iPhone users just got a big update as Apple releases iOS 17.4.
The update brings major changes to iMessage security, updates to the Podcast app, and 118 new emoji.
Among them are a lime, a phoenix, a brown mushroom, a broken metal chain, two shaking heads, and four gender neural families.
There are also more than 100 people watching sideways in a variety of skin colors and genders, including some with canes and others in wheelchairs.
Here’s how you can download the latest iOS 17.4 update to try out the new emojis yourself.
iPhone users just got a big update as Apple releases iOS 17.4. The update brings major changes to iMessage security, updates to the Podcast app, and 118 new emoji.
The update includes 118 new emojis from the latest version of Unicode, the central bank of all approved emojis.
The vast majority (108) of the new characters are new “direction-specifying” versions of the six existing people emojis.
This includes side-facing people in a variety of skin colors and genders, including some with canes and others in wheelchairs.
Meanwhile, four new gender-neutral families take the form of silhouettes, similar to the previous ‘Bust in Silhouette’ and ‘Busts in Silhouette’.
Apple’s Gender Neural Family emojis are white on a light blue background and consist of two fathers and one son, one father and two sons, one father and one son, and two fathers and two sons.
The 118 new emojis consist primarily of new people emojis in a variety of skin tones, but iOS 17.4 will also bring a “yes” and “no” head nod, a phoenix, a lime, a mushroom, and a broken chain .
In addition to the new emojis, several changes are coming in response to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a new law aimed at eliminating unfair advantages of tech giants.
Under this law, Apple must allow developers to create and launch their own app stores for iPhone devices and offer apps through them.
In particular, Epic, creator of the hit game Fortnite, will launch its own Epic Store this year, allowing European users to download games to their phones.
The update will also allow apps to use the iPhone’s contactless payment system for services other than Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
These big changes will only be available in the EU, so UK users won’t see any changes in the App Store.
All users around the world will receive a major security update for iMessage.
iOS 17.4 introduces a new encryption system called PQ3 that is designed to protect users against attacks called ‘Harvest now, decrypt later’.
In these attacks, criminals collect data from users in the hope that they will one day be able to crack the code when they have access to quantum computing.
Apart from these changes, iPhone users will also get some additional features and improvements in some apps.
The Podcast app will be able to display live transcripts of any podcast in English, German, French or Spanish.
Users will be able to search for a specific word or phrase in the transcript to find its place in the podcast and tap a word to start playing from there.
The Podcast app will now automatically display episode transcripts. Users can read the podcast live (right) or search for specific words or phrases (left)
The iPhone 15 will also be able to display more information in the “Battery Health” settings, including cycle count, manufacturing date, and when the battery was first used.
Finally, the music recognition feature introduced in iOS 14.2 will allow users to add songs directly to their Apple Music library or playlists.
How to download the update
The iOS 17.4 update supports the same range of iPhone models as iOS 17 – everything newer than the iPhone X range of phones and the second generation iPhone SE.
To download the update, open your iPhone and navigate to the Settings app.
Select ‘General’ and then press ‘Software Update’.
The update rollout may be gradual in some regions, but users in the UK and US should be able to see the prompt to download the update.
Make sure you have at least 50 percent battery; Otherwise, you will not be able to start the download.
It may also be best to leave your phone charging during the update to ensure it doesn’t run out of battery during the process.
You will need at least 8.2 GB of free storage; the update will not consume it, but it is necessary to get started.
To save space, you can “Download” apps in the “Storage” settings, which will store the app data online until you need to download it again.