With merely a week left until the European Union's landmark Digital Markets Act is set to take effect, Apple has proactively released the candidate betas for iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, tvOS 17.4, and macOS Sonoma 14.4, all of which incorporate pivotal changes tailored to comply with the forthcoming legislation. This strategic move underscores Apple's commitment to adherence with global regulatory standards.
Developers who are actively participating in Apple's robust beta program now have the privilege of accessing these new builds through the Apple Developer Center. Alternatively, for those who have already installed the beta versions on their devices, updates can be conveniently acquired directly through the Settings apps of their respective devices. Following the established pattern, public beta versions are anticipated to be made available shortly after the developer versions, allowing a broader audience to partake through the Apple Beta Software Program.
The newly introduced release candidates for iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, tvOS 17.4, and macOS Sonoma 14.4 are set to replace the previous fourth betas, which were released on February 20. This sequence of releases demonstrates Apple's systematic approach to software development and testing, with the third iteration having been released on February 13 and the second developer beta round unveiled on February 6.
The latest iOS and iPadOS betas are identified by the build number 21E217, superseding the former build, numbered 21E5209b. Similarly, the fifth Release Candidate (RC) build for tvOS 17.4 and the HomePod operating system is labeled with the build number 21L5225a, replacing its predecessor, 21L5222a.
The RC build for macOS Sonoma 14.4 is denoted as number 23E5211a, taking the place of the fourth iteration, 23E5205c.
In a parallel development, Apple is also rolling out similar RC builds for older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, ensuring that users of previous software iterations also benefit from the latest enhancements and fixes.
The RC build for iOS and iPadOS 15.8.2 is assigned the build number 19H384, whereas the RC for iOS and iPadOS 16.7.6 carries the build number 20H320. Additionally, RC4 of macOS Monterey 12.7.4 bears the build number 21H1122, and macOS Ventura 13.6.5 RC4 is identified by build 22G620.
Key updates in iOS 17.4 are aimed at aligning with the requirements of the European Union's Digital Markets Act, set to be enforced in March. These modifications include adjustments to the App Store to ensure compliance, alongside various feature enhancements across the operating system such as new dialogue box icons in Podcasts, revised navigation in Music, the introduction of Stolen Device Protection, augmented language support in Safari, extended support for game streaming apps, and the addition of a plethora of new emoji.
