iOS 18.4 Update Brings Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and Enhanced Features

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Apple has rolled out iOS 18.4, bringing a suite of new features and improvements to iPhone and iPad users. The latest update introduces Priority Notifications, Ambient Music controls, new emoji characters, and enhanced functionality across various apps.

Priority Notifications and Apple Intelligence

The standout feature in iOS 18.4 is Priority Notifications, available on iPhone 16 models and iPhone 15 Pro devices. This system uses Apple Intelligence to automatically surface the most important notifications at the top of the lock screen, helping users focus on time-sensitive alerts.

Apple Intelligence now supports eight additional languages including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish across multiple regions. The update also adds a new Sketch style option in Image Playground for creating artistic drawings.

New Control Center Features and Emoji

A notable addition is Ambient Music in Control Center, offering instant access to curated playlists designed for different daily activities. Users can choose from four categories: Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.

The emoji collection expands with new additions including bags under eyes, a fingerprint, a leafless tree, root vegetables, a harp, a shovel, and a splatter emoji.

Apple News+ and Photos Improvements

Apple News+ subscribers gain access to a dedicated Food section featuring recipes from leading publishers, cooking guides, restaurant coverage, and nutrition advice. The new Recipe Catalog allows users to search, save, and follow step-by-step cooking instructions.

The Photos app receives multiple organizational improvements, including new filtering options, the ability to reorder Media Types, and enhanced album sorting capabilities. Users can now hide photos from Mac or PC imports when Face ID is enabled.