Apple released iOS 26.4 on Tuesday, bringing a wide range of new features, quality-of-life improvements, and numerous security patches. The release touches nearly every corner of the operating system — from the Music and Podcasts apps to the kernel — and includes changes that will be noticeable to casual users and security-conscious ones alike. The update is available for iPhone 11 and later and iPad models going back to the iPad Air 3rd generation, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation, iPad 8th generation, and iPad mini 5th generation. Here's what to know. ## Apple Music gets smarter Music lovers have a few reasons to update. A new Playlist Playground feature lets Apple Music generate a 25-song playlist from a text prompt, with the option to refine the results with follow-up prompts. The feature is currently available only in the US. Apple Music has also added a "Concerts Near You" section, powered by a Ticketmaster partnership, that surfaces local show info directly in the app.…