iOS 17.4 Update: New Features, Bug Fixes & What’s Changed

March 22, 2026 Priya Shah – Business Editor Business

Apple has released the Release Candidate (RC) of iOS 26.4 for iPhone, bringing with it a range of new features and improvements ahead of the expected public launch within the next 48 hours, according to multiple reports. While the update doesn’t include the major Siri overhaul initially anticipated, it introduces several quality-of-life enhancements and new creative tools.

A key addition is Playlist Playground within Apple Music. This feature allows users to generate playlists based on text descriptions, enabling them to create soundtracks based on moods, activities, or even abstract concepts. The update too introduces an Ambient Music widget, providing quicker access to Apple’s curated background soundscapes designed for Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.

iOS 26.4 expands the emoji library with eight new characters: trombone, treasure chest, distorted face, hairy creature, fight cloud, orca, landslide, and ballet dancer. The update also addresses a reported bug in iOS 26 that caused typos when typing quickly on the keyboard.

Family Sharing features are also updated, allowing adults within a group to use separate payment methods, eliminating the previous requirement for a shared payment arrangement. Apple now permits each member to add their own credit or debit card.

CarPlay receives a significant upgrade with support for third-party chatbot applications. Developers like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google will necessitate to update their apps to integrate with the new CarPlay framework. The Podcasts app now natively supports video episodes with HLS streaming, offering users the ability to switch between audio and video formats and download videos for offline viewing.

For users who dislike the Liquid Glass interface introduced in iOS 26, a “Reduce Bright Effects” setting has been added to diminish the intensity of bright flashes when interacting with buttons. Reducing Motion further limits Liquid Glass animations.

Apple is also reportedly testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging and enhanced video podcast experiences within iOS 26.4, though the status of these features in the RC release remains unclear. Stolen Device Detection is now enabled by default with this release, and progress continues on iOS 26’s CarPlay video support.