iPadOS 16.4 Brings New Emojis, Apple Pencil Hover Feature Becomes Niftier

Apple has just rolled out iPadOS 16.4, which is filled with amazing features for iPad users. With powerful web apps, bug fixes, and more – the update also offers dozens of brand-new emojis to make your conversations even livelier.

Apple has officially released its new software update, build number 20E246, for compatible iPads. The latest iPadOS upgrade brings an exciting array of 21 fresh emojis, including a shaking head, hand fan, jellyfish, donkey, and moose. You will also get hearts (pink, blue, and gray) plus more playful symbols like the hair pick & flute. These emojis arrive in sync with the Unicode Standard for Emoji Update 15.0 which was released in July 2022.

It’s important to note that if your iPad is not the most recent version, you won’t be able to view the new emojis when someone with an updated iPad sends them.

Additionally, there have been several additional alterations such as Web app notifications being added to the home screen, iCloud Shared Photo Library support for Duplicate albums in Photos, VoiceOver assistance when navigating maps on the Weather application, and Accessibility settings that can automatically dim videos if flashes of light are detected.

iPadOS 16.4 heralds a monumental transformation in how users install beta updates on their iPads. Now, you can select between the public and developer betas directly from your Software Update settings. Plus, there’s no need to spend time installing profiles if you’re logged into your Developer account – simply check the new option that has been made available for iPad owners with this update.

Also Read: Apple iPad Pro M2 Review

All About Apple Pencil Hover Feature

iPadOS 16.4 has made strides to improve the Apple Pencil hover feature with enhanced Tilt and Azimuth support, making it easier for users and developers alike to reap its benefits! Executives from both Apple and Procreate have praised this new feature featured on iPad Pros that accommodates Apple Pencil better.

Last October, Apple Pencil debuted its nifty hover feature which revolutionized the way digital artists use the device. This incredible technology eliminates any guesswork by allowing creators to preview their brushstrokes before making a final selection – no need to repeatedly hit undo.

Apple Pencil is now detected up to 12 mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their mark before they make it. This also allows users to sketch and illustrate with even greater precision, and makes everything users do with Apple Pencil even more effortless.

Apple Developer – discover

iPadOS 16.4 adds the new Tilt and Azimuth hover feature for improved accuracy and precision in previews, as noted by Apple’s director of input experience Leslie Ikemoto in an interview with TechCrunch.

“If you look at Procreate, they have the pencil brush, which is small and thin when you’re perpendicular to the display, and then gets wider as you Tilt for shading,” says Ikemoto. “With Tilt and Azimuth, Procreate can render an exact outline of the mark that you’re going to make when you set down your pencil brush, and that’s a huge accelerator for their users.”

While neither Ikemoto nor TechCrunch has been clear in describing Azimuth’s functionality, its name implies that it alters the brush preview based on not only vertical shifts of the Pencil but also horizontal ones. For instance, if you tilt right or left with your pencil, this feature should adjust accordingly. Additionally, Apple made sure to stress that developers need little effort for enabling these features.