iOS 26.4 beta 2 changes and features: strategies for future development [Video]

Although it lacked the much-anticipated new features of Siri for Google Gemini, the first beta release of iOS 26.4 was still full of new changes. As a result, we featured more than 40 new updates in our iOS 26.4 Beta 1 walkthrough.

The second beta of iOS 26.4 doesn’t include that many changes, but there are still a few new additions and updates to consider. There are also interesting things under the hood that haven’t been discussed yet. This includes an upcoming redesign of the permissions prompt, a new NSPredicateValidating protocol, and other clues about the upcoming Apple Studio Display update.

In this latest episode of iOS Releasedwe explore 10 new features and changes in iOS 26.4 beta 2. Watch the full walkthrough, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac for more.

What’s new in iOS 26.4 Beta 2?

In the second developer beta, Apple added a new Podcast screen that highlights a new video podcast feature that will provide seamless transitions between video and audio, and offline video playback.

The update also sees the search bar for the Games app being moved to the top of the interface, similar to the change we saw with the App Store in the first beta release.

Video: iOS 26.4 beta 2 changes and features

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Dark mode users will be pleased to learn that the Control Center context menus now have a dark tint, replacing the bright white interface that was used previously.

A new shortcut on the Music app’s profile page allows users to quickly jump to Settings → Apps → Music to customize Music app controls.

One of the most interesting changes can be found in Settings → Accessibility → Display and Text Size. There you will find something new Reduce Highlight Effects change, but we’re still not sure how this will affect the iOS UI. Some have speculated that this will correct the spectral contrast of the Liquid Glass display features, but I have yet to see a clear difference. If you know, please leave a comment below.

The SDK also adds new features NSPredicateValidating protocol, which may be a way to validate predictions before testing them to prevent malware exploits that have affected this API in the past.

Finally, the latest round of betas makes it even more clear that a Studio Display refresh is on the way. Apple is working on two new displays, and they seem to be a significant change from the outgoing Studio display. But here’s an interesting thing: between the two new models we see, the only significant difference we can point to is the audio amplifier module. One of the displays will feature a larger module, featuring larger, more powerful speakers, as well as a larger display. It could mean a 27-inch Studio display and a 32-inch Studio display, or something along those lines.

These displays will also include touch functionality. This could mean that the displays themselves are touchscreens, or they will have capacitive touch buttons. The displays will also include support for a subsystem that controls Secure Indicator Light for camera/microphone use.

9to5Mac’s Take

Although it is true that iOS 26.4 beta 2 does not include new user-facing features, as we have shown, there are several notable changes and several additional updates under the hood that point to future iOS improvements. What are your thoughts on the second developer beta of iOS 26.4? Comment below with your thoughts.