Apple Releases iOS 16.4 Beta 2 for Developers: Here's All That's New

Apple released iOS 16.4 Beta 1 to developers earlier this year in February. New emojis, Safari browser improvements, and other features were included in the update. The company had also optimised support for third-party browsers. Such apps are supposedly now capable of allowing users to add websites to their main screen. Earlier this week, the Cupertino- based tech giant released the iOS 16.4 Beta 2 for developers which enhances the new “5G Standalone” feature that was added with iOS 16.4 Beta 1, and introduces many other new features.

Tech reviewers Aaron Zollo (@zollotech) and Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) noted that the page turning effect has returned to Apple Books with this iOS 16.4 Beta 2 update, which was removed when the reworked Books app was released with iOS 16 last year.

Apple permitted 5G Standalone support on the iPhone for the very first time with the first iOS 16.4 Beta. However, the feature was then only available to T-Mobile customers in the United States. Apple has now also augmented 5G Standalone support to Brazilian carriers Vivo and TIM Brazil, with the latest update. Based on the iOS code, a 9to5 Mac report claimed to confirm that 5G SA will be available to Softbank customers.

A 5G network that uses dedicated hardware is referred to as 5G Standalone, whereas 5G Non-Standalone is based on LTE communications infrastructure. T-Mobile claims that its 5G SA network can reach speeds of up to 3Gbps. However, the 5G Standalone is not the same as 5G mmWave, which is only accessible in the United States.

With iOS 16.4, Apple is collaborating with Docomo and JCOM to enable customers in Japan to easily convert a physical SIM card to an eSIM.

There were no new indications related to Apple Classical in the Music App in the first Beta of iOS 16.4. On the other hand, the iOS 16.4 Beta 2 update includes new remarks related to Apple's new classical music app. "To listen in Apple Music Classical, you'll need to install Apple Music," a note reads.

Apple purchased the classical music streaming service Primephonic nearly two years ago but currently there are no indications that the app will be released anytime in the near future. It is unclear what prompted Apple to postpone the release of Apple Classical.

Also, with this beta update, the AppleCare menu in iOS settings now displays device icons.