Apple releases iOS 26.4 beta 4: Upgrades Apple Music and enhanced RCS security for iPhone.
Apple has just released iOS 26.4 beta 4, featuring AI-powered playlist creation, native video podcast support, and end-to-end encryption testing for the RCS protocol on iPhones.
Apple has officially released the fourth beta version of iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 for the developer community. This move comes just one week after the release of beta 3, demonstrating the company's efforts to accelerate the completion of new features before the official release to users worldwide.
Breakthrough improvements to the Apple Music app.
The highlight of this update is the Playlist Playground feature. This tool allows users to create music playlists using text descriptions of specific moods, ideas, or activities. In addition, the Concerts Near You section has been added to suggest live music events based on the user's geographical location, along with a refreshed and more vibrant album interface.
Supports video podcasts and enhances communication security.
The Apple Podcasts app received a significant upgrade with support for native podcast video formats directly within the app. This change makes it easier for content creators to produce and distribute videos, and integrates deeply with personalization features so listeners can easily discover new content through editorial recommendations.
Notably, Apple is conducting end-to-end encryption testing for the RCS protocol. This is a significant step towards enhancing the security of conversations between iPhone and Android users. The system is currently being tested for both internal group chats between iPhone devices and cross-platform chats.
Security and system interface tweaks
Beta 4 also brings several other practical changes related to data security. The Stolen Device Protection feature is now enabled by default. Additionally, the system adds a new Ambient Music widget and provides detailed metrics on average sleep hours in the Sleep app, allowing users to track their health more accurately.
Instructions for updating to iOS 26.4 beta 4
Currently, users who have registered for Apple's developer program can download updates directly to their devices. To do this, users access the app.Setting, selectGeneral settings, then go to the sectionUpdate the software.To proceed with checking and installing the latest version.
