After a number of years that saw a succession of buggy iOS releases, Apple astutely decided to switch things up. So instead of introducing a new iteration of iOS with a seemingly endless list of features, Apple these days will roll out a new version of iOS in September and then follow that up with a number of meaningful updates over the next few months. The end result is a more stable iOS release along with an incentive to actually pay attention to new iOS updates throughout the year.
With that said, Apple earlier today rolled out the first developer beta of iOS 13.4 and there are quite a number of new features worth highlighting:
Bundled iOS and Mac apps
For the first time, developers will be able to bundle iOS and Mac apps together. In other words, consumers can purchase one app and have it available across another platform without having to make an additional purchase.
New Memojis
I still lament the fact that Snapchat acquired Bitmoji before Apple did. As a result, we’re stuck with Memojis which, while enjoyable, are far less fun to use than Bitmoji. That personal gripe aside, the new iOS 13.4 beta introduces a few new Memojis, including a shocked face, a face with rolling eyes, and more. The full list can be seen over here.
CarKey
A new CarKey API has been found that will enable Apple Watch and iPhone owners to unlock, lock, and start their vehicles directly from their devices. One of the cooler features of CarKey, as noted by 9to5Mac, is that users will be able to share access to their with designated friends and family. In other words, imagine a parent sharing access to a car with their children, thereby allowing the children to unlock and start a car with their own Apple Watch or iPhone.
Additional features
A few other iOS 13.4 features worth noting include additional keyboard shortcuts for the iPad, enhanced CarPlay functionality, iCloud Folder Sharing, and better implementation of the toolbar in the Mail app.
A list of devices compatible with iOS 13.4 can be viewed below:
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 3rd generation
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation
- 10.5-inch iPad Pro
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro
- iPad Air 3rd generation
- iPad Air 2
- iPad 6th generation
- iPad 5th generation
- iPad mini 5th generation
- iPad mini 4
- iPod touch 7th generation
If you’re part of the Apple Developer Program, check this post to see how to get the new beta.
