- Apple has just released the iOS 26 developer beta 4, which brings back the glassy effect that was toned down in developer beta 3.
- It also adds a new dynamic wallpaper, improved controls to manage unknown calls, notification summaries for news stories, and more.
- This is probably the last developer beta, and the next update will be the first iOS 26 public beta.
Apple has just rolled out the fourth and arguably the final developer beta for iOS 26, and it brings back the “Glass” in Liquid Glass after popular demand. This is a significant update and brings a lot of polish to your iPhone, so here’s everything new included in iOS 26 developer beta 4.
New Changes in iOS 26 Developer Beta 4
In the last iOS 26 Developer Beta 3 , Apple toned down the glassy effect, which disappointed many people and they started wondering whether the company is ditching the glass motif. Thankfully, Liquid Glass is in full swing and back in beta 4 , as you can see in the tab bars, menu items, Control Center, and notification shade.
The elements in the background interact and morph the same way as Apple showcased during its WWDC presentation. Moreover, it feels a lot fluid compared to the last three updates. Somehow, text readability on Liquid Glass has also improved, especially in the lock screen, since the background gets a darker tint as you scroll up your notifications.
Moreover, there’s a new dynamic wallpaper , which is available under the iOS 26 wallpaper category, which was previously called, just “iOS”.
The Camera app has received a subtle icon change. It is very minor but the bezels around the lens have been trimmed down. The iOS 26 beta 4 update also shows a new informational splash screen . This seems to be in preparation for the public beta, introducing the new layout for those unfamiliar.
Notification summaries for news and updates are back and you can now summarize your news stories again . Apple turned off this Apple Intelligence feature following reports of inaccuracies. It also received a ton of backlash from media companies and the public for the same.
Finally, the Phone app has updated settings to manage calls from unknown numbers . You can either choose to never silence unknown calls, ask reason for calling, or silence all calls.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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- Apple and Google have officially confirmed their team-up for the next-gen Siri AI.
- The Cupertino Giant will be using Google’s Gemini for a more personalized Siri model as well as Apple Intelligence features.
- We can expect the next-gen Siri to come out with iOS 26.4, sometime in March or April.
Apple has officially confirmed joining forces with Google to use its Gemini AI model to power the next-generation Siri. It will offer a more personalized experience and will be coming out with the iOS 26.4 update. Apple also plans to leverage Gemini’s capabilities for other Apple Intelligence features as well, later down the line.
The Next-Gen Siri will be powered by Google’s Gemini AI
Apple officially confirmed that it will be partnering with Google in a statement to CNBC . Here’s what it stated, “After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models, and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users.”
Later, Google also shared a post on X confirming the tie-up, “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.”
Image Credit: X/@NewsFromGoogle
Both statements clearly mention that the Cupertino Giant will be using Gemini to power its assistant Siri. This was already rumored, as Apple’s attempts to acquire Perplexity went nowhere. With Gemini, Siri will get a major AI update . It will be able to handle more nuanced conversations and provide better results. Something long-time Apple users have been asking for years.
The next-gen Siri will arrive with the iOS 26.4 update, which will launch sometime in March or April. And it is only going to be available for Apple Intelligence-supported devices .
Something else worth noting is how Google’s statement mentions that Gemini will power Apple Intelligence features. This leads us to believe that Apple could use Gemini’s multi-modal capabilities for its Writings tools , Image Playground , and Message summaries, too.
Elon Musk Not Happy With Apple and Google Tie Up
xAI CEO Elon Musk also responded to Google’s announcement post on X, sharing his thoughts on the matter by saying, “This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.” Though we don’t expect either Apple or Google to respond to Elon, we will update the situation as it progresses.
It is worth noting that xAI is the company behind Grok, which is in hot water currently due to its inappropriate image generation fiasco , and has been getting backlash from multiple news outlets, X users, and even government authorities.
With over 4 year of experience under the belt, I cover all facets of consumer tech, from smartphones to other consumer electronics, our favorite social media apps, as well as the growing realm of AI and LLMs. As an Apps and AI writer app Beebom, I provide my expertise in all these areas, weaving stories that help you get familiar with the tech around you. But you will find me playing NYT daily puzzles in my free time.
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