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- Monday February 16
- 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…07:52 pmiOS 26.4 will activate key theft prevention feature on all iPhones
iOS 26.4 is the next big iPhone software release, and Apple plans to enable a key security feature by default in the update. more…07:21 pmVideo won't kill the Apple Podcasts star, but will make them more engaging
Apple Podcasts is no longer just an audio app, as native adaptive video and dynamic video ads will be available soon for creators to really show their stuff.Apple Podcasts is getting more video contentApple is introducing native video playback powered by HTTP Live Streaming, or HLS. The update brings adaptive streaming and dynamic video ad insertion directly into the app.You can watch video episodes inside Apple Podcasts and switch easily between listening and viewing. The app supports a horizontal full-screen view, and you can download episodes for offline playback. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums07:15 pmApple just gave AirPods Pro 3 and more new beta firmware [U]
Apple has new beta firmware available today for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4. Here are the details. Update 2/16/26: The firmware shipped to developers on February 12, but now today on February 16, public beta testers received the same AirPods update. more…07:15 pmMagSafe Monday: Hands-on with The Ridge’s 5-in-1 Magnetic Power Bank
Ridge is best known for its minimalist wallets, but it’s now taking a crack at the MagSafe industry as well. I came across this battery through a social media ad and purchased it right away. The Ridge 5-in-1 Magnetic Power Bank aims to be the best all-around battery with great colors, built-in cables, and more. more…07:10 pmiOS 26.4 beta is out with no sign of the new Siri
Macworld After Apple released iOS 26.3 last week, we were anticipating the first beta release of iOS 26.4 with bated breath. That’s because rumors for the better part of a year have pointed to this update as the one to bring the revamped Siri that has been expected since 2024. However, after a rumor last week dampened those expectations considerably, it looks like iOS 26.4 will be another minor update as Apple continues to polish Siri. iOS 26.4 beta: New features We won’t know all of the new features and changes to expect in iOS 26.4 until the final version is released to users sometime in late March or Aoril. We’ll update this section with new features as we discover them. New video podcast experience: Apple has announced that iOS 26.4 will enable HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology in the Podcast app to “switch seamlessly between watching and listening to shows.” RCS end-to-end encryption: It’s taken about a year, but Apple will finally encrypt RCS messages to and from Android phones in iOS 26.4. Stolen Device Protection: The feature introduced in iOS 17.3 will now be enabled by default starting with iOS 26.4. Freeform: Apple’s whiteboarding app has gotten its Creator Studio update with new features and a new icon. iOS 26.4 beta: How to install the public beta If you want to test the iOS 26 beta releases but are not a registered developer, follow these steps: Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID. Log in to the Beta Software Program. Click Enroll your iOS device. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta. It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update. iOS 26.4 beta: How to install the developer beta You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app: Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store. Open the app. Tap on Account. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. Find out everything you need to know about iOS 26 in our iOS 26 superguide.07:07 pmRCS encryption surfaces in iOS 26.4 developer beta, but testing is extremely limited
Apple has taken a small step toward securing cross-platform messaging, with early RCS encryption support now appearing in the iOS 26.4 beta. Just don't expect to get that much testing done right now.RCS support will be extended to include end-to-end encryptionWay back in March 2025, Apple announced that it would add support for end-to-end encryption to RCS messaging on iPhone. At the time, there were very few details about when the feature would be implemented.We got our first hint that the feature was, at the very least, being worked on in January. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums07:00 pmApple Music in iOS 26.4 has new design for albums, playlists, and more
iOS 26.4 beta 1 launched today, and among its various changes, Apple Music introduces a new fullscreen design for albums and playlists, plus concert info and more. more…06:54 pmiOS 26.4 redesigns Wallpaper Gallery
Apple just released the first iOS 26.4 beta, and it seems to feature a number of under-the-hood improvements. One change includes an overhauled Wallpaper Gallery system. more…06:51 pmMac gamers are about to get a great new way to play PC games
GameSir GameHub promises to revolutionize Mac gaming, granting access to a vast library of titles previously unavailable. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)06:18 pmFirst iOS 26.4, macOS Tahoe developer betas surface as new Siri waits in the wings
Apple has started a brand new generation of developer betas, with iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, visionOS 26.4, and macOS Tahoe 26.4 expected to include a Siri update.Apple's hardware that works with the 26-generation operating systems - Image Credit: AppleFollowing the release of the 26.3 generation of updates, Apple has moved on to the version 26.4 updates. That means a brand new collection of developer beta builds it is sharing for testing.The developer betas for iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, visionOS 26.4, and macOS Tahoe 26.4 arrive after the previous generation, which consisted of three developer betas and release candidates, which Apple handed out on February 4. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums06:13 pmApple Podcasts app gaining ‘enhanced video podcast experience’ in iOS 26.4
As part of iOS 26.4, Apple is upgrading its Podcasts app to “bring advanced video podcast capabilities” to creators and listeners, Apple says. The new “enhanced video podcast experience” will allow users to seamlessly switch between viewing a video podcast and listening to the audio. more…06:13 pmiOS 26.4 beta adds support for testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging
Apple added RCS support to iPhone with iOS 18.1, enabling richer cross-platform messaging between iPhone and Android users. This included things like typing indicators, read receipts, and high-resolution photo and video attachments. Last March, Apple announced its plans to add support for end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. Now, iOS 26.4 beta 1, which is rolling out today, adds an early way to test end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging on iPhone. more…