Apple’s release of iOS 26.2 last week brought several helpful updates, as discussed in a previous article. Now, anticipation is building for iOS 26.4, which promises significant artificial intelligence (AI) enhancements to Siri. Recently, an extensive leak has provided insights into what to expect from iOS 26.4 through iOS 28, thanks to a version of iOS 26 currently in use by Apple’s engineers.
The said internal build of iOS 26 contains “feature flags,” which engineers can use to enable or disable specific features while they are under development. Unique to this iOS build are notes detailing the features and the corresponding iOS versions they will debut with.
For instance, the internal build highlights multiple feature flags related to new additions to the Health app. These allude to a user-friendly interface for categories and a simpler method for manual data entry, such as body measurements, symptoms, and medication intake. This has led to speculation about a possible Health+ subscription service from Apple, providing answers based on user-provided data in the Health app. The revamped interface could be a part of Apple’s preparation for this potential paid service.
According to the leaked data, Apple is also testing a feature that recognizes when a new credit or debit card is added to a third-party app, offering to save it to the iCloud Keychain. This feature works similarly to the Autofill function in Safari and could be launched with iOS 26.4. The leak also suggests a more premium Sports subscription package for Apple TV+ users, probably available with the iOS 26.4 update.
The much-awaited upgrades for Siri are also slated for the spring release of iOS 26.4. In addition to facilitating more natural conversations, Siri will be integrated with Google’s Gemini Large Language Model (LLM). This will enable Siri to comprehend the context of the user’s display and assist with task execution. The updated Siri will also be capable of browsing a user’s emails, messages, calendars, and photos to locate specific information and perform tasks with certain apps using voice commands.
iOS 26.4 will also introduce a new layer of security to ensure that an iPhone logging into Apple ID and iCloud hasn’t undergone any unauthorized modifications, like jailbreaking.
The feature flags also hint at possible new collections for the Photos app in iOS 27. This version will bring improved pairing for AirPods with an iPhone. In iOS 28, sleep tracking will feature new metrics, such as “Time in bed.”
What are the main features expected in iOS 26.4?
The iOS 26.4 update is expected to bring significant improvements to Siri, including more natural conversations and integration with Google’s Gemini Large Language Model (LLM). Other features include a new credit or debit card saving feature and possibly a premium Sports subscription package for Apple TV+ users.
What changes are expected for the Health app?
The Health app is likely to see a new user-friendly interface for categories and a simpler method for manual data entry. There is also speculation surrounding the introduction of a Health+ subscription service that provides answers based on user-provided data.
What additional security will be introduced with iOS 26.4?
An additional security feature is set to ensure that an iPhone logging into Apple ID and iCloud hasn’t undergone any unauthorized changes, such as jailbreaking.
