Apple has released iOS 17.4 RC (Release Candidate) and it is now available for download alongside iPadOS 17.4 RC. The RC version of iOS 17.4 has been released for developers ahead of its expected release to the public next week.
iOS 17.4 is a major update that brings a bunch of new features, performance upgrades, and bug fixes to iPhones and iPads.
iOS 17.4 RC and iPadOS 17.4 RC are not the only releases that have been made by Apple today. The company has also released macOS Sonama 14.4 beta 5 and visionOS 1.1 beta 4 to developers.
Changes in iOS 17.4 RC
Perhaps the biggest change in iOS 17.4 will only be available to EU users. Due to the EU’s Digital Markets Act regulation, Apple will now allow third-party app markets to compete against its App Store. This is the first time Apple is allowing non-App Store app markets on iPhone. Sadly this new change will only be available to those who live inside the EU, while the rest of the world will only have access to the App Store.
In addition to EU-related changes, Apple is also bringing new emoji in iOS 17.4. This includes new emojis for mushrooms, lime, broken chair, phoenix, and shaking hands. iOS will also offer option to change 18 people and body emoji in either direction.
CarPlay enhancements have also been introduced in this update that will now display Apple Maps data on instrument clusters.
In Apple Podcasts apps Apple is adding a new feature that will allow the app to auto-generate transcripts. The transcripts will be available in English, Spanish, French, and German languages. The app will highlight the text in sync with the audio, just like lyrics are highlighted in the Music app. Users will also be able to read episode text in full and even search for a word or phrase. Users will also have access to accessibility features like Text Size, Increase Contrast, and VoiceOver.
Apple has also shared a list of bug fixes that have been introduced in iOS 17.4. Here’s the complete list of bug fixes. This includes bug fixes related to Music Recognition, Siri, Stolen Device Protection, Battery Health, Call Identification, Apple Cash, Find My, and more.
