Apple released the first developer beta for iOS 17.4 today, Jan. 25. This closely follows the official release of iOS 17.3, which included anticipated new features like Stolen Device Protection and collaborative playlists in Apple Music.
As it happens, iOS 17.4 is actually one of the most groundbreaking iOS updates ever. Unfortunately, most of the big changes only affect those living in the E.U. (at least for now). But the rest of us will find some fun new changes too.
Alternative app marketplaces (E.U. only)
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One of the biggest pieces of news with iOS 17.4 is the introduction of support for alternative app marketplaces. It’s a big point of contention in the E.U. The European Union has ordered Apple to open up iOS to allow third-party app stores in addition to Apple’s proprietary App Store. The idea is to encourage competition in the marketplace, as the government argues Apple currently has a monopoly on the apps it allows to be sold and downloaded on iPhone.
That doesn’t mean that any app can be made and sold through iOS in the E.U. post-iOS 17.4. Any app store that is created for iOS needs to be abide by Apple’s checklist of rules in order to actually be approved. In addition, while developers now have a choice whether to sell their apps through Apple’s stores or a third-party option, their apps will always need to go through similar security checks.
I imagine many developers will choose the third-party route, as they’ll be able to skirt the steep percentage fees Apple charges for apps sold via their official App Store. That said, there will still be a “Core Technology Fee,” even on third-party stores, which will charge half a euro per download, per account once an app reaches one million downloads. If you choose to host your app on Apple’s store, though, their cut drops from 30% to 17%, and subscription fees drop from 15% to 10%.
As a user, you’ll be able to set a default app marketplace, so iOS will know where you want to download the majority of your apps going forward.
Use whatever browser you want (E.U. only)
Apple’s default iOS browser is Safari. If you want to use another browser, like Chrome or Firefox, you can download it from the App Store, same as you would on a Mac. However, the key difference is, on iOS, all web browsers must be built on WebKit, the underlying platform powering Safari. While third-party browsers can offer slightly different features, or allow you to sync certain data with their desktop counterparts, all browsers on iOS are, at their core, Safari in disguise.
That, too, is changing, at least in the E.U. Starting with iOS 17.4, European iPhone users will be able to download third-party browsers that aren’t built with WebKit. Google can offer the same Chrome browser they offer on Android, as can Firefox. What’s more, Apple will allow you to choose from many different third-party browsers to serve as the default, including options like Firefox, Opera, Chrome, Brave, and Microsoft Edge.
NFC payments open to third parties (E.U. only)
In addition, third parties, including apps, can take advantage of NFC payments on iOS without going through Apple Pay. Users will be able to choose which app they want to use for NFC payments.
Apple doesn’t want these features to come to the U.S.
To be clear, Apple is not happy about these mandated changes in the E.U., saying they leave Apple users and devices vulnerable. The company wants to keep these changes limited to the E.U., but it doesn’t seem like that will hold forever. The cat’s out of the bag, and whether its government or market forces, Apple will likely need to open up its platform in similar ways around the world over the next few years.
118 new emojis
Finally, we get to new features all of us can use on iOS 17.4, including something everyone loves: new emojis. This new update adds support for emojis from Unicode 15.1, which brings 118 new icons to your iPhone. There’s a shaking head, a nodding head, a phoenix, lime, new mushroom, broken chain, as well as new people emojis, including a person in manual wheelchair, a person in motorized wheelchair, and a person with a white cane.
New option to always require security delay for Stolen Device Protection
With Stolen Device Protection enabled, there’s a delay before you can change security settings when away from known locations, like your home. With iOS 17.4, Apple added a new toggle that forces this delay at all times, even when iOS detects you’re somewhere safe.