The newly released iOS 17.4 beta includes a variety of new emoji characters such as, a lime, a glowing mushroom, a phoenix, a broken chain, a straight head nod (for “yes”) and a round head shake (for “no”). These characters are part of the Unicode 15.1 update approved in September 2023. Additionally, the update includes four new family emojis and six person emoji updates incorporating gestures such as looking right or left, walking, running, kneeling, walking with a cane, walking on a wheelchair, or riding a motorcycle. The update is currently limited to developers but will soon be available to beta testers and will have an official launch in March.
In other news, Apple has released watchOS 10.3, tvOS 17.3, and updated firmware for first-generation AirPods Pro and AirPods 2. Furthermore, new iPad Air, iPad Pro, and MacBook Air models are expected to be launched in March or April. Additionally, Apple’s Vision Pro headset is observed to come in a large box following the company’s familiar design language. Lastly, eligible US residents who owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016, can receive compensation of up to $349 from Apple.
Moreover, rumors from Asia suggest that the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a bigger screen and advanced camera capabilities for photography and video.