Apple releases second beta of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 with new emoji, Safari web push notifications, HomeKit update and more.

Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s free beta testing program will be able to download the iOS 16.4 beta over the air after installing the appropriate certificate from the Public Beta website.

This is the last beta that will use certificates in this way, as future beta updates will be tied to an Apple ID for both developers and public beta testers.

The iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates add a number of new emoji characters, including shaking head, pink heart, blue heart, gray heart, donkey, moose, black bird, goose, wing, jellyfish, hyacinth, pea pod, ginger, fan, comb, flute, maracas, and left- and right-facing hand options.

ios 16 4 emoji characters

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Safari Web Push notifications are available, but web developers must add support. With this feature, you can add a website to your Home screen, and the website can send you push notifications, just like on the Mac. These notifications behave like any other iOS notification and can be filtered with Focus mode, delivered to Apple Watch, and more.

There’s a new Add to Home Screen option for third-party browsers, so you can add a favorite Chrome site directly to your Home screen, and the HomeKit architecture upgrade that was pulled from iOS 16.2 is now available again. The second beta brings back the page-turning animation in Apple Books and includes hints of Apple Music Classical.

Apple has made minor tweaks to the Podcasts app, the Apple Music app, and the AppleCare coverage interface, plus there are new shortcuts, 5G connectivity in Turkey, an option to add an always-on display filter to Focus more, and more. For all the details on what’s new, check out our special iOS 16.4 guide.