iOS 26.4 was recently released and is a big update for new iPhone features. Here are my four favorite new features in iOS 26.4.
#1: Apple Music’s ‘Playlist Playground’
Apple Music wins several new features in iOS 26.4, including an interesting AI capability: ‘Playlist.’
Playlist Playground allows you to create new playlists with nothing more than a text message.
The Music app provides suggested prompts that you can choose from, but you can also start from scratch and write whatever you want.
After Playlist Playground creates the new playlist, you can provide more information to refine it or manually add or remove songs as you like.
I love how Playlist Playground makes it easy to create playlists. It makes finding the right music for my current mood pretty easy.
#2: New emojis
Apple typically adds new emoji to the iPhone only once a year, and the The latest batch is on iOS 26.4..
The new emoji include:
- ballet dancer
- Distorted face
- Fight against the cloud
- furry creature
- Landslide
- Killer whale
- Trombone
- Treasure chest
My personal favorites so far are Distorted Face, Fight Cloud, Hairy Creature, and Treasure Chest. I can definitely see them joining my regular emoji rotation.
#3: Video Updates on Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts has supported video podcasts for years, but the feature stagnated and was barely used by creators. With the growing popularity of video shows on YouTube and Spotify, Apple was due for some updates of its own, and iOS 26.4 delivers.
Apple has given the Podcasts app a new and improved video experience. Here’s what’s changed, according to Apple:
In the Apple Podcasts app, users will be able to seamlessly switch between watching and listening to shows, making the experience of discovering and watching video podcasts as simple and enjoyable as listening to audio podcasts has always been. Users can watch videos from the app and switch to full horizontal viewing, as well as download videos for offline viewing. And automatic quality adjustment powered by HLS technology ensures smooth playback under all network conditions, delivering the best possible experience whether listeners are connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular connection.
The Podcasts app is already my favorite podcast client thanks to two great features: transcripts and automatic chapters. The new video experience is yet another reason I’m happy to stay on Apple Podcasts.
#4: New design for Apple Music albums and playlists
Other apple music The feature is among my favorites of iOS 26.4: the new full screen design for albums and playlists.
The entire UI of the Music app is now tinted to complement the color of the album or playlist art.
It’s a beautiful effect that makes the app feel fresh and personalized depending on what you’re listening to.
To learn more about the new features available in iOS 26.4, see our full guide here.
What new features in iOS 26.4 have you enjoyed the most so far? Let us know in the comments.
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