Overview
- Apple released iOS 26.4 to the public beta with a broader rollout expected in March or April, as it invites media to a March 4 “Apple Experience” and the next‑generation Siri remains absent and reportedly delayed.
- Apple Music adds Playlist Playground, using Apple Intelligence to generate and refine 25‑song playlists from text prompts and to select matching cover art.
- Apple Podcasts introduces video episodes via HLS, allowing seamless switching between audio and video, offline downloads, and dynamic ad insertion, with launch support from Acast, ART19, Omny Studio and SiriusXM.
- Messaging and safety expand with end‑to‑end encrypted RCS now in testing between iPhones in beta and clearly labeled as encrypted, and Stolen Device Protection turned on by default for sensitive actions.
- CarPlay gains parked‑only video playback, including the Apple TV app, and first‑time access to third‑party AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude.