Apple released the second beta of iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4 and more for registered developers on Tuesday evening. We summarize all the new features below.
iOS 15.4 is the biggest update on iOS 15 and includes Universal Control, Face ID with a mask, new emojis, and more. Let's go.
Tap to Pay on the iPhone
With the second beta of iOS 15.4, Apple introduced support for the Tap to Pay on iPhone feature, which allows NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments using Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets without the need for additional hardware. Tap to Pay on iPhone is enabled in the iOS 15.4 beta, but has yet to be implemented by third parties, so it is not yet available.
Optimizing Face ID with Mask
When you unlock your iPhone with the new Face ID with Mask feature while wearing a mask, you may be prompted to "look down" to unlock your device. This prompt appears when you hold your iPhone lower than eye level, because the iPhone needs eye contact for the mask unlock feature to work.
Captive WiFi Network Support on HomePod
Graphics in the iOS 15.4 code confirm that Apple is adding support for captive WiFi networks to the HomePod, which can be used in situations where there is a web portal or an additional login step for WiFi access.
Other code changes
There are other hints of new features in the code that are not necessarily related to the visible changes in the iOS 15.4 update, but could turn out to be such in a later beta version. (Photo by ADCstock / Bigstockphoto)
