Apple has officially released the first developer betas of iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, less than a week after rolling out iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 to the public.
Registered developers can install the update by heading to Settings > General > Software Update on their iPhone or iPad.
And yes, this one could be a big deal. Or at least, it was supposed to be.
Where’s the smarter Siri?
Many were expecting iOS 26.4 to introduce the more personalized, context-aware version of Siri that Apple previewed at WWDC 2024.
That version of Siri promises:
- Personal context awareness
- Rich in-app actions
- Onscreen understanding
- Smarter conversational abilities
However, recent reports suggest Apple may have hit internal roadblocks. Some or all of those Siri upgrades could slip to iOS 26.5 or even iOS 27.
That said, iOS 26.4 could still bring smaller AI additions, such as improved web search capabilities or image generation tools. So this beta cycle is definitely worth watching closely.
New Emoji are likely coming
Every x.4 update usually delivers fresh emoji, and iOS 26.4 appears to follow that tradition.
New emoji rumored for this release include:
- Trombone
- Treasure chest
- Orca
- Landslide
- Bigfoot
It might sound minor, but new emoji tend to be one of the most visible features in mid-cycle updates.
Developer beta only (for now)
At the moment, iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 are limited to registered developers. A public beta is likely to follow within the next week or two.
Given everything riding on Apple’s AI roadmap this year, this beta cycle feels more important than usual. Even if the full Siri overhaul doesn’t land here, what shows up in these early builds will give us a strong hint about Apple’s next move.
We’ll be digging into what’s new as developers get their hands on it.
