Apple is bringing age verification to the UK, as the latest iOS 26.4 beta prompts users to verify that they’re over 18 following installation. As shown in screenshots posted to Reddit, Apple says users who don’t confirm their age “will not be able to download and purchase apps or make in-app purchases.” In one of the screenshots, Apple notes that it may automatically confirm that users are over 18 using the payment method connected to their account, or the age of their account. Otherwise, Apple may ask users to scan their credit cards to confirm their age. The Verge
In a sprawling 20,000-word essay published last month, Dario Amodei, the chief executive of Anthropic, warned that advances in artificial intelligence could pave the way for a wave of killer robots. “A swarm of millions or billions of fully automated armed drones, locally controlled by powerful AI and strategically coordinated across the world by an even more powerful AI, could be an unbeatable army,” he wrote. He was not just worried about this threat coming from China or Russia but from Western democracies too. Telegraph
Mumsnet has launched a campaign to introduce a ban on social media for under-16s featuring health warnings in the style of those on cigarette packets. The deliberately provocative national advertising campaign calls for all social media to be banned for children under the age of 16. The images on billboards and social media make a number of stark statements related to health. They claim that “three hours or more social media a day makes teens more likely to self-harm.” Guardian
Nvidia boss Jensen Huang
Chip giant Nvidia has reported record annual revenue of $215.9bn (£159.1bn), despite a wave of investor scepticism about the massive amounts of money being spent on artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The firm also beat analyst’s forecasts as sales for the last three months of its financial year jumped by 73% compared to 12 months earlier. “Computing demand is growing exponentially,” boss Jensen Huang said. “Our customers are racing to invest in AI compute – the factories powering the AI industrial revolution and their future growth.” BBC
SpaceX has revealed that its “greatly enhanced” second generation (GEN2) of Direct to Cell (DtC) capable Starlink broadband satellites, which are due to launch in 2027, will aim to support 5G connectivity and deliver peak data speeds of 150Mbps (Megabits per second) per user. Starlink currently has around 9,800 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – mostly at altitudes of between c.340-525km. Residential customers in the UK usually pay from £35 a month for the ‘Residential 100Mbps’ unlimited data plan (kit price may vary due to different offers), which also promises uploads of c.15-35Mbps and low latency connectivity. ISPreview
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will have a smaller Dynamic Island, according to Bloomberg. Over the past year, there have been mixed rumors about whether the iPhone 18 Pro models will continue to feature a Dynamic Island or have a hole punch camera with under screen Face ID and no Dynamic Island, but the latest information suggests we’re not getting rid of the Dynamic Island just yet.
Along with Bloomberg, several prominent leakers on Weibo and other social media sites have said Apple will make the Dynamic Island smaller, but won’t eliminate it. MacRumors
Apple this week released the latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 26.4, which introduces several new features, including an AI-powered playlist-generation feature in Apple Music, support for video content in the Podcasts app, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, and more.
The update is currently available in pubic beta, with the public release expected sometime in March or April.
Apple Music’s AI playlist
One of the most noticeable improvements arrives in Apple Music — iOS 26.4 introduces a new AI-powered “Playlist Playground” feature that leverages Apple Intelligence. The feature allows users to generate a custom 25-song playlist from a text prompt, such as “upbeat workout mix” or “calm evening.” Users can then further refine the results and even select matching cover art.
Image Credits:Apple (screenshot)
In addition, Apple Music’s user interface has been refreshed to showcase full-screen artwork for albums and playlists.
Concerts Near You
Plus, Apple Music is getting a new “Concerts Near You” section that helps users discover live shows from their favorite artists. You can filter this section by Date and Genre, or switch locations if you’re traveling.
Image Credits:Apple (screenshot)
Apple Podcasts video episodes
Following Spotify’s push into video, Apple’s Podcasts app is making it easy to switch back and forth between audio and video episodes with this release. Creators can publish video podcasts using HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), and listeners can seamlessly switch between audio and video playback within the same episode, moving to a full horizontal display if they choose.
Image Credits:Apple
At launch, the video episodes will be integrated with other Apple Podcasts features, like personalized recommendations and editorial curation on the New tab and Category pages, just as audio podcasts are.
HLS also brings an automatic quality adjustment feature, which helps videos play better whether listeners are on Wi-Fi or cellular. Plus, users will be able to download video episodes for offline viewing. At launch, HLS is supported by Acast, Amazon’s ART19, Triton’s Omny Studio, and SiriusXM, including SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz, and Simplecast.
Image Credits:Apple
Creators will be able to dynamically insert video ads, including host-read spots, into their podcasts, too. Apple doesn’t charge creators to distribute podcasts, but it says that, starting later this year, participating ad networks will have to pay an impression-based fee for the delivery of the dynamic ads in the HLS videos.
Encrypted RCS messaging
Messaging is also receiving an important upgrade with encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS), which begins testing in iOS 26.4. End-to-end encryption for RCS conversations will one day help ensure messages between iPhone users and Android users are just as secure as iMessage.
Currently, Apple is only testing this between iPhones in beta. These conversations will be labeled as encrypted and cannot be read while sent between devices. The company notes that the feature will be released publicly in a later software update for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS, and the beta is not available for all devices and carriers.
Stolen Device Detection is on by default
Security improvements are another highlight of iOS 26.4. Stolen Device Protection is now enabled by default, adding an extra layer of biometric authentication for sensitive actions such as accessing saved passwords or making certain account changes. By requiring Face ID or Touch ID authentication in more scenarios, Apple reduces the risk of unauthorized access if a device is stolen and the passcode is compromised.
Image Credits:Apple
CarPlay adds in-car video playback
Drivers using Apple CarPlay will also notice changes. CarPlay now supports in-car video playback for select apps — including the Apple TV app —but only when the vehicle is parked to ensure safety. This enhancement introduces new entertainment options for passengers when they’re stopped or while waiting in the car for a period of time. (Hooray for parents in the pickup line at school!)
Third-party AI services come to CarPlay
CarPlay for the first time will offer access to third-party AI services like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude.
Audio Zoom in Camera app
Image Credits:iPhone screenshot/TechCrunch
Meanwhile, the Camera app introduces Audio Zoom. When recording video, the microphone focuses on the subject as you zoom in, reducing background noise and enhancing clarity. This feature makes it easier to capture speeches, performances, or interviews without external audio equipment.
Image Credits:Apple (screenshot)
Additionally, the Ambient Music feature is now accessible through a widget, letting users instantly play soundscapes designed for focus, sleep, or relaxation directly from the Home Screen, instead of just the Control Center as before. The feature, first introduced in iOS 18.4, added a variety of ambient sounds to stream across categories like Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
“Urgent” reminders
There’s also a new “Urgent” section in the Reminders app that groups high-priority tasks and can trigger more prominent alerts when deadlines approach. Setting a reminder as Urgent will add an alarm so you’re sure not to miss the event.
Image Credits:iPhone screenshot/TechCrunch
And more …
A few other smaller features include the following:
A new unified Apple Account Hub in the App Store, Apple Music, and other Apple apps replaces the “profile” feature that was previously used.
A new animation is in the Messages app when you draft a message.
An updated Wallpaper Gallery separates the different categories in a new way; a similar design came to the Apple Watch Face Gallery as well. The new version includes sections for Weather, Astronomy, Emjoi, and more, among other changes.
Apple Music lets you add songs to multiple playlists at once.
The Health app adds a new metric: Average Bedtime, which shows the average time you went to bed over the past two weeks. The Vitals section was also updated to include a blood oxygen level on the daily graph.
Freefrom adds a Content Hub for Creator Studio subscribers, providing access to new AI features and high-quality art. Its icon was updated, too.
The Personal Hotspot feature now includes a Data Usage section that shows how much data has been sent to your device and which Apple and non-Apple devices have been using your data.
Live Captions adds support for Chinese (Taiwan) under the language options.
There’s a new “Set Battery Charge Limit” action in Shortcuts.
The App Store’s Search bar is back at the top of the screen.
The link to iCloud.com gets a larger, featured section within the iCloud section in the Settings app. Before, there was only a toggle to “Access iCloud Data on the Web.” Now it’s more like a big ad for iCloud.
Notably absent from this release is a next-generation Siri experience. While Apple has signaled deeper AI ambitions for its voice assistant, those larger changes do not appear in iOS 26.4, reportedly delayed once again.
Apple Music has a new Playlist Playground feature that lets users create a playlist with a text-based prompt
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.4, and while the early beta stages suggest it will be a feature-packed update for the iPhone, one major piece of the puzzle remains conspicuously absent.
Despite rumours that this version would finally see the debut of the long-awaited, Gemini-powered “Siri 2.0,” the latest build seems to focus more on refining media, security and messaging.
Here are the five most significant upgrades coming to your iPhone with iOS 26.4.
1. Apple Music: “Playlist Playground” AI
The standout feature for many will be “Playlist Playground,” an AI-driven tool for Apple Music. This allows you to generate a 25-song playlist simply by typing a text prompt – for example, “chill acoustic tracks for a rainy afternoon” or “90s grunge hits for the gym.” What’s more, the Music app is also getting a visual refresh with full-page artwork for albums and a new “Concerts Near You” section to help you find live tour dates for your favourite artists.
2. Enhanced video capabilities for podcasts
Apple is significantly upgrading its Podcasts app to bridge the gap between audio and video content. Using new HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) technology, the app will now allow you to switch seamlessly between watching a video podcast and listening to the audio version without losing your place. The quality will also adjust automatically based on your network conditions, ensuring a smoother experience for those on the move.
3. End-to-End RCS encryption
Following the adoption of RCS (Rich Communication Services) in previous updates, Apple is finally testing end-to-end encryption for these messages. While currently limited to testing between Apple devices in the beta, this is a critical security step. It aims to make messaging with Android users as secure as iMessage by ensuring that texts, photos, and videos cannot be intercepted or read by third parties while in transit.
4. Stolen device protection by default
In a move to bolster user security, iOS 26.4 is expected to enable Stolen Device Protection by default for all users. Previously an opt-in setting, this feature requires biometric authentication (Face ID or Touch ID) for sensitive actions, such as changing your Apple ID password, when you are away from familiar locations like your home or office. By making this a standard setting, Apple is making it significantly harder for thieves to lock owners out of their own accounts.
5. Smart “Urgent” reminders
Building on the task prioritization introduced in iOS 26.2, the Reminders app is gaining a dedicated “Urgent” smart list. When you tag a task as urgent, it will automatically populate this list and trigger persistent alarms to ensure high-priority items aren’t buried under your daily chores. This update also adds a new “Set Battery Charge Limit” action to the Shortcuts app, allowing you to manage your device’s long-term battery health more easily.
Conclusion: The Siri-shaped hole
While iOS 26.4 brings a wealth of improvements and security patches, the absence of the smarter, more personal Siri is hard to ignore. Initial reports suggested that the AI assistant – capable of understanding on-screen context and cross-app interactions – would arrive in this cycle. However, current leaks now suggest that Apple may hold back the full Siri overhaul until iOS 27 in late 2026.
