Apple launches iOS 16.4 Beta 2 for developers: here are all the news

Apple released iOS 16.4 Beta 1 to developers earlier this year in February. New emojis, Safari browser improvements, and other features have been included in the update. The company had also optimized support for third-party browsers. These apps are now supposed to allow users to add websites to their main screen. Earlier this week, the Cupertino-based tech giant released iOS 16.4 Beta 2 for developers, which improves on 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 flip effect returned to Apple Books with this iOS 16.4 Beta 2 update, which was removed when the revamped Books app released with iOS 16 last year.

Apple allowed standalone 5G support on the iPhone for the very first time with the first beta of iOS 16.4. However, the feature was then only available to T-Mobile customers in the United States. Apple has also increased standalone 5G support for 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 would be available to Softbank customers.

A 5G network that uses dedicated hardware is called standalone 5G, while non-standalone 5G is based on LTE communication infrastructure. T-Mobile claims its 5G SA network can reach speeds of up to 3 Gbps. However, 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 was no new indication related to Apple Classical in the Music app in the first iOS 16.4 beta. On the other hand, the iOS 16.4 Beta 2 update includes new notes related to Apple’s new classical music app. “To listen in Apple Music Classical, you must install Apple Music,” a note reads.

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

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