Apple releases iOS 26.4 Beta 1 missing the update you really wanted
We were all hoping that iOS 26.4 Beta 1 would include a major update, but alas, it did not arrive.
Today might have been the day that many iPhone users (including myself) were really looking forward to for nearly a year. Ever since Apple first delayed Siri 2.0 last March, the word was that the new version of Siri would be released with iOS 26.4. So we waited and waited for the first iOS 26.4 Beta to be released in the hope that it would contain some, if not all, of Siri's new features.
Once again, Apple fails to meet a deadline for Siri 2.0
But as we got so close to Siri 2.0 that we could taste it, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman revealed the bad news last week. Apple reportedly ran into snags with Siri 2.0 pushing back the release to iOS 26.5 from iOS 26.4. So instead of excitedly installing iOS 26.4 Beta 1 and putting Siri 2.0 through its paces, we have to wait until iOS 26.5 Beta 1 is released in April. Those features include Personal Siri which goes through users' emails, calendars, call history, texts, photos, and more to answer certain questions such as, "What time is my mother's flight landing?"
New features in iOS 26.4 Beta 1 for the Apple Podcast app. | Image by PhoneArena
Siri will also know what is on your screen in iOS 26.5 and will be able to do certain things with this information, such as working with the content listed in apps. Siri will also be able to, with a single command, find a picture, edit it, and send the content. Updates from iOS 26.5 to iOS 27 could give Siri a better understanding of natural language, improved web search, and more.
Apple is testing End-to-End Encryption for RCS. | Image by PhoneArena
What iOS 26.4 Beta 1 does include is the beginning of RCS end-to-end encryption. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging and toggle on End-to-End Encryption (Beta). This could be toggled on by default and is limited to iPhone-to-iPhone messaging when iMessage is off. Cross-platform support for Android devices will be coming soon. A toggle switch added to the Apple Podcasts app allows users to swap quickly from the video to audio versions of a podcast without losing your place.
Apple releases iOS 26.4 Beta 1. | Image credit-PhoneArena
New emoji arrives with the latest iOS Beta
The Wallpaper Gallery gets a redesign and Apple Music will show you a full screen layout when an album or playlist is opened. A "Concerts near you" feature will show you local shows,
tour dates, and artist‑specific concert listings. In the Find My app, a feature called "Precise Outdoor Location" will help you find your lost AirPods in large open spaces. And there are new emoji coming including:
tour dates, and artist‑specific concert listings. In the Find My app, a feature called "Precise Outdoor Location" will help you find your lost AirPods in large open spaces. And there are new emoji coming including:
Orca, Landslide, Bigfoot/Sasquatch, Trombone, Treasure Chest, Apple Core, a Distorted Face and the Fight Cloud.
To install the update, you must be subscribed to the iOS Beta Program. Go to Settings > General, Software Update and follow the directions. There are no new Siri features in iOS 26.4 Beta 1.
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