Apple’s iOS 26.4 arrives in public beta with AI music playlists, video podcasts, and more

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Apple this week released the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 26.4, which introduces respective caller features, including an AI-powered playlist procreation diagnostic successful Apple Music, enactment for video contented successful the Podcasts app, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, and more.

The update is presently disposable in pubic beta, with the nationalist merchandise expected sometime successful March oregon April.

Apple Music’s AI playlist

One of the astir noticeable improvements arrives successful Apple Music. iOS 26.4 introduces a caller AI-powered “Playlist Playground” diagnostic that leverages Apple Intelligence. The diagnostic allows users to make a customized 25-song playlist from a substance prompt, specified arsenic “upbeat workout mix” oregon “calm evening.” Users tin past further refine the results and adjacent prime matching screen art.

In addition, Apple Music’s idiosyncratic interface itself has been refreshed to showcase full-screen artwork for albums and playlists.

Concerts Near You

Plus, Apple Music is getting a caller “Concerts Near You” conception that helps users observe unrecorded shows from their favourite artists. You tin filter this conception by Date and Genre, oregon power locations if you’re traveling.

Apple Podcasts video episodes

Following Spotify’s propulsion into video, Apple’s Podcasts app is making it casual to switch backmost and distant betwixt audio and video episodes with this release. Creators tin people video podcasts utilizing HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), and listeners tin seamlessly power betwixt audio and video playback wrong the aforesaid episode, moving to a afloat horizontal show if they choose.

At launch, the video episodes volition beryllium integrated with different Apple Podcasts features, similar personalized recommendations and editorial curation connected the New tab and Category pages, conscionable arsenic audio podcasts are.

HLS besides brings an automatic prime accommodation feature, which helps videos play amended whether listeners are connected Wi-Fi oregon cellular. Plus, users volition beryllium capable to download video episodes for offline viewing. At launch, HLS is supported by Acast, Amazon’s ART19, Triton’s Omny Studio, and SiriusXM, including SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz, and Simplecast.

Creators volition beryllium capable to dynamically insert video ads, including host-read spots, into their podcasts, too. Apple doesn’t complaint creators to administer podcasts, but it says that, starting aboriginal this year, participating advertisement networks volition person to wage an impression-based interest for the transportation of the dynamic ads successful the HLS videos.

Encrypted RCS messaging

Messaging is besides receiving an important upgrade with encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS), which begins investigating successful iOS 26.4. End-to-end encryption for RCS conversations volition 1 time assistance guarantee messages betwixt iPhone users and Android users are conscionable arsenic unafraid arsenic iMessage.

Currently, Apple is lone investigating this betwixt iPhones successful beta. These conversations volition beryllium labeled arsenic encrypted, and cannot beryllium work portion sent betwixt devices. The institution notes that the diagnostic volition beryllium released publically successful a aboriginal bundle update for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS, and the beta is not disposable for each devices and carriers.

Stolen Device Detection is connected by default

Security improvements are different item of iOS 26.4. Stolen Device Protection is present enabled by default, adding an other furniture of biometric authentication for delicate actions specified arsenic accessing saved passwords oregon making definite relationship changes. By requiring Face ID oregon Touch ID authentication successful much scenarios, Apple reduces the hazard of unauthorized entree if a instrumentality is stolen and the passcode is compromised.

CarPlay adds in-car video playback

Drivers utilizing Apple CarPlay volition besides announcement changes. CarPlay present supports in-car video playback for prime apps — including the Apple TV app —but lone erstwhile the conveyance is parked to guarantee safety. This enhancement introduces caller amusement options for passengers erstwhile they’re stopped oregon portion waiting successful the car for a play of time. (Hooray for parents successful the pick-up enactment astatine school!)

Third-party AI services travel to CarPlay

CarPlay for the archetypal clip volition connection entree to third-party AI services similar OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude.

Audio Zoom successful Camera app

Meanwhile, the Camera app introduces Audio Zoom. When signaling video, the microphone focuses connected the taxable arsenic you zoom in, reducing inheritance sound and enhancing clarity. This diagnostic makes it easier to seizure speeches, performances, oregon interviews without outer audio equipment.

Additionally, the Ambient Music diagnostic is present accessible done a widget, letting users instantly play soundscapes designed for focus, sleep, oregon relaxation straight from the Home Screen, alternatively of conscionable the Control Center arsenic before. The feature, archetypal introduced successful iOS 18.4, added a assortment of ambient sounds to watercourse crossed categories similar Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.

“Urgent” Reminders

There’s besides a caller “Urgent” conception successful the Reminders app that groups high-priority tasks and tin trigger much salient alerts erstwhile deadlines approach. Setting a reminder arsenic Urgent volition adhd an alarm truthful you’re definite not to miss the event.

And More…

A fewer different smaller features include:

A caller unified Apple Account Hub successful the App Store, Apple Music, and different Apple apps, replacing the “profile” diagnostic that was antecedently used.
A caller animation successful the Messages app erstwhile you draught a message.
An updated Wallpaper Gallery that separates the antithetic categories successful a caller way; a akin plan came to the Apple Watch Face Gallery arsenic well. The caller mentation includes sections for Weather, Astronomy, Emjoi and more, among different changes.
Apple Music lets you adhd songs to aggregate playlists astatine once.
Health app adds a caller metric: Average Bedtime, which shows the mean clip you went to furniture implicit the past 2 weeks. The Vitals conception was besides updated to see a Blood Oxygen level connected the regular graph.
Freefrom adds a Content Hub for Creator Studio subscribers, providing entree to caller AI features and high-quality art. Its icon was updated, too.
The Personal Hotspot diagnostic present includes a Data Usage conception that shows however overmuch information has been sent to your instrumentality and which Apple and non-Apple devices person been utilizing your data.
Live Captions adds enactment for Chinese (Taiwan) nether the connection options.
There’s a caller “Set Battery Charge Limit” action successful Shortcuts.
The App Store’s Search barroom is backmost astatine the apical of the screen.
The nexus to iCloud.com gets a larger, featured conception wrong the iCloud conception successful the Settings app. Before, determination was lone a toggle to “Access iCloud Data connected the Web.” Now, it’s much similar a large advertisement for iCloud.

Notably absent from this merchandise is simply a next-generation Siri experience. While Apple has signaled deeper AI ambitions for its dependable assistant, those larger changes do not look successful iOS 26.4, reportedly delayed erstwhile again.

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