macOS Sonoma 14.4, watchOS 10.4 released, flaunting new emoji, bug fixes, security updates

WatchOS 10.4 resolves an issue that causes some users to experience false touches on the display
An undated image displaying various Apple products. — Pexels
An undated image displaying various Apple products. — Pexels

Following the release of the iOS 17.4 and visionOS 1.1 earlier this week, the tech giant Apple has released macOS Sonoma 14.4 (for MacBooks), tvOS 17.4 (for Apple TV), watchOS 10.4 (for Apple Watch), and the HomePod 17.4 (for HomePod). 

All of the operating system updates rolled out today for Apple products stand to be the highest-end updates for their respective machines.

Here's the list of OS updates Apple released today:

  • macOS Sonoma 14.4 
  • tvOS 17.4 
  • watchOS 10.4 
  • HomePod 17.4 

macOS Sonoma 14.4 released

macOS Sonoma 14.4 is the top-of-the-line OS update developed for MacBooks, adding a variety of new emoji, features, bug fixes, and security updates.

  • Emoji: New mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chain, and shaking heads emoji are now available in emoji keyboard
  • 18 people and body emoji support facing the opposite direction
  • Improvements and bug fixes: Podcasts Episode text can be read in full, searched for a word or phrase, clicked to play from a specific point and used with accessibility features such as Text Size, Increase Contrast, and VoiceOver
  • Business Updates in Messages for Business let you get updates that you’ve opted into, like order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts or other transactions from trusted businesses

watchOS 10.4 released

watchOS 10.4 is the latest OS update for Apple Watch, whose release showed that it bundles up the following enhancements, including new features, and bug fixes among the following:

  • Tap to Show Full Notification setting now allows you to double tap to expand the notification
  • Using Apple Pay with Confirm with AssistiveTouch will require a passcode for additional security and will not support double clicking the side button
  • Resolves an issue that causes some users to experience false touches on the display
  • Issue that prevents contacts from syncing to Apple Watch resolved

HomePod 17.4 released

According to the release notes, the most significant feature of the HomePod 17.4 is the incorporation of Siri music preference from the iPhone to the HomePod.

HomePod 17.4 update offers the following:

  • To make the input of media app name in your request insignificant, the HomePod 17.4 enables Siri to adapt to user's preferred media service, meaning that it the update also brings enhancements to the HomePod's performance and stability.