This week, Apple unveiled the newest iteration of its mobile OS, iOS 26.4, which brings numerous enhancements, such as an AI-driven playlist creation tool in Apple Music, video support in the Podcasts app, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, and much more. 

The upgrade is currently accessible in public beta, with an anticipated full rollout around March or April. 

AI Playlist in Apple Music

A significant addition can be found in Apple Music — iOS 26.4 features a novel AI-powered “Playlist Playground” that utilizes Apple Intelligence. This tool enables users to create a personalized 25-song playlist from a text prompt, such as “upbeat workout mix” or “relaxing evening.” Users can then customize the results further and even choose corresponding cover art. 

Moreover, Apple Music’s interface has been redesigned to highlight full-screen artwork for albums and playlists.

Local Concerts

Additionally, Apple Music is introducing a “Concerts Near You” feature that aids users in finding live performances by their preferred artists. This section can be filtered by date and genre, or you can change locations while traveling.

Video Episodes for Apple Podcasts

In response to Spotify’s advancements in video, Apple is making it easier to toggle between audio and video episodes in its Podcasts app with this update. Creators can release video podcasts via HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), and listeners can seamlessly transition between audio and video playback within the same episode, opting for a full horizontal view if desired.

Upon release, video episodes will be intertwined with existing Apple Podcasts features, including personalized recommendations and editorial curation found on the New tab and Category pages, akin to audio podcasts.

HLS also provides an automatic quality adjustment capability, enhancing video playback whether users are connected to Wi-Fi or cellular networks. Moreover, viewers can download video episodes for offline viewing. At launch, HLS will be supported by Acast, Amazon’s ART19, Triton’s Omny Studio, and SiriusXM, encompassing SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz, and Simplecast.

Creators will also have the option to dynamically add video advertisements, including host-read spots, into their podcasts. While Apple does not charge creators for podcast distribution, it has announced that, starting later in the year, participating ad networks will be subject to an impression-based fee for delivering dynamic ads in HLS videos.

RCS Messaging with Encryption

Messaging will also see a vital enhancement with the rollout of encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS) in iOS 26.4. End-to-end encryption for RCS chats aims to ensure that messages exchanged between iPhone and Android users are as secure as iMessages.

At present, Apple is testing this encryption between iPhones in the beta. The conversations will be marked as encrypted and will not be readable while being transmitted across devices. Apple has stated that this feature will be publicly available in a future software update for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS, and the beta is not yet compatible with all devices and carriers.

Default Stolen Device Detection

Security enhancements represent another prominent feature of iOS 26.4. Stolen Device Protection is now activated by default, providing an additional layer of biometric security for sensitive actions like accessing saved passwords or making specific changes to accounts. This requirement for Face ID or Touch ID authentication in more situations helps mitigate the risk of unauthorized access if the device is lost or the passcode is breached.

In-Car Video Playback in CarPlay

Users of Apple CarPlay will also observe some modifications. CarPlay is introducing the ability to play in-car video for specific apps — including the Apple TV app — but only when the vehicle is parked to prioritize safety. This improvement offers new entertainment options for passengers when they are halted or during extended waits in the vehicle. (Great for parents waiting in school pickup lines!)

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Third-Party AI Services Introduced to CarPlay

For the first time, CarPlay will provide access to third-party AI services such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude.

Audio Zoom Feature in the Camera App

In the meantime, the Camera app is incorporating an Audio Zoom feature. When filming videos, the microphone focuses on the subject as you zoom in, minimizing background noise and improving clarity. This innovation facilitates the recording of speeches, performances, or interviews without relying on external audio gear.

Additionally, users can now access the Ambient Music feature via a widget, allowing them to play soundscapes meant for focus, sleep, or relaxation directly from the Home Screen, rather than just through the Control Center as previously done. The feature, initially launched in iOS 18.4, included a variety of ambient sounds that could be streamed across diverse categories like Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.

“Urgent” Reminders

Another addition is a newly created “Urgent” section in the Reminders app that organizes high-priority tasks and can prompt louder alerts as deadlines draw near. Designating a reminder as Urgent will activate an alarm, ensuring you do not overlook the event.

And Additional Features …

Several other minor features are included:

• A newly consolidated Apple Account Hub across the App Store, Apple Music, and additional Apple applications replaces the former “profile” feature.
• The Messages app now features a fresh animation when drafting a message.
• An upgraded Wallpaper Gallery restructured into different categories; a similar layout has been applied to the Apple Watch Face Gallery. The revamped version includes sections for Weather, Astronomy, Emoji, and more, among other updates.
• Apple Music allows the addition of songs to several playlists simultaneously.
• The Health app introduces a new measurement: Average Bedtime, which tracks the average time at which you went to sleep over the previous two weeks. The Vitals section has also been updated to display blood oxygen levels on the daily graph.
• Freeform adds a Content Hub specifically for Creator Studio subscribers, granting access to new AI functionalities and high-quality artwork. Its icon has been updated as well.
• The Personal Hotspot feature now encompasses a Data Usage section detailing how much data has been transmitted to your device and which Apple and non-Apple devices have utilized your data.
• Live Captions introduces support for Chinese (Taiwan) among the language options.
• A new “Set Battery Charge Limit” action is now available in Shortcuts.
• The App Store’s Search bar has returned to the top of the screen.
• A more noticeable link to iCloud.com has been incorporated into the iCloud section within the Settings app, evolving from a simple toggle to “Access iCloud Data on the Web” into a more prominent promotion for iCloud.

Notably, this release does not include an advanced Siri experience. While Apple has indicated greater AI aspirations for its voice assistant, these significant changes do not appear in iOS 26.4, which has reportedly faced delays once more.