The iOS 16.4 Update Improves Apps And Shortcuts

Apple just released the iOS 16.4 beta update. The beta version implies that it has limited upgrades, but they are more than enough!

It lets you set notifications for website shortcuts to act more like apps. Moreover, it brings improvements to Apple TV and iMessage.

Even better, the new iOS lets you express yourself further in DMs by providing new emojis.

How iOS 16.4 web apps work

Perhaps one of its most significant upgrades is enabling more web app features. In case you don’t know, you could make home screen shortcuts for websites.

They let you open pages immediately instead of logging in via Safari or other browsers. For example, you could set a ChatGPT shortcut to use the AI chatbot easily. 

Thanks to iOS 16.4, they can now send notifications. Here’s how Webkit bloggers Jen Simmons and Brady Eidson explained how it works:

“A web app that has been added to the Home Screen can request permission to receive push notifications as long as that request is in response to direct user interaction.”

For example, the new feature will ask if you want notifications after tapping the “Subscribe” button on a web app.

Accept the confirmation, and your web app will send alerts regarding your subscription. For example, the ChatGPT web app would notify when it had an update.

Eidson and Simmons added, “the notifications from web apps work exactly like notifications from other apps.”

“They show on the Lock Screen, in Notification Center, and on a paired Apple Watch,” they said. Moreover, you could adjust their permissions via Notification Settings.

Web apps will also have a notification badge count and support Focus modes. If you have multiple versions of a web app, you may give them different settings. 

What are the other features of iOS 16.4?

The latest operating system lets shortcuts do more than push notifications. They can perform the following actions too:

• Set Stage Manager
• Shut Down
• Set True Tone
• Set Announce Notifications
• Lock Screen
• Set Always on Display
• Intercom
• Set VPN
• Silence Unkown Callers
• Set AirDrop Receiving
• Set Night Shift

These actions trigger in response to your preferred events, such as activating Focus Mode or updating the device location. 

For example, you could turn off the “Announce Notifications” option to remove interruptions while Work Focus is active. Also, iOS 16.4 provides these new emojis: 

• Angel Wings
• Donkey
• Flute
• Ginger
• Goose
• Grey Heart
• Hair Pick
• Hand Fan
• Hyacinth
• Jellyfish
• Khanda
• Light Blue Heart
• Maracas
• Moose
• Pea Pod
• Pink Heart
• Pushing hand right (six skin tone variations)
• Pushing hand left (six skin tone variations)
• Shaking Smiley Face
• Wi-Fi

The iOS 16.4 upgrade also puts minor changes to the Apple TV and iMessage apps. Back then, you would have to press and hold your finger on an Apple TV show to see more information.

Sometimes, that plays the title instead of showing the media page. The new version shows a drop-down menu to prevent this flaw in user experience. 

Moreover, iMessage will not display Mastodon links as rich previews, so users would not need edits or other workarounds.

Conclusion

The iOS 16.4 update lets you do more with your iPhone and iPad. Web apps have more functionality, and you get more emojis.

Your Apple device should automatically update once it links to the internet. You could manually set the upgrade via the Settings menu.

Your other devices might have received improvements too. Follow Inquirer Tech so that you can check for the latest digital updates.