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When Will Apple Release iOS 16.4?

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple's next operating system update will be iOS 16.4, with the software in beta testing as of February 16. Software updates go through several rounds of testing with developers and public beta testers ahead of launch, so when can we expect to see iOS 16.4 provided to the public?

iOS-16.4-Feature-Red.jpg

Officially, Apple says that the iOS 16.4 and its sister updates iPadOS 16.4, macOS Ventura 13.3, tvOS 16.4, and watchOS 9.4 will be released in the "spring." The spring equinox (aka the first day of spring) is on Monday, March 20, and the season will last through June 21.

Apple delivered a release candidate version of iOS 16.4 to developers and public beta testers on Tuesday, March 21, indicating that a full release is very close. Unless a significant issue is discovered, this will be the version distributed to all users.

A public release typically comes about a week after the release candidate version is provided to beta testers, as seen in previous updates:
  • iOS 16.3 - The RC was released on January 18 after two betas, a launch followed on January 23.
  • iOS 16.2 - The RC was released on December 7 after four betas, a launch followed on December 13.
  • iOS 16.1 - The RC was released on October 18 after five betas, a launch followed on October 24.
  • iOS 15.6 - The RC was released on July 12 after six betas, a launch followed on July 20.
  • iOS 15.5 - The RC was released on May 12 after four betas, a launch followed on May 16.
With these dates in mind, the most probable candidate for an iOS 16.4 launch is Tuesday, March 28. The new Apple Music Classical app is also being released on March 28, so it's likely we will see everything on the same day. Software updates can also come on Mondays and Wednesdays and Apple Music Classical does not technically require iOS 16.4, so a release on March 27 or March 29 is also possible.

iOS 16.4 Features

iOS 16.4 is a major update with a long list of features. We've summarized some highlights below, but everything new in iOS 16.4 can be found in our dedicated guide.
  • New emoji characters that include shaking head, pink heart, blue heart, gray heart, donkey, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, hyacinth, pea pod, ginger, fan, comb, flute, and maracas.
  • Safari Web Push Notifications for apps saved to an iPhone or iPad's Home Screen.
  • The option to add websites and web apps to the Home Screen from third-party browsers like Chrome.
  • Voice Isolation for cellular phone calls.
  • Option to remove duplicate photos from iCloud Shared Photo Library
  • A return to the traditional "curl" page turning animation in Apple Books.
  • A re-release of the HomeKit architecture upgrade that was pulled from iOS 16.2.
  • Updates to the Podcasts app interface.
  • Crash Detection optimization for iPhone 14 models
At launch, iOS 16.4 will be able to be installed on all devices that are capable of running iOS 16, and it will be a free update. We are expecting iOS 16.4 to be one of the last major updates to iOS 16, with Apple set to turn its attention to iOS 17 as June's WWDC event approaches.

Article Link: When Will Apple Release iOS 16.4?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/ios-16-4-release-date/
Last edited:
This might not be a big deal to others but returning to the curl page turning in books is going to be a big deal for me!

I had not read a digital book in a while but started a new one a few days ago and was immediately annoyed at how to access menus and the slide page turning.

Glad they are going back to curl turning. I hope they adjust how the menu is accessed too. The whole revamp was a step back not a step forward.
 
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When Will Apple Release iOS 16.4?​

So glad to hear they are going back to calling it iOS. It made no sense to have separate iPadOS and iPhoneOS releases of what is basically the same software.
 
surfzen21 said:
This might not be a big deal to others but returning to the curl page turning in books is going to be a big deal for me!

I had not read a digital book in a while but started a new one a few days ago and was immediately annoyed at how to access menus and the slide page turning.

Glad they are going back to curl turning. I hope they adjust how the menu is accessed too. The whole revamp was a step back not a step forward.
Click to expand...
Ohhhh! That's right. I forgot about the page curl. Actually, that is one thing I'm looking forward to. Apple should never have removed it.

FqFEynkaEAA3aU1
 
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segfaultdotorg said:

When Will Apple Release iOS 16.4?​

So glad to hear they are going back to calling it iOS. It made no sense to have separate iPadOS and iPhoneOS releases of what is basically the same software.
Click to expand...
Not following there, it has never been iPhoneOS since I recall? At least not in the software update, downloaded files, etc.
MacRumors said:
Officially, Apple says that the iOS 16.4 and its sister updates iPadOS 16.4, macOS Ventura 13.3, tvOS 16.4, and watchOS 9.4 will be released in the "spring."
Click to expand...
Also, there might be a reason to split it, a lot of features or things specifically for the iPad (more landspace approach to wallpapers, Pencil, M1/M2 specific features, etc etc) would be bloat on iOS sized devices.
(Me thinks)
 
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segfaultdotorg said:

When Will Apple Release iOS 16.4?​

So glad to hear they are going back to calling it iOS. It made no sense to have separate iPadOS and iPhoneOS releases of what is basically the same software.
Click to expand...
Who said iPadOS was going away? It's been iOS and iPadOS for some time now...

amartinez1660 said:
Not following there, it has never been iPhoneOS since I recall? At least not in the software update, downloaded files, etc.

Also, there might be a reason to split it, a lot of features or things specifically for the iPad (more landspace approach to wallpapers, Pencil, M1/M2 specific features, etc etc) would be bloat on iOS sized devices.
(Me thinks)
Click to expand...
It was called iPhone OS. For us old timers, we remember iPhone OS 1, iPhone OS 2 and iPhone OS 3 before iOS 4 came out.
 
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surfzen21 said:
This might not be a big deal to others but returning to the curl page turning in books is going to be a big deal for me!

I had not read a digital book in a while but started a new one a few days ago and was immediately annoyed at how to access menus and the slide page turning.

Glad they are going back to curl turning. I hope they adjust how the menu is accessed too. The whole revamp was a step back not a step forward.
Click to expand...
Yup. Couldn’t agree more and a minor win for customer feedback! A little half step toward a little touch of skeumorphism for the betterment of Ui/UX is good news.
 
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nt5672 said:
You know it is a non-event update when the first bullet point is "New emoji characters....."
Click to expand...

Ya not sure why that update got the first mention considering there are plenty of updates that are excellent large steps. It’s a good update it’s just not an update with fancy new features to play with.
 
March 28.

Claro announces that 5G in standalone mode (SA) will be available in all iPhones compatible with the technology from the release of the final version of iOS 16.4, scheduled for March this year. The company points out that since the launch of Claro 5G+ in July 2022, the operator already offers access to 5G SA in all smartphones on the market that have this technology, such as Samsung Galaxy S23, Moto Edge 30 Pro 5G, among others.
Click to expand...
 
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I can't believe more people aren't talking about web push notifications on iOS. This is absolutely huge for app developers! PWAs for simple web view apps are finally a viable alternative. I've been waiting for this single feature for years!
 
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