Software Update
iOS 26.4 Beta 1 — What’s New & Changes
- Build & Size Details iOS 26.4 Beta 1 arrives with build 23E5207Q. Update size is approximately 8.72GB from iOS 26.3. Modem firmware updates to 1.54.01 on iPhone 17 models.
- Major Apple Music Redesign Full-screen animated album artwork now appears inside albums. Shuffle, Play, and Download buttons are centered. Background colors adapt to album art for a richer visual experience.
- AI Playlist Playground New Playlist Playground uses Apple Intelligence to generate playlists from text prompts. Users can customize results, adjust songs, and modify covers.
- Concerts Near You Apple Music now displays upcoming concerts with full event details, ticket links powered by Ticketmaster, dates, venues, and set lists.
- Podcasts Now Support Video Apple Podcasts fully supports inline video playback. Users can toggle video on/off and enable captions during playback.
- Wallpaper Packs On-Demand Default wallpapers (Weather, Astronomy, Pride, Unity, etc.) are no longer preloaded. They now download individually via “Get.”
- App Store Redesign Search bar moved to the top. Apple Account page redesigned. Subscriptions moved higher. Apps & Purchase History combined. Updates now have a dedicated section with a separated “Update All” button.
- Privacy & Security Enhancements New Managed Device toggle added under Location Services. Stolen Device Protection is now enabled by default on new devices. RCS gains optional End-to-End Encryption (Beta) for testing.
- Performance & Battery Geekbench scores: 3871 single-core, 9839 multi-core. Slightly lower than iOS 26.3. Battery life may be inconsistent as expected with first beta releases.
- Release Timeline Beta 2 expected early March (week of March 2). Final iOS 26.4 release likely late March 2026.
This summary covers iOS 26.4 Beta 1 (February 2026) based on developer testing and early beta feedback. Features and performance may change before final release.
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