General iOS 17.4 has been released, and it now allows users in the EU to use third-party app store

[Theo 909 iPhone 7 Plus 15.8]

Today, Apple is rolling out iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which becomes effective soon. This version introduces support for third-party app stores and other changes mandated by the DMA, but these features are only accessible in the EU.

Non-Safari browsers can now utilize any rendering engine preferred by their developers, freeing them from using Apple's WebKit. Upon updating, Safari users will encounter a browser choice screen.

EU iPhone users gain NFC compatibility with alternative wallet and banking apps, no longer limited to Apple Pay.

Apart from EU-specific updates, this version introduces automatic podcast transcriptions (available in English, Spanish, French, and German), new emojis (mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chain, shaking heads), and addresses two security vulnerabilities that have been reportedly exploited. It's recommended to update promptly for these enhancements and security fixes.

 

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/ios_174_is_now_out_with_support_for_third_party_app_stores_in_the_eu-news-61880.php