Apple's iOS 26.4 arrives in public beta with AI music playlists, video podcasts, and more | TechCrunch

"Apple this week released the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 26.4, which introduces several new features, including an AI-powered playlist generation feature in Apple Music, support for video content in the Podcasts app, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, and more. The update is currently available in pubic beta, with the public release expected sometime in March or April."

"One of the most noticeable improvements arrives in Apple Music. iOS 26.4 introduces a new AI-powered "Playlist Playground" feature that leverages Apple Intelligence. The feature allows users to generate a custom 25-song playlist from a text prompt, such as "upbeat workout mix" or "calm evening." Users can then further refine the results and even select matching cover art. In addition, Apple Music's user interface itself has been refreshed to showcase full-screen artwork for albums and playlists."

"Following Spotify's push into video, Apple's Podcasts app is making it easy 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 seamlessly switch between audio and video playback within the same episode, moving to a full horizontal display if they choose. At launch, the video episodes will be integrated with other Apple Podcasts features, like personalized recommendations and editorial curation on the New tab and Category pages, just as audio podcasts. HLS also brings an automatic quality adjustment feature, which helps videos play better whether listeners are on Wi-Fi or cellular."

iOS 26.4 adds multiple features across media and messaging. Apple Music gains an AI-powered Playlist Playground that generates custom 25-song playlists from text prompts, with tools for refinement, cover art selection, and a refreshed full-screen artwork interface. A new Concerts Near You section helps users discover live shows, filter by date and genre, and switch locations while traveling. Podcasts now support video episodes via HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), allowing seamless switching between audio and video, full horizontal playback, integration with recommendations and editorial curation, and automatic quality adjustment over Wi-Fi or cellular. The update also brings end-to-end encryption for RCS messages and is in public beta ahead of a spring release.

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