Apple has released the iOS 26.4 and macOS Tahoe 26.4 Release Candidates, with a new Playlist Playground, the 2026 emoji set, the fix for the iPhone keyboard bug, and more.

Apple’s next iPhone software update is getting closer to release, and the latest beta version of iOS 26.4 is giving developers and testers a preview of what’s coming next. The update introduces a handful of smaller features and refinements as Apple prepares the software for a broader public rollout later this spring.

Even though iOS 26.4 is full of new features, the latest beta 4 introduced what could possibly be the real reason why many iPhone users will update.

Software updates tend to come with game-changing improvements to the user experience, but iOS 26 includes fresh bugs that have really riled up some Redditors.

OS 26.4 beta 4 adds a CarPlay Music privacy confirmation screen; new emojis like Bigfoot arrive, with small heat reports on some devices.

Here are four new iOS 26 features I’ve found myself using just about every day, even after several months running the latest software.