iOS 16.4 beta 1 now available to developers

Almost a month after releasing iOS 16.3 to all users, Apple is now seeding iOS 16.4 beta 1 to developers. It’s still unclear what changes the Cupertino firm is bringing to this version, as it currently says it brings bug fixes and improvements.

That said, Apple still has a few features it needs to release, such as Apple Pay Later, Apple Music Classical, and expand Advanced Data Protection to more countries.

With iOS 16.3, Apple brought a few new features to iPhone users and a lot of bug fixes:

One of the most critical functions available with iOS 16.3 is physical Security Keys for Apple ID. With that, users can strengthen the security of their accounts by requiring a physical security key as part of the Two Factor Authentication sign-in process on new devices. This is a follow-up of other security features Apple introduced in the past few months.

In addition, iOS 16.3 update brings new Unity wallpaper that honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month.

If you are planning to buy the new HomePod 2, iOS 16.3 enables support for this smart speaker that brings back a fuller sound quality with heavier bass.

iOS 16.3 is also crucial for the bugs it fixes and the new tweaks it brings. They include:

• Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing it to prevent inadvertent emergency calls;
• Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards;
• Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen;
• Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max;
• Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display the Home app status;
• Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests;
• Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly.

Besides iOS 16.4 beta 1, Apple is also seeding iPadOS 16.4 beta, watchOS 9.4 beta 1, and macOS 13.3. BGR will report back once we learn more about the new features of this upcoming operating system update.