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Apple has released updates for many of its operating systems and none have more impact than the changes to iOS, at least in the European Union. With the arrival of iOS 17.4, Apple is adhering to strict new rules on the block when it comes to the App Store. Apple now officially supports third-party app stores on iPhones in the EU, while developers can offer third-party payment options. Web browser makers no longer need to base their apps on Apple’s WebKit, while Apple is opening up the NFC chip to wireless payments that have nothing to do with Apple Pay.
While those revolutionary updates are limited to the EU, iOS 17.4 also has some neat new features for people elsewhere. Apple Podcasts now offers automatic transcriptions in English, Spanish, French, and German. The text will be highlighted in sync with the audio to make it easier to follow. You can search for the text and tap it to start playing the audio at a certain point.
Elsewhere, there are plenty of new emoji for you to enjoy. They include a mushroom, a phoenix, a lime, a broken chain and shaking heads. Apple has also updated 18 people and body emojis so you can look at them in any direction.
Other updates concern features such as battery health, Siri (with the ability to read received messages in any supported language), stolen device protection, and virtual card numbers for Apple Cash. Thanks to an update to Caller ID, when you make an Apple-verified business call, you’ll see your name, logo, and department title. There are also a large number of bug fixes.
Along with iOS 17.4, Apple also released iPadOS 17.4, which has many of the same changes, including App Store updates to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act. The company is also expected to release visionOS 1.1 (for Apple Vision Pro), macOS 14.4, watchOS 10.4, and HomePod 17.4 imminently.