10 Reasons to Install iOS 17.4 Today

iOS 17.4 Fixes Two Major Security Problems

Just like with most updates, Apple has fixed some security vulnerabilities that could allow people to exploit your iPhone.

iOS 17.4 actually fixes quite a few of these problems, but the two biggest issues could target your iPhone's kernel — the core of iOS — and RTKit, Apple's real-time operating system that runs on the iPhone, Apple Watch, and even your AirPods.

Exploiting these two security flaws could let a person bypass your iPhone's kernel protections and gain full access to your device without you being able to do anything about it.

If you don't care much for new features, at least update your iPhone to keep it and your data safe — especially now that Apple has published these vulnerabilities for everyone to know about.

Install iOS 17.4 if You Love Emojis

Emojis have always been a great way to express emotions without using text, which is why companies like Apple constantly add new emojis to their collections.

Fortunately for emoji lovers, iOS 17.4 was no exception. This software update brings a total of 118 new emojis if you count the different variations of each one. In total, there are six entirely new emojis, four family emojis, and six other people emojis that have specific directions. 

The new emojis include a brown mushroom, a broken chain, a phoenix, a lime, and two heads shaking, one vertically and the other horizontally.

If you love emojis, then you should install iOS 17.4 right away.

The Podcasts App Now Has Transcripts

This is one of the coolest new features you can start using right now. Just like Apple Music has a lyrics section for almost every song, the Podcasts app now has a transcripts option for your favorite podcast episodes.

These transcripts are automatically generated, and the Podcasts app will highlight the text to match what the person is saying. Not only that, but, just like lyrics, you can tap on any section of the text, and the Podcasts app will move the episode to that specific time. 

And to make this feature even more useful, there's also a search option. You can find a specific part that you remember hearing simply by tapping what the person said. These transcripts work for English, Spanish, French, and German podcasts.

Apple Cash Just Got Better

If you use Apple Cash, you know how useful it is. But you probably also know that Apple Cash isn't supported everywhere. Fortunately, with iOS 17.4, that's about to change.

Now, Apple Cash lets you create a virtual card number that you can use to pay in places that don't support Apple Pay. All you need to do is use your digital card's number — just like a regular credit or debit card — and you'll be able to pay.

You can also use your iPhone's AutoFill feature to let your iPhone fill in your digital card's details when you're trying to buy something in Safari.

Siri Can Read Your Messages in Any Language

Siri has also been improved in iOS 17.4. Before, Siri would read a text message to you in your main language, making it a bit awkward to use if someone wrote in a different language.

Now, however, you have the option to choose another language in which you'd like Siri to read your messages. This is perfect for those bilingual families who love chatting in their first language.

Keep in mind that using this feature will not change your iPhone's main language.

Another small change for Siri is that you'll now be able to use "Siri" instead of "Hey Siri" in Germany.

iOS 17.4 Gives You More Battery Health Data

Keeping your iPhone's battery in tip-top shape doesn't have to be a hassle, especially if you install iOS 17.4.

The new software update brings new information about your battery and your iPhone. If you go to Battery Health — previously called Battery Health & Charging — you can see your battery health status, how many battery cycles you've done, and even the first time your iPhone was used.

Unfortunately, this change is only available on the iPhone 15 lineup. If you have an older model, you'll still have the regular Battery Health & Charging settings. 

The good news for iPhone 15 users is that Apple has confirmed that the battery on the latest models is working better than expected.

Music Recognition Is Better in iOS 17.4

This is another great change for music lovers. If you're always trying to recognize songs you hear on the radio, you'll want to install iOS 17.4 right away.

The update brings a new way to add any song you identified with Music Recognition (also known as Shazam). All songs you identify will be added to any of your Apple Music or Apple Music Classic libraries. A small change, but you no longer need to remember to add songs; you can just save them immediately.

Stolen Device Protection Has Also Improved

Apple also made your iPhone a little bit safer if it ever falls into the wrong hands. Now, Stolen Device Protection (introduced in iOS 17.3) has an improvement to its Security Delay feature, which, as you can guess, will give a small delay when you want to make any changes to your security settings.

With this feature, if you're away from a location that your iPhone considers "familiar," you're forced to wait before making any changes to high-security information like your password.

Now, in iOS 17.4 there's also the option to "Always" enforce a delay before you're allowed to make changes to those settings. This way, not even a friend or family member will be able to change your security settings before waiting some time.

iOS 17.4 Fixes Some Bugs

As we all know by now, iOS 17 wasn't perfect. In fact, it had a lot of bugs when it was first released to the public. Luckily, most major issues are gone now, but that doesn't mean there weren't a few left.

The good news is that iOS 17.4 also took care of a few bugs that were annoying people. Most notably, the software update fixed the issue where your iPhone would randomly switch from your primary phone number to your secondary one if you were using two or more digital SIM cards. 

Also, now contact pictures shouldn't appear blank when you see them in the Find My app.

Big Changes for the EU

Most people around the world can use all of iOS 17.4's new features, but folks in the European Union got the best part of it. Thanks to some new regulations in the EU, all countries that are part of it can now use alternative app marketplaces on their iPhones. That means you don't need to solely rely on the App Store; you can find other app stores and find different apps at different prices.

People who are part of the EU will also be able to use other wallet apps to make payments using the iPhone's NFC chip, so you won't have to be stuck with Apple Pay anymore.

This is just the tip of the iceberg; there are plenty of more new things you'll be able to enjoy if you're in the EU.