Apple has rolled out iOS 26.4, and while it skips the long-rumoured Siri upgrades, it still packs a surprisingly wide mix of features, especially if you spend a lot of time using Apple Music.
The headline addition is Playlist Playground, a new feature in Apple Music that lets you generate playlists using simple text prompts. For example, you can type something like “morning coffee music” or “’70s disco”. Then, the app will build a 25-track playlist complete with a title, artwork and description. You can tweak it further with additional prompts. However, it’s currently limited to US users.
Music fans also get a new “Concerts Near You” section, pulling in local gig listings via partners like Ticketmaster. There are also redesigned album and playlist pages with full-screen artwork, along with a small but useful tweak: you can now add a song to multiple playlists at once.
Elsewhere, Apple is leaning further into media. The Apple Podcasts app now supports video podcasts, letting you switch between watching and listening, even offline. And in Control Centre, song recognition can now identify tracks without an internet connection. It’ll just fill in the details once you’re back online.
Some of the more practical changes are easy to miss but worth knowing. Stolen Device Protection is now enabled by default. This adds an extra layer of security without needing to dig through settings. The update also patches more than 35 security vulnerabilities, making it a sensible upgrade even if the new features don’t grab you.
There are smaller additions dotted throughout the system too, including a new Ambient Music widget for quick background sounds. There is also an Urgent section in Reminders and an Audio Zoom feature in the Camera app that focuses the audio on your subject while recording video.
Over in CarPlay, Apple is opening the door to AI apps like ChatGPT and Gemini. However, support will depend on third-party developers and won’t extend to controlling your car or phone.
iOS 26.4 is available now for all iPhones that support iOS 26 (iPhone 11 and newer). As usual, you can download it through Settings > General > Software Update. With security fixes included, it’s one that most people shouldn’t skip.
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