iOS 15.4 is coming this Month

The fourth and final round of developer Beta testing is underway for the new iPhone operating system. It will be rolled out to the general public this month. This new update includes some serious improvements beyond the usual repairs and fixes that most smaller upgrades include.

Check out this list of things your phone could be sporting in just a few short weeks.

1. More Emojis
If you’re not an emoji person, this one might not seem like a big deal, but for those that express their feelings best with little yellow illustrations, you’ll be thrilled by this. There will be over 30 new ways to wordlessly communicate in the new version. Some of them include a saluting face, a melting face, a biting lip face, heart hands, and a troll.

2. LBGTQ+ Voice
There is a fifth voice added for Siri. It is for English only at this point. It was recorded by a member of the diversity and inclusion community to sound gender-neutral. A Google search will provide some examples of how the voices sound. Here is a statement from Apple to the new source Axios: “We’re excited to introduce a new Siri voice for English speakers, giving users more options to choose a voice that speaks to them.”

3. Mask Support
You will now be able to use facial recognition with your mask on. It will be a toggle option in the Settings area of your phone. This was rolled out for iWatch a few months ago, but it’s now going to be available on your phone, too. In a quote, it was said the Face ID is “most accurate when it’s set up for full-face recognition only,” but it can “recognize the unique features around the eye area” to log you in when you’re wearing a face covering.

There are other lesser upgrades coming as well related to AirTags, Universal Control, PassKey, WiFi network log on, health records, and Apple Card. Technology is never static so don’t resist this change. In particular, these iOS adjustments represent a natural evolution of features we’ve come to love and trust.