iOS 26.4 is coming soon: Apple is addressing problem areas
From the unreliable iPhone keyboard to conservative Family Sharing and Liquid Glass flickering: Version 26.4 promises important fixes.
(Image: heise medien / Sebastian Trepesch)
Version 26.4 of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Tahoe is nearing completion: Apple released a first “Release Candidate” for developers to test overnight on Thursday. Should no major bugs be found, Apple could possibly release the update in March for all supported iPhones, iPads, and Macs for download.
In addition to eight new emojis – including Big Foot and a squashed smiley – and minor additions to Reminders and Apple Music, iOS 26.4 & Co. are also addressing problem areas that have been causing complaints among users for months. Apple promises that the update will improve the accuracy of the keyboard when typing quickly. This has been a constant source of frustration for many iPhone users who had updated their device to iOS 26. According to initial user reports, typing quickly with the new operating system version is indeed somewhat more error-free than before.
Apple continues to adjust Liquid Glass
Also new is an option to reduce flashing elements of the Liquid Glass user interface. Buttons and text input fields currently flash quite noticeably when selected by finger – to the annoyance of some users. Apple has already provided several customization options for the new interface design, and more are likely to follow. According to Apple, the accessibility feature that reduces movement can better reduce the sometimes very busy animations of Liquid Glass in 26.4.
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With Apple's Family Sharing, the family head registered as organizer previously had to pay for all purchases made by other family members. The only workaround was to equip other accounts with their credit. Soon, adult members of a Family Sharing group will be able to deposit their credit card details for the first time and bill in-app purchases and subscriptions, for example. The manufacturer is now also responding to complaints from Apple Watch users about the redesigned Training app with watchOS 26: Starting with version 26.4, workouts will also start by tapping the sports icon.
EU features coming at the earliest with iOS 26.5
However, Apple has to postpone important, partly already tested features again; they will therefore follow at the earliest with iOS 26.5. This includes the already promised end-to-end encryption of RCS messages and support for full iOS notifications on smartwatches from other manufacturers in the EU. In the future, headphone manufacturers will also be able to integrate the practical fast device switching in the EU, which until now only AirPods (and Beats) have mastered. In iOS 26.4, this can only be tested by developers; it is intended to follow for end users later. Both features are part of EU requirements for greater interoperability. Completely missing in version 26.4 are also the major AI improvements around Siri, which Apple promised and advertised two years ago but has not yet been able to implement.
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