CUPERTINO, California, March 11, 2026, 01:59 PDT
Apple on March 9 released iOS 26.4 beta 4, the fourth test version of its next iPhone software update, under build 23E5234a. Later the same day, the company made the build available to public beta testers and pushed out matching beta 4 releases for iPadOS 26.4, macOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, visionOS 26.4 and watchOS 26.4. 1
This matters because the 26.4 cycle carries a batch of iPhone changes first seen in earlier betas, including redesigned Apple Music album and playlist views, an AI-powered Playlist Playground tool and enhanced video podcasts. Beta 4 gives developers and testers a clearer read on which pieces are surviving late in the process. 2
It also lands with Apple still under pressure to show progress on its AI push. The company said in March 2025 that more personalized Siri features would be delayed to 2026, while Reuters reported that Google had added Gemini to its assistant and Amazon had rolled out an AI overhaul of Alexa. 3
The clearest new consumer-facing addition in beta 4 is a batch of emoji approved by the Unicode Consortium last year. 9to5Mac said the build adds symbols such as a distorted face, orca, trombone, treasure chest and landslide, reflecting characters Unicode outlined in 2025. 4
MacRumors said Apple also retuned an accessibility control, renaming the earlier “Reduce Highlighting Effects” setting to “Reduce Bright Effects” and describing it as a way to cut down flashing and highlighting on buttons and the keyboard. The same site said beta 4 is the first build that can be installed on the new iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air. 5
But one closely watched feature moved the other way. MacRumors reported that Apple removed the test version of end-to-end encrypted RCS from beta 4 after trying it in earlier 26.4 betas; RCS, short for Rich Communication Services, is the newer texting standard, and end-to-end encryption means only the sender and recipient can read the message. Apple had already said encrypted RCS would arrive in a later software update, not in the first public iOS 26.4 release. 5
That fits Apple’s line on delayed AI features. At WWDC 2025, software chief Craig Federighi said the first version of the upgraded Siri had not “converge[d]” on the quality Apple wanted, and marketing chief Greg Joswiak said shipping sooner would have been more disappointing if it missed Apple’s standard. 6
When Apple first laid out its AI strategy in 2024, Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen said the company was investing in “the next era of computing, interfaces and experiences.” This beta looks much smaller than that pitch: MacRumors said new features are thinning out at this stage, with beta 4 focused on a few additions and refinements. 7
Apple’s wider 26.4 lineup is moving in sync. Alongside the iPhone build, 9to5Mac said Apple released beta 4 for iPadOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4 and other platforms on March 9, and the publication said the full set of updates is expected to reach users within the next few weeks. 8
