Tech Desk 
Feb 21, 2026
Apple has launched the latest version of its operating system, named 'iOS 26.4', bringing new features that include an AI-powered playlist-generation in Apple Music, support for video content in the Podcast, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages.
Apple said one of the most demanding improvements in Apple Music is a new AI-powered 'Playlist Playground' that uses Apple Intelligence, allowing iPhone users to generate a custom 25-song playlist from a text prompt.
The company has also revamped the user interface (UI) of Apple Music to showcase full-screen artwork for albums and playlists.
iOS 26.4 beta features
Users can also discover live shows from their favourite artists on Apple Music through a new feature, named 'Concerts Near You'. You can easily filter this section by 'Date' and 'Genre', or switch locations if you're travelling somewhere.
In the Podcast app, Apple has made it easy for users to switch back and forth between audio and video episodes with this release. Creators can publish video podcasts using HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), and listeners can smoothly switch between audio and video playback within the same episode, moving to a full horizontal display if they choose.
Messaging has also received a significant upgrade with encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS), which begins testing in iOS 26.4. End-to-end encryption for RCS conversations help ensure messages between iPhone users and Android users are just as secure as iMessage.
iOS 26.4 security update
Apple has unveiled some security improvements, as if your iPhone is stolen, then there's a new feature 'Stolen Device Protection' which gets enabled by default, adding an extra layer of biometric authentication for sensitive actions such as accessing saved passwords or making certain account changes.
The company has featured a new 'Urgent' section in the Reminders app, which groups high-priority tasks and can trigger more prominent alerts when deadlines approach. You can easily set a reminder as 'Urgent' that will add an alarm so you don't miss any event.
