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What’s new on iOS 15.4

What’s new on iOS 15.4
Eve Vosloo

Eve Vosloo

  • Updated:

iOS 15.4 is an update of iOS 15, the current release of Apple’s iOS mobile operating system developed for its iPhone, iPod, and macOS devices. iOS 15 brought outstanding new features to iPhones that made them even more useful and enjoyable to own than they were and got rid of a few bugs in the process. iOS 15 took Apple devices to a whole new level. For example, it introduced many exciting new options like FaceTime SharePlay, which allows users in different places to watch movies and TV shows, or listen to music together on their FaceTime calls.

The iOS 15.4 update of iOS 15 brings a range of improved features to enhance the already advanced and user-friendly iPhone experience. Many already consider the iPhone to be the leading mobile phone on the market, and now it’s being improved on yet again. So, iPhone lovers, you’re in for a range of treats once you’ve downloaded iOS 15.4, the best Apple operating system update yet because of the number of innovations it introduces. You’ll get the following improvements.

Facial recognition wearing a mask

Possibly the most innovative and useful change brought by the iOS 15.4 update is that you can use facial ID on your phone while wearing a mask. This radical change in facial ID acknowledges the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. It makes it easier for you to unlock your phone where wearing a mask is mandatory to get access to the features you need to use. The photograph you take for facial ID scans the eye area of your face in great detail to allow you to authenticate yourself while wearing a mask.  

All you need to set it up is to do a second round of facial ID. In other words, scan your face twice. The facial ID wearing a mask will allow you into apps locked by Face ID. It’s even secure enough for Apple to let you access Apple Pay. 

One proviso is that this feature only comes with the iPhone 12 and newer phones, so you won’t be able to use it if you have an iPhone 11, iPhone X, or iPhone XS. 

6 Exciting new features

iOS 15.4 brings a large collection of new features. You get a home screen widget for Apple card and Apple Wallet that shows your balances and gives you other information. 

What’s new on iOS 15.4

Signing into Wi-Fi networks

iOS 15.4 enables you to sign into captive Wi-Fi networks using your phone. You’re likely to encounter these networks in hotels, office buildings, and shopping malls.

Health records on your phone

You will be able to upload your Covid vaccination records onto your iPhone. You can copy digital certificates into our Wallet or Health app, which will eliminate the need to carry a paper certificate. 

Keyboard brightness

You won’t struggle to see your keyboard in low light because you can adjust it.

New email domain

You can use iCloud Mail, a custom email domain that you’ll find in Settings.

Shortcuts

You can switch off notifications for shortcuts personal automations. 

Notes on passwords

iOS 15.4 allows you to add notes to your passwords in the iCloud Keychain.

Fun emojis

iOS 15.4 is a serious software update, but there’s some fun stuff as well, including 37 new emojis. Among them are seven new smileys: a melting face, a face with a hand over the mouth, a face with a peeking eye, a saluting face, a dotted line face, a face that has a diagonal mouth, and a face with tearful eyes. There’s also a range of new hand gestures that are also very expressive.

What’s new on iOS 15.4

Two of the new emojis are determinedly gender-neutral. They depict two people who are pregnant. One is a woman, but the other one is clearly a man. This must surely be a first for any emoji you’ll be able to find anywhere! 

What’s new on iOS 15.4

Some of the new iOS 15.4 emojis are very unusual. There’s an ogre, coral, a water lily, birds’ eggs in a nest as well as an empty birds’ nest (above), and an X-ray, a crutch, a ship’s lifebelt, liquid being poured from a glass, a playground slide, bubbles, a car tire, disco ball, and multi-racial handshakes. And could one be a hand with an evil eye in the palm? (below).

What’s new on iOS 15.4

Universal Control

The long-awaited Universal Control feature is one of the variants of iOS 15.4 for iPadOS 15.4. Another is for macOS 12.3. Universal control will allow you to work on multiple devices like iPads and Mac computers simultaneously, controlling them with one keyboard and mouse or a trackpad.

This is a radical and very welcome step towards ease of use if you’re working with more than one device at a time. It almost seems like magic when you have the screens of two devices next to each other on your desk, and you drag an item off one screen, and it appears instantly on the screen you’re using next to it. 

When will iOS 15.4 be available? 

Developers and members of the public who enrolled for the beta testing program have been thoroughly checking out the new operating system update in advance of its release. But by the time you read this, iOS 15.4 should be available to everyone who wants to update their Apple device and enjoy all the cool new advantages it will bring to their communication experience. 

Enjoy the new iOS features!

The new iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS 12.3 bring innovative and enjoyable enhancements to your already excellent Apple devices and the multiple tasks they can perform. Manufacturers and developers always recommend that you download their updates.

They do this for several good reasons, one of them being that they iron out any bugs discovered between updates every time a new one becomes available. And they introduce improvements to your Apple experience that you really don’t want to miss. 

Eve Vosloo

Eve Vosloo

I worked as a journalist for many years where I learned about computer software and how to research and write about almost anything under the sun. I became a copy editor, production editor, and book editor and used Adobe and Office software extensively. I learned about Mobile software by using phones, tablets and laptops. I love learning and writing about new trends and innovations.

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