iOS 15.4: New Features, Release Date, and Latest News

Apple may have introduced iOS 15 last fall, but the iPhone software is still being developed. Since the release of iOS 15, updates have brought new capabilities like SharePlay, which allows you to watch videos and listen to music with people on FaceTime chats, as well as a new privacy report for all the apps on your iPhone.

iOS 15.4 was released in beta form last week, and it's already shaping up to be a significant update for iOS 15. While there are no major new features like SharePlay or a long-overdue feature like App Privacy Report, iOS 15.4 does include a number of bug fixes and adjustments. One, in particular, will be welcomed by masking-wearing iPhone users who have been unable to unlock their phones with Face ID since the coronavirus outbreak began. Here's a rundown of some of the more intriguing features in iOS 15.4, as well as for instructions on how to obtain the beta right now.

iOS 15.4 — how to try out the latest iOS 15 beta

The first developer beta for iOS 15.4 was released last week, followed by the public beta immediately after. (Apple's strategy is to release a developer beta first, then a public beta a day or two later.) We can expect more versions of the iOS 15.4 beta as Apple works out any bugs before releasing the final version.

If you're already a member of Apple's Beta Software Program, iOS 15.4 is ready to install. Simply open the Settings app on your phone and select General, then Software Updates. After that, all you have to do is touch the link to download and install the beta. (If your experience is anything like ours, downloading the iOS 15.4 beta will take a while, so make sure your phone is plugged in.)

If you haven't previously signed up for the Apple Beta Software program, you can still do so and try out iOS 15.4. Go to Apple's Beta Software Program page and sign in with your Apple ID to register the iPhone on which you intend to run the beta. The beta software profile can then be installed by following the on-screen instructions.

In our experience, iOS 15.4 is rather stable, while it is still a beta, so bugs are possible. We wouldn't recommend running the iOS 15.4 beta on anything other than a spare iOS device if you're not comfortable troubleshooting. If one isn't available, you're generally better off waiting until iOS 15.4's complete release, which is expected in the coming weeks. iOS 15.4 requires an iPhone 6s or later, much as iOS 15.

Top iOS 15.4 features

Use Face ID with a mask

You can now turn on a Face ID setting that allows Apple's unlocking technology to recognize your face even if you're wearing a mask. We first covered this when the initial developer beta of iOS 15.4 arrived, because it's pretty big news: You can now turn on a Face ID setting that lets Apple's unlocking technology recognize your face even if you're wearing a mask. You'll lose some security by enabling this option, but you'll save time by not having to enter your passcode every time you need to open your phone.

To use Face ID with a mask on, go to Face ID & Passcode, where a toggle for utilizing Face ID with a mask is now available. When you turn it on, you'll be asked to scan your face once more. After you've done all of that, Face ID should unlock whenever you look at the phone, even if you're wearing a mask.

Only the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models support the feature. The setting is available on my iPhone 13 running iOS 15.4 beta, however, it is not available on my iPhone 11 Pro Max running the same version.

Live Text integration with Notes and Reminders

If you've used iOS 15, you're certainly familiar with the Live Text feature, which allows you to capture text with your phone's camera and paste it into other apps. You could utilize Live Text with Notes and Reminders before, but iOS 15.4 improves the text-scanning feature's integration.

In particular, a Scan Text function has been added to the pop-up menu in both apps. When you click that, a camera window pops up, allowing you to capture text from a book, note, or photo. That content shows in your Note or Reminder right away, and you can tap Insert once you've captured all the information you need.

New Apple Pay authentication screen

When I take my iPhone out of my pocket, one of my pet peeves is discovering that I've accidentally started Apple Pay by double-clicking the side button twice. As a result, instead of my lock screen, I'm gazing at all of my credit and bank cards. It's quite unsettling.

I'm not sure if other iPhone users are experiencing the same issue, but Apple has added a little layer of security. When you double-click the side button, an authentication screen displays, requiring you to verify your identity using Face ID or passcode before your credit cards and passes appear. Yes, you can get past the authentication screen if you've set up your iPhone to allow Face ID to function with face masks.

In iOS 15.4, there is a lot of new emojis

It's not an iOS update without new emoji to add to your text, tweets, and emails, and iOS 15.4 delivers over three dozen new possibilities. Melting face, heart hands, and disco ball are among the 37 emoji. There's a pregnant woman emoji, as well as a pregnant guy emoji. Symbols for a biting lip, beans, a troll, and a jar can also be found. The Unicode Consortium approved all of the emoji that would be included in iOS 15.4 in September.

New camera options in the Magnifier app

Because the Magnifier app can help me zoom in on hard-to-read text and fine print on labels, I've set the side button on my iPhone to launch it. Thanks to new camera modes coming in iOS 15.4, it appears like I'll be able to choose between the multiple cameras on my iPhone.

You'll have to dig through the Magnifier app's settings to switch lenses, but you can add a Cameras control to the app. Which cameras are supported varies depending on the phone. I can now switch between Auto, Telephoto, Macro, and Selfie modes on the iPhone 11 Pro Max, for example. Only wide and selfie options are available with the dual-camera iPhone 13.

Notes in Keychain Passwords

Passwords can be stored on your iPhone and kept on the keychain for quick logins. Although that isn't new in iOS 15.4, a notes field is. You can fill in notes about essential passwords in the Settings app's Passwords section.

Why are you doing that? Because those notes can be found in the Passwords section as well. It's also sometimes quicker to enter the name of the app or website you're trying to get into than it is to remember the name of the app or website.

Apple Card widget

You can now add an Apple Card widget to the Today display in iOS 15.4. This displays your account balance, available funds, and daily spending by category.

Wallet app digital IDs

Before we get to the minor changes, let's take a look at a major feature that isn't yet in iOS 15.4 but maybe in the future. After adding their license or state ID to the Wallet app, US residents will be able to use it at TSA checkpoints in select airports, with businesses, events, and venues following suit.

Even if this feature is added, the implementation appears to be gradual. It's unclear when or if the feature will be handed out to other countries.