Apple Releases iOS 16.4 With New Emoji, Safari Web Push Notifications, Beta Changes, Voice Isolation for Calls and More

Apple today released iOS 16.4, the fourth major update to the iOS 16 operating system that initially came out last September. iOS 16.4 comes two months after the launch of iOS 16.3, an update that added Security Keys for Apple ID.

iOS 16
iOS 16‌.4 and iPadOS 16.4 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes for the updates to propagate to all users due to high demand. Apple has also released iOS 15.7.4 for iPhone users who have older devices, with the update offering security improvements.

iOS 16.4 adds 21 total new emoji characters including shaking head, pink heart, blue heart, gray heart, donkey, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, hyacinth, and more.

It also includes Safari web notifications for websites added to the Home Screen, Voice Isolation for clearer cellular phone calls, the return of the Apple Books page turning animation, updates to Podcasts, new HomeKit architecture, and a number of other small changes and tweaks. Apple's full notes for the update are below:

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

- 21 new emoji including animals, hand gestures, and objects are now available in emoji keyboard
- Notifications for web apps added to the Home Screen
- Voice Isolation for cellular calls prioritizes your voice and blocks out ambient noise around you
- Duplicates album in Photos expands support to detect duplicate photos and videos in an iCloud Shared Photo Library
- VoiceOver support for maps in the Weather app
- Accessibility setting to automatically dim video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected
- Fixes an issue where Ask to Buy requests from children may fail to appear on the parent's device
- Addresses issues where Matter-compatible thermostats could become unresponsive when paired to Apple Home
- Crash Detection optimizations on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models

iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 may be some of the last updates that we see to the iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 operating systems as Apple shifts its focus to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, software that will be announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference that's expected in June.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

antiprotest Avatar
30 months ago

Safari Web Push Notifications is a groundbreaking game changer
I want to know the moment @TheYayAreaLiving ? likes my comment.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
30 months ago
Thank you, Apple! Hoping the bugs have been fixed. Wishing all of us iOS 16.4 good luck!!!



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Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krspkbl Avatar
30 months ago
You know what this means...

An article tomorrow titled "When will Apple release iOS 16.5?"
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tipoo Avatar
30 months ago

Thank you, Apple! Hoping the bugs have been fixed. Wishing all of us iOS 16.4 good luck!!!


I really just want iOS17 to focus on nuking 100% of the jank and slop like this, and make everything as smooth and efficient as possible. I'd give up all new features for that.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
30 months ago
Who’s ready to use the new emojis?



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Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
raziel101 Avatar
30 months ago
I’m still not yet ready to participate in the ongoing beta of ios16. Will stay on 15…
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)