Apple rolls out iOS 26.4 with new features and enhancements
What's the story
Apple has launched the highly-anticipated iOS 26.4 update, the fourth major version of its latest iPhone operating system. The update comes with a host of new features and enhancements across system apps, aimed at improving the overall user experience. However, it still doesn't include the much-awaited Apple Intelligence capabilities, which are expected to debut with the upcoming iOS 27 release.
Feature upgrade
Apple Music gets Playlist Playground and concerts discovery
The iOS 26.4 update brings major improvements to Apple Music, including Playlist Playground. This feature uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create playlists based on user prompts. You can describe moods or occasions and get customized tracklists with titles and descriptions. The update also introduces a Concerts discovery feature that helps users find nearby live shows from their favorite artists and discover new ones.
App enhancements
Other notable changes in Apple Music
The Apple Music app also gets offline music recognition via Control Center, letting users identify a song without an active internet connection. A new Ambient Music widget has been added to the Home Screen, offering curated playlists for moods like Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. The visual experience of the app has also been improved with full-screen backgrounds on album and playlist pages.
User interface
New emojis and animations in Messages app
The iOS 26.4 update also adds eight new emojis, including an orca, trombone, ballet dancer, and a distorted face. A Reduce Bright Effects setting has been introduced to minimize flashes during interactions. The Messages app gets new animations for certain actions like starting a new conversation and improved keyboard typing accuracy.
Security enhancement
Stolen Device Protection enabled by default
The iOS 26.4 update also enables Stolen Device Protection by default for all iPhone users. This feature was introduced in iOS 17.3 but had to be manually enabled before this update. It requires Face ID or Touch ID to access sensitive features like passwords and Lost Mode, and adds a one-hour delay for actions like changing your Apple ID password.
App update
Podcasts app now supports video episodes
The Podcasts app now supports video episodes with adaptive HLS streaming, meaning the quality adjusts automatically based on your connection. You can switch between audio and video mid-episode and download episodes for offline viewing. Blood oxygen data has also made a comeback in the Health app's Vitals overview after being removed due to a legal dispute with Masimo.