute through alternative apps and also use an alternative payment option will pay Apple no fees beyond the set 0.50 euro fee per user.

With alternative payments, purchases for digital goods and services can be made directly in an app or a developer can choose to link to their website to have a user make a payment. Apple is requiring developers to use a known, secure payment provider.

Third-Party Browser Updates

After updating to iOS 17.4, EU users that open Safari will see a pop up that allows them to choose a new default browser option from a list of the most popular browsers on iOS.

Apple is also allowing alternative browser engines, and will not limit browsers like Chrome to the WebKit engine.

NFC Access

Third-party payment apps and banks have access to the NFC chip in the iPhone in iOS 17.4, and can offer contactless payments directly on the iPhone without using Apple Pay or the Wallet app in the European Economic Area. Users can set a default contactless payment provider that activates at tap-to-pay terminals or when the Side button on the iPhone is pressed twice.

The option for setting a default contactless payment provider is available in the Settings app in the EU, and this section will also provide details on all apps that have requested and been granted contactless payment access.

EU users can also change the default Wallet app on the iPhone.

Gaming App Changes

Streaming game apps are now allowed on the App Store worldwide, which means services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce NOW can be offered as standalone iPhone and iPad apps.

Apple previously only allowed cloud gaming services to be offered via the web, but dedicated apps that let users stream games from servers are now permitted.

Mini-app, mini-games, chatbots, and plug-ins are also now able to use the in-app purchase system.

New Emoji

The iOS 17.4 beta adds new emoji characters that include lime, an edible brown mushroom, a phoenix, a broken chain, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), and shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake).

iOS-17.4-New-Emoji-Feature-2.5.jpg

These emoji are part of the Unicode 15.1 update that was approved in September 2023.

Messaging with Siri

The Automatically Send Messages setting under Siri & Search has been renamed "Messaging with Siri," and there is an option to set Siri to read incoming messages in a specific language like Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and many more.

ios-17-4-messaging-with-siri.jpg

The change does not update the primary language that Siri listens in and responds to, but is limited to message playback.

Podcasts and Music

The "Listen Now" tabs in Apple Music and Podcasts have been renamed to "Home."

apple-music-home.jpg


Podcast Transcripts

The Podcasts app now offers transcripts, similar to how lyrics work in the Apple Music app.

podcast-app-transcript.jpg

Podcasts also uses the Apple Music Now Playing bar when collapsed.

Safari

The URL/search bar in Safari is now wider than it was before.

ios-17-4-wider-safari-url-bar.jpg

Stolen Device Protection

In the Stolen Device Protection section of the S... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: iOS 17.4 Beta 1 Tidbits: EU App Store Updates, Cloud Gaming Apps, Podcast Transcripts and More
 
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Lizzard899

macrumors member
Feb 8, 2023
47
27
Delaware
Maybe stolen device protection feature will show up on my iphone se (2022) in 17.4 because currently its not showing up as an option on ios 17.3. It might be a glitch and might be fixed if they come out with 17.3.1. I know others have said its not showing up on their ipads and other phones.
 
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Fuzzball84

macrumors 68020
Apr 19, 2015
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My iphone 13 mini on ios 17.3 has been terrible with regards to battery life… but my ipad mini 6 on ipad OS 17 has been stellar… only just upgraded earlier this week, so i hope it resolves 🤔

Or next update helps….
 

JosephAW

macrumors 603
May 14, 2012
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Too bad iMessage was a smart enough to only show the emojis available to the receiving party, especially for older iOS users instead of receiving little square blocks. :rolleyes:
 

truthsteve

macrumors 6502a
Nov 3, 2023
812
2,187
Apple: introducing a default browser option
World: that’s amazing

EU: mandating more choice
World: that’s stupid

You mean mandating non-webkit which means developers now have to deal with many browser engines for their website and users have to deal with many browsers as undoubtedly some websites will require Chrome instead of Safari?

yeah, I speak for the World: "that's stupid".
 

DFZD

macrumors 65816
Apr 6, 2012
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You mean mandating non-webkit which means developers now have to deal with many browser engines for their website and users have to deal with many browsers as undoubtedly some websites will require Chrome instead of Safari?

yeah, I speak for the World: "that's stupid".
You do realise that web devs use css frameworks and they are optimised for most of the popular browser engines by default? It’s not like browser companies are going to invent new engines because iOS allows them. They will just port their Android engines.
 
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dampfnudel

macrumors 601
Aug 14, 2010
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Brooklyn, NY
So in a nutshell, EU is living in the future from today onwards.
Hopefully criminals in Europe, Russia and beyond won’t take advantage of that future, but they probably will. I can appreciate what the EU is trying to do, but I hope safety and security are not sacrificed for the sake of choice and saving a few Euros.
 
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DFZD

macrumors 65816
Apr 6, 2012
1,068
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Hopefully criminals in Europe, Russia and beyond don’t take advantage of that future, but they probably will.
Well Apple has worked out a solution for that. They explained it quite well. The Security will be same as an app downloaded from the App Store, it just won’t be listed on the app store.
 

iDeviceNewz

macrumors newbie
Jan 25, 2024
2
8
Also in SETTINGS > GENERAL there’s a new settings tab called “GAME CONTROLLER” . There you can create and change profiles for the controllers you connect.
I tried out with the Dualsense (PS5 controller), but i encounter some bugs.
 

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Mr Fusion

macrumors 6502a
May 7, 2007
841
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How is this determined? Does the phone have to be purchased in the EU? Does the update check the GPS location? Or simply the App Store country the phone's presently signed into?

EU Changes

Apple implemented several major changes to the way the App Store and apps operate in the European Union in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act. These changes are included in iOS 17.4, but are limited to countries that are in the European Economic Area.
 

iDeviceNewz

macrumors newbie
Jan 25, 2024
2
8
Other thing I noticed is that there are now animated wallpapers.
One I liked is the wallpaper that changes according to the weather. (Only animated in the lockscren)

EDIT:
Nevermind, apparently iOS 17 already had this feature.
 
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JosephAW

macrumors 603
May 14, 2012
5,979
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How about fixing existing bugs before adding new features. Just had to reboot my iPhone 14 Pro because Siri keeps talking at full volume and no way to turn it down. o_O
My older WiFi devices still can't connect to my hotspot. I think it has something with no subnet masks being provided for connected devices using ip4. Noticing it's blank even on Apple TV HD. :rolleyes:
 
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hagar

macrumors 68000
Jan 19, 2008
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You mean mandating non-webkit which means developers now have to deal with many browser engines for their website and users have to deal with many browsers as undoubtedly some websites will require Chrome instead of Safari?

yeah, I speak for the World: "that's stupid".
How is it the EU’s fault Chromium took over the global internet. Why didn’t US government bodies step in? Google, an American company, now controls almost all access to the internet.

And… developers already have to deal with multiple browsers. Since the nineties. Welcome to the internet.
 
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