The new iOS 17.4 update is officially here. Expect a gaggle of new emojis, tweaks to Apple Podcasts, and more.
Curious about the eye-catching new features that will grace your iPhone? Check out the top five perks coming your way via iOS 17.4.
iOS 17.4 update: 5 new features coming to your iPhone
Your can update your phone by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update. Without further ado, here are the new features coming to your iOS device.
1. New emojis
As we mentioned in January, Apple is adding 118 new emojis to its colorful catalog of characters.
Six new emojis coming to the iOS 17.4 update
Credit: Emojipedia
Six of them are brand-spankin’ new concepts, including two head-shaking emojis for yes and no gestures, a slice of lime, a mushroom, a broken chain, and a fiery phoenix.
2. Apple Podcasts tweaks
With iOS 17.4, Apple Podcasts now has transcripts in the following four languages: English, French, German and Spanish.
Credit: Apple
“Transcripts offer full text display for each episode, making podcasts more accessible and immersive than ever before,” Apple said in a press release. “Episode text can be read in full, searched for a word or phrase, tapped to play from a specific point and built around accessibility.”
3. Siri can announce messages in any supported language
Credit: Apple
Continuing the trend of language expansion on iOS 17.4, Siri is getting an update that now lets users listen to messages from the virtual assistant in any supported language.
4. New ‘Battery Health’ info
On iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models, you can see the battery cycle count, manufacture date, and first use under “Battery Health” via the Settings app.
5. Use Apple Cash for merchants without Apple Pay
Credit: Apple
If you’re dealing with a merchant that doesn’t accept Apple Pay (ahem, I’m looking at you Walmart), you can use your Apple Cash virtual card number by typing in the number from Wallet or via Safari AutoFill.
6. Apple Music Playlists update
According to Apple, after updating your iPhone to iOS 17.4, you should have the option to add songs to Apple Music Playlists, Library, and Apple Music Classical after identifying them via music recognition.
The new iOS 17.4 update is available now for users with an iPhone XS or newer.