Apple today seeded the third betas of upcoming iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 updates to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its release. The third public iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 betas come a week after Apple released the second betas.
Public beta testers can get the beta by opening up the Settings app, going to the Software Update section, tapping on the "Beta Updates" option, and toggling on the iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 Public Beta. Signing up on Apple's beta testing website is required.
The iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 betas introduce a whole slew of changes for users in the European Union, allowing for alternative app stores and alternative payment methods.
There are new options for choosing a default browser, NFC has been opened up to banks and other financial institutions, and browsers aren't mandated to use WebKit.
Along with these changes, the update also brings new emoji characters, Podcast transcripts, tweaks to Safari, hints of what we can expect from the next-generation CarPlay, and more.
Tuesday February 24, 2026 4:03 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple CEO Tim Cook was among a handful of top tech executives who attended a classified CIA briefing warning that China could attack Taiwan by 2027, according to a sweeping investigative report by The New York Times ($).
The previously unreported briefing was apparently held in a secure room in Silicon Valley in July 2023. The meeting is said to have been arranged at the request of the...
Wednesday February 25, 2026 5:37 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple has submitted production line orders for its upcoming foldable iPhone, effectively confirming that the device will launch this year, claims a Chinese leaker.
According to the Weibo account "Fixed Focus Digital," assembly lines recently received the orders from Apple, which has apparently allowed the leaker to learn the crease measurements for the device's 7.8-inch inner display....
Sunday February 22, 2026 9:48 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple will have a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4. In total, he expects Apple to introduce "at least five products."
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A week ago, Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in...
And that's how they designed it to fail. Nobody will develop browsers with their own engine just for european iPhones. It's sad that Apple is so afraid of competition that they don't see how they are holding back their own platforms. The iPad could really replace a computer, if they'd just let it.
Apple implements these rules in a way which have "bad faith" written all over it, it is embarrassing even to think about it. And this a company which earned almost $100 billion in the last fiscal year and the fiscal year before that and before that.
And that's how they designed it to fail. Nobody will develop browsers with their own engine just for european iPhones. It's sad that Apple is so afraid of competition that they don't see how they are holding back their own platforms. The iPad could really replace a computer, if they'd just let it.
I don’t think I would want it to replace my MacBook, but I certainly wish it was more capable.
