- Apple plans a major iOS 26.4 update with new AI features and Siri enhancements
- First developer beta of iOS 26.4 expected the week of Feb 23, public release by April
- Siri overhaul includes personal context, on-screen awareness, and expanded app control
Apple is gearing up for one of its most substantial iPhone software updates in recent years with iOS 26.4. The upcoming update is expected to introduce a wide range of new Apple Intelligence capabilities and significant AI-driven enhancements to the Siri voice assistant. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, citing internal sources, the first developer beta of iOS 26.4 is anticipated to arrive during the week of Feb. 23, with a public release likely in March or early April.
iOS 26.4 Set To Bring Major Siri Overhaul
The heart of the update is a major overhaul for Siri, powered in part by Apple's partnership with Google to leverage Gemini for its advanced features. At least three prominent user-facing improvements are expected: personal context understanding, on-screen awareness, and expanded in-app and cross-app actions.
Personal context allows Siri to intelligently search and reference a user's own content — such as notes, messages, and emails — to handle tasks more effectively and provide relevant details. On-screen awareness enables the assistant to interpret what's displayed on the device and perform educated actions. The expanded actions are set to offer deeper voice control over individual apps and interactions across apps, making Siri more proactive and versatile.
New Emojis Likely
In addition to the Siri upgrades, iOS 26.4 is set to introduce a fresh batch of emojis, following approvals by the Unicode Consortium. These include Apple Core, Distorted Face, Ballet Dancers, Fight Cloud, Landslide, Hairy Creature, Orca, Treasure Chest, and Trombone.
Folders In Freeform App
The update may also bring folders to the Freeform app, addressing a longstanding gap. Freeform received tables in iOS 26.2, and folders represent another addition for better organisation. There may be further enhancements to Freeform, potentially including AI-related features or premium content tailored for Apple Creator Studio users.
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