iOS 17.4 was released last week after more than a month of beta testing, and the update includes many new features and changes for the iPhone.
iOS 17.4 introduces major changes to the App Store, Safari and Apple Pay in the EU, in response to the Digital Markets Act. Other new features include Apple Podcasts transcripts, an iMessage security upgrade, new emoji capabilities, and more.
We’ve provided more details on the new features and changes in iOS 17.4 below.
Changes in the App Store in the EU
To comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple has announced major changes to the App Store, Apple Pay, Safari and more. These changes were implemented with iOS 17.4 for iPhone users living in the 27 countries that belong to the EU.
First and foremost, Apple now allows alternative app markets and alternative payment options on the EU App Store. Other EU changes include a new default web browser selection screen in Safari, the ability for third-party web browsers to use web engines other than Apple’s WebKit on iPhone, the ability for third-party mobile wallet apps to access the iPhone’s NFC chip for contactless payment functionality, and more .
For more details, read our summary of all the EU changes in iOS 17.4 and Apple’s overview.
Transcripts of Apple podcasts
Starting with iOS 17.4, the Apple Podcasts app now offers transcripts for podcasts, allowing listeners to read the entire text of an episode, search for a specific word or phrase, and tap the text to jump to a specific part of the episode. As the episode plays, each word is highlighted, similar to the lyrics of Apple Music songs.
Apple says it automatically generates transcripts after a new episode is posted. Transcripts are available for podcasts in English, French, German, and Spanish, and will be added over time for older episodes in the podcast catalog.
iMessage Security Update
Apple recently announced a new post-quantum cryptographic protocol for iMessage called PQ3. Apple says this “revolutionary” and “state-of-the-art” protocol provides “comprehensive defenses against even highly sophisticated quantum attacks.”
iMessage already supports end-to-end encryption, but security researchers acknowledge that existing cryptographic protocols used by messaging apps rely on mathematical problems that could potentially be solved by future quantum computers. Although these computers don’t exist yet, Apple is preparing for the future with the new PQ3 protection.
PQ3 will be phased out for supported iMessage conversations starting with iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4 and watchOS 10.4, according to Apple, and the company says it will completely replace iMessage’s existing cryptographic protocol within all supported conversations starting later this year. All devices in an iMessage conversation must be updated to the above software versions or later to be eligible.
For technical details, read Apple’s security research blog and our previous report.
New Emoji
iOS 17.4 adds new emoticons, including broken chain, brown mushroom, horizontal shaking head, vertical shaking head, lime, and phoenix.
Next generation CarPlay applications
iOS 17.4 includes code for eight next-generation CarPlay apps:
- Automatic settings: This app will allow you to manage paired iPhones and adjust vehicle settings.
- Car camera: This app will display the rear view camera feed of the vehicle.
- To charge: For electric vehicles, this app will show the battery level, charging status, remaining time until the battery is fully charged and more.
- Climate: This app will provide access to the vehicle’s climate controls within CarPlay, allowing you to adjust the temperature of the air conditioning or heating system, fan speed, heated seats, heated steering wheel and more.
- Closure: This app will show if any of the vehicle’s doors are open and can also show the vehicle’s warning symbols.
- Media: This app will provide access to FM and AM radio station controls within CarPlay, along with other media options such as SiriusXM. It’s unclear whether SiriusXM will offer satellite connectivity or remain limited to Internet streaming. Users will be able to choose from a list of music genres, such as Top 40 and Rock.
- Tire pressure: This app will display the air pressure for each of the vehicle’s tires and give low pressure, high pressure and flat tire warnings.
- trips: This app will provide various driving related data including average vehicle speed, fuel efficiency or energy efficiency, total elapsed time and distance traveled during the trip and more.
Apple says the first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay will go on sale in “2024,” but the company has yet to provide a more precise timeframe. In December, Aston Martin and Porsche presented their next-generation CarPlay interface.
More
Apple’s release notes for iOS 17.4 mention seven additional improvements:
– Music Recognition lets you add songs you’ve identified to your Apple Music playlists and library, as well as Apple Music Classical
– Siri has a new option to announce received messages in any supported language
– Protection against stolen device supports the option for increased security in all locations
– Battery health in settings shows the number of battery cycles, date of manufacture and first use on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models
– Caller ID displays company name, logo, and Apple-verified department name if available
– Business updates in Messages for Business provide reliable information about order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts or other transactions you choose
– Apple Cash virtual card numbers allow you to pay with Apple Cash at merchants that don’t yet accept Apple Pay by entering your number from Wallet or using Safari AutoFill
iOS 17.4 is compatible with the iPhone XS series and later, but some features are limited to newer iPhone models. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone and select General → Software Update.