Apple released iOS 13.4 to registered developers on March 18. The update comes just hours after news broke that iOS 13.4 would hit all compatible devices on March 24. The update is the GM (golden master), which makes it the same build as the official release we expect to see on March 24, although Apple does refer to it as "beta 6" on the dev site.
Apple released iOS 13.4 to developers at 10 a.m. PDT, its usual release time for software updates. The public beta equivalent came just hours after the developer beta, so all beta testers have had the opportunity to update to the GM.
Developers updating to iOS 13.4 will experience at least 25 new features and changes. Some of the highlights include:
- Nine new Memoji stickers
- Significant update to Mail's toolbar, new "Move" and "Compose" options
- Home button iPhone's get iPhone X-style Control Center
- MacOS and iOS apps can now be purchased together, consolidating platforms
- iCloud Folder Sharing finally hits iOS
- CarKey API will allow you to control your car with your iPhone, including sharing CarKeys with friends via iMessage
- New streaming and download options for the TV app
- Evidence for an upcoming OTA "OS Recovery" feature
Changelog & Release Notes
You'll find the full changelog below:
iOS 13.4 introduces new Memoji stickers and iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app. This update also contains bug fixes and improvements.
Memoji
- Nine new Memoji stickers, including Smiling Face with Hearts, Hands Pressed Together, and Party Face
Files
- iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app
- Controls to limit access only to people you explicitly invite or grant access to anyone with the folder link
- Permissions to choose who can make changes and upload files and who can only view and download files
- Always-visible controls to delete, move, reply to, or compose a message in conversation view
- Responses to encrypted emails are automatically encrypted when you have configured S/MIME
App Store with Apple Arcade
- Universal Purchase support enables the use of a singular purchase of a participating app across iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
- Recently played Arcade games appear in the Arcade tab so you can continue playing on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
- List view for See All Games
CarPlay
- Third-party navigation app support for the CarPlay Dashboard
- In-call information appears on the CarPlay Dashboard
Augmented Reality
- AR Quick Look supports audio playback in USDZ files
Keyboard
- Predictive typing support for Arabic
This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. This update:
- Adds status bar indicator to display when VPN has disconnected on iPhone models with all-screen displays
- Fixes an issue in Camera where the viewfinder may appear as a black screen after launch
- Addresses an issue where Photos may appear to use excess storage
- Resolves an issue in Photos that may prevent sharing an image to Messages if iMessage is disabled
- Fixes an issue in Mail where messages may appear out of order
- Addresses an issue in Mail where the conversation list may display empty rows
- Resolves an issue where Mail may crash when tapping the Share button in Quick Look
- Fixes an issue in Settings where cellular data may incorrectly display as off
- Addresses an issue in Safari where webpages may not be inverted when both Dark Mode and Smart Invert are active
- Resolves an issue where text copied from web content may appear invisible when pasted when Dark Mode is active
- Fixes an issue in Safari where a CAPTCHA tile may display incorrectly
- Addresses an issue where Reminders may not issue new notifications for an overdue recurring reminder until it is marked as completed
- Resolves an issue where Reminders may send notifications for completed reminders
- Fixes an issue where iCloud Drive appears to be available in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote even when not signed in
- Addresses an issue in Apple Music where music videos may not stream in high quality
- Resolves an issue where CarPlay may lose its connection in certain vehicles
- Fixes an issue in CarPlay where the view in Maps may move away briefly from the current area
- Addresses an issue in the Home app where tapping an activity notification from a security camera may open a different recording
- Resolves an issue where Shortcuts may not appear when tapping on the Share menu from a screenshot
- Improves the Burmese keyboard so punctuation symbols are now accessible from numbers and symbols
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
You'll find the full release notes below:
iOS & iPadOS 13.4 Beta 6 Release Notes
Overview
The iOS & iPadOS 13.4 SDK provides support to develop apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices running iOS & iPadOS 13.4. The SDK comes bundled with Xcode 11.4, available from Beta Software Downloads. For information on the compatibility requirements for Xcode 11.4, see Xcode 11.4 Beta 3 Release Notes.
General - Known Issues
- To install iOS 13.4 beta 6 using the Restore Image, first install Xcode 11.4 beta 2.
Keyboard - New Features
- QuickType Keyboard now supports predictive input for Arabic.
- QuickType Keyboard now supports Live Conversion for Japanese and Chinese (Zhuyin).
- QuickType Keyboard now supports Swiss German layout for 12.9-inch iPad layout.
Keyboard - Resolved Issues
- 12.9-inch iPad layouts for several languages now match the hardware keyboard layouts.
Location Services - New Features
- When an app requests Always authorization for the first time after having previously been authorized for While Using the App, the device immediately presents the location authorization prompt. (57106235)
Photos - New Features
- New keyboard shortcuts are available in Photos on iPadOS, which create quick navigation between tabs, search, and create albums. While in full screen mode, you can also delete, duplicate, and enter Edit mode using a keyboard. (57195967)
RealityKit - Known Issues
- After updating to iOS & iPadOS 13.4, you won't be able to synchronize scenes with peers using earlier versions of RealityKit due to a fundamental change in the physics system. If two peers running a MultipeerConnectivityService have incompatible versions, they will remain connected in the underlying MCSession but won't synchronize scenes. iOS & iPadOS 13.4 adds a new NetworkCompatibilityToken class so a host can avoid inviting incompatible clients to its MCSession. Please see the NetworkCompatibilityToken documentation for additional details. (59262764)
SwiftUI - New Features
- When using a NavigationView with multiple columns, the navigation bar now shows a control to toggle the columns. (49074511)
- The onDrag and onDrop modifiers are now available on iOS. (49661347)
To update your iPhone to iOS 13.4, you need to be a registered developer. You can use the restore image for your iPhone available in the Developer portal (install with iTunes or Finder) or install the configuration profile, then update over the air. If you already have the profile installed on your iPhone, head over to Settings –> General –> Software Update to start installing the latest beta build, or you can wait until it installs automatically if "Automatic Updates" is enabled.
Just updated your iPhone to iOS 18? You'll find a ton of hot new features for some of your most-used Apple apps. Dive in and see for yourself:
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