iOS 26 has received a new update from Apple. The company has rolled out iOS 26.4, which introduces several small but notable improvements across apps such as Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Reminders, and more.
The iOS 26.4 update is available on all iPhones that support iOS 26, including the iPhone 11 and newer models. However, users will still have to wait a bit longer for the much-anticipated AI-powered Siri.
The update introduces a new Ambient Music widget that can be placed on the Home Screen or Lock Screen. This widget lets users play built-in ambient music options designed for different activities such as sleep, productivity and wellbeing.
The Reminders app now includes a new “Urgent” section. This section automatically collects all reminders that have the urgent toggle enabled during creation, making it easier for users to keep track of urgent tasks.
The Camera app also receives a new Audio Zoom option in settings. When this feature is enabled, the recorded audio focuses more on the subject as the camera zooms in while recording video, improving sound clarity.
While users are still waiting for Siri’s AI upgrade, iOS 26.4 introduces access to AI services in Apple CarPlay. The update brings support for AI assistants such as Claude, Gemini and ChatGPT. Drivers can ask questions hands-free, although these apps cannot control vehicle functions or iPhone settings.
Apple Music gets multiple new features
The iOS 26.4 update brings several upgrades to Apple Music. A new “Concerts Near You” feature helps users discover shows and tour dates of their favorite artists happening nearby. In addition, Albums and playlists now feature full-page artwork, offering a refreshed look within the app. Furthermore, users can now add a song to multiple playlists at the same time, making playlist management easier.
Apple Music also introduces Playlist Playground, an AI-powered feature that lets users create playlists using text prompts. The app offers preset suggestions such as “Morning coffee music”, “Hip-hop party songs” and “Disco songs that defined the 1970s”.
These prompts automatically generate a list of 25 songs along with a custom title. Users can also enter their own ideas, moods, or feelings to create playlists and further customise them with additional prompts, a cover image, and a description.
Currently, this feature is limited to the United States.
For users who like expressing themselves with emojis, iOS 26.4 introduces eight new emoji characters, including: Trombone, Treasure chest, Distorted face, Hairy creature (Sasquatch), Fight cloud, Orca, Landslide and Ballet dancer.
The update also improves song recognition. The feature can now identify songs even without an internet connection and will display the results once the device reconnects online.
With iOS 26.4, Stolen Device Protection will now be enabled by default for all iPhone users. Previously, this feature had to be turned on manually. The update also adds video podcast support to Apple Podcasts. Users can now switch between audio and video versions of a podcast directly inside the app.
The Messages app also gets new animations for certain actions, including when launching a new conversation.
