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- Monday February 16
- 10:09 pmmacOS 26.4 brings battery Charge Limit to the Mac and Shortcuts
The Charge Limit feature, which lets you set a maximum charge to help extend battery health, was previously only available on iPhone and iPad. more…09:44 pm9to5Mac Daily: February 16, 2026 – New Apple hardware is imminent
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year. more…09:37 pmApple Music Playlist Playground could be among first new AI features in iOS 26.4
A new Apple Intelligence feature could be coming to iOS 26.4 called Playlist Playground, which will allow users to generate playlists using selected songs or text prompts.Apple Music is going to get a new Apple Intelligence featureApple released the first beta for iOS 26.4 on Monday, but it didn't include the rumored Apple Intelligence improvements. Instead, it seems to contain a range of user-facing features, including HLS video podcast support in Apple Podcasts and other updates.Among the Apple Music updates was unused code discovered by Macworld, which highlights a potential incoming feature that could release along with iOS 26.4. It is for something called Playlist Playground, which could be tied to Apple's new Apple Intelligence push. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums09:33 pmThe new F1 channel has appeared in the Apple TV app ahead of first race
The new dedicated channel for Formula 1 has appeared in the Apple TV app, starting today. Users in the United States can now see a dedicated Formula 1 item in the sidebar, alongside the existing Apple TV originals and MLS tabs. This channel is where Apple TV app subscribers will be able to stream all of the races, starting with the Melbourne Grand Prix on March 8. As a reminder, F1 is now included in the base Apple TV subscription in the United States ($12.99 per month or $99 per year). more…09:30 pmNew in iOS 26.4 beta 1: Videos in Podcasts, Playlist Playground, RCS, more
The first developer beta of iOS 26.4 is here, offering a new video experience for Apple Podcasts, support for testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging, and much more.iOS 26.4 beta 1 includes a new video experience for Apple Podcasts, and support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging.On Monday, less than a week after iOS 26.3 made its way to the general public, Apple started the iOS 26.4 beta testing cycle. The iPhone software update has the build number 23E5207q, up from 23D127 on the public release of iOS 26.3.As a whole, iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 introduced a variety of changes, the most visible of which is Apple's controversial "Liquid Glass" design language. The following update, iOS 26.1, included new toggles for existing system features and additional customization options for Liquid Glass. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums09:19 pmApple's upgraded Siri is late but not lost — the real story is timing
Apple's next-generation Siri still hasn't surfaced in shipping software, but the delay aligns more with staged rollout planning and strict reliability standards than with a stalled AI strategy.Apple is still teaching Siri to be a better assistantApple's long-promised Apple Intelligence overhaul of Siri still hasn't appeared in public builds, but the delay reflects deliberate pacing rather than a product in trouble.The company reset expectations in 2025, announcing that a more personalized Siri with deeper app integration would come in 2026. Since then, reports have suggested that the original spring target faced some testing challenges. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums09:09 pmmacOS Tahoe 26.4 warns if your apps won't work when Rosetta 2 dies
Beta testers of the new macOS Tahoe 26.4 are getting warned that their favorite Intel-only apps won't work in macOS 28, because Rosetta 2 is getting killed.Apple wants all apps to run on Apple Silicon natively by macOS 28 - Image source: AppleRosetta 2 was introduced as a way to allow apps made for Intel chips to continue working on Apple Silicon. Over five years after its introduction in November 2020, Apple's warning users that it is going away.As part of Monday's first developer beta build of macOS Tahoe 26.4, Apple has included a warning that tells users that some apps on their Mac will eventually stop working. In cases where users launch an app that relies on Rosetta 2, a warning will appear, advising that the app won't work when it pulls support for the translation layer. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums09:04 pmvisionOS 26.4 unlocks new ‘foveated streaming’ feature for apps and games
visionOS 26.4 beta 1 debuted today, and in addition to supporting Apple Podcasts’ new video features, the update also unlocks ‘foveated streaming’ for apps and games. more…08:32 pmmacOS Tahoe 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 add compact tab bar in Safari
When macOS Tahoe and iPadOS 26 launched last fall, they removed support for an optional Safari layout: the compact tab bar. Now, the feature is back in macOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 beta 1. more…08:30 pmGet ready for new Macs and iPads: Apple announces “Special Experience” on March 4
Apple has not confirmed whether you'll be able to watch live, but Ars will bring you the news.08:26 pmiOS 26.4 beta 1: Here’s everything new
iOS 26.4 beta 1 is now available in beta for developers. The update includes a ton of new features and changes for iPhone users. There are new changes to the Music app, Messages, Apple Podcasts, and much more. Head below for the full roundup of all the new features in iOS 26.4 beta 1. more…08:20 pmZoom Workplace 6.7.6
Improves the macOS status bar icon for better accessibility support and system integration. (Free, 183.1 MB, macOS 10.13+)08:19 pmiOS 26.4 beta code teases ‘AI playlists’ for Apple Music
Macworld On Monday, Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.4 for developers. Unfortunately, today’s beta still doesn’t include the long-awaited AI-powered Siri, but it does come with another interesting AI-related new feature, especially if you’re an Apple Music subscriber. The iOS 26.4 update not only brings a new interface for albums and playlists, but it also hints at a new AI playlist feature, which should become available soon. Read on as we detail what’s new in Apple Music with iOS 26.4 beta. Updated interface for albums and playlists The Apple Music app is getting another interface tweak following the major redesign introduced with iOS 26 last year. Now, when users are viewing an album or playlist, the background will follow the color of the artwork instead of solid white. It’s not exactly a huge change, but it brings a breath of fresh air to Apple Music, making the experience a little more fluid and immersive. Apple Music has new colorful backgrounds for albums and playlists in iOS 26.4.Foundry Concerts near you Here’s another small but interesting detail about Apple Music in iOS 26.4 beta. When you open the app for the first time after installing the update, a message says that Apple Music can now show upcoming concerts near you. It’s unclear exactly how the feature works within Apple Music, but it’s likely be based on the same feature that already exists in the Shazam app (which is owned by Apple). With Shazam, users can view and save upcoming performances and ticket details as well as set reminders to be notified of tour dates. You’ll be able to get tour information for your favorite artists in Apple Music’s iOS 26.4 update.Foundry AI-generated playlists But what really stands out in this update is a potential AI playlist feature. The feature is included in the iOS 26.4 beta code, but doesn’t seem to be enabled for users yet. Based on the code discovered by Macworld, Apple Music subscribers will have access to “a new way to make playlists” using Apple Intelligence. The feature, called “Playlist Playground,” will generate playlists based on text prompts or even on the selection of at least 10 different songs. Users can describe what kind of songs they want in a playlist, which artists they want to listen to, or simply what vibe they like best. The code suggests that Playlist Playground is also capable of editing old playlists. Whether Playlist Playground will use Apple Intelligence or a third-party AI provider is unclear. For instance, Apple has already partnered with OpenAI to provide playlist generation on Apple Music through ChatGPT. Given that the feature is hidden in the iOS 26.4 beta code, it seems very likely that the feature will be officially unveiled in an upcoming beta. When to expect iOS 26.4? iOS 26.4 beta also adds other new features, including encrypted RCS messages and video episodes on Apple Podcasts. Apple says the update will be released to the public this spring.08:18 pmiOS 26.4 beta adds new ‘Playlist Playground’ AI feature for Apple Music
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.4 for developers today, and it includes a new Apple Intelligence feature for Apple Music. Dubbed “Playlist Playground,” this feature lets you create playlists based on text descriptions. more…08:12 pmiOS 26.4 has iPhone Stolen Device Protection on by default
Three years after the feature rolled out, Apple is automatically enabling Stolen Device Protection in iOS 26.4, expanding safeguards against an ever-expanding epidemic of iPhone theft.How to use Stolen Device ProtectionIn 2023, Apple rolled out a new feature called Stolen Device Protection. The feature is designed to prevent iPhones from being accessed if a thief manages to both learn a user's passcode and steal their iPhone.This was a crucial change, as more and more reports rolled in, showing that this type of theft was on the rise. An experienced thief could easily access a user's list of passwords, access bank accounts, and disable safety features such as Find My and Trusted Devices. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums08:11 pmMicrosoft Office for Mac 16.106
Brings updates to Excel and Outlook. ($179.99 new for one-time purchase, $99.99/$129.99 annual subscription options, free update, macOS 13+)08:09 pmSoundSource 6.0.4
Updates the audio control utility to be more responsive during launch and changes to the system output device. ($49 new, free update, 52.3 MB, macOS 15+)08:07 pmBookends 15.3
Updates the reference management tool to use Liquid Glass when running on macOS 26 Tahoe. ($74.99 new, free update, 127 MB, macOS 11+)08:04 pmFantastical 4.1.8 and Cardhop 2.4.5
Now prefers Microsoft Graph over Exchange Web Services for newly-added Microsoft 365 accounts. ($56.99 annual subscription, free update, various sizes, macOS 12+)07:52 pmmacOS 26.4 will notify users of Rosetta 2 discontinuation
Last June at WWDC25, Apple announced that Rosetta 2, the software that translates Intel apps for Apple silicon, would be discontinued starting after macOS 27. Now, Apple will begin notifying users of apps that will soon be incompatible. more…