Apple released the fourth developer beta of iOS 26 on Tuesday, bringing minor changes to the Liquid Glass interface and introducing new features such as the revived AI-driven news summary notifications. This update is a prelude to the upcoming public beta, which is expected to be available to more users later this week.
The release of the developer beta allows application developers to test and optimize their apps before the new software is officially launched. In recent years, Apple has typically released the public beta after its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, satisfying users' demand for early access to new software. However, compared to the developer beta, the public beta is usually more stable with fewer bugs.
In iOS 26 Beta 4, users will see a new "Welcome" launch screen that appears when updating the software for the first time. Additionally, there are new introduction pages for some features, such as Siri's AI news summary and priority selection, as well as a completely redesigned camera app.
Notably, earlier this year, Apple temporarily suspended the AI news summary feature due to a complaint from BBC. BBC pointed out that the feature incorrectly claimed that Luigi Mangione, an Italian man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had died, which was not true. Therefore, Apple stated that it would release a software update to clarify the information in the AI summaries. Now, the settings page for the AI summary feature includes a warning reminding users "the summary may change the meaning of the original title" and suggests they "verify the information."
In the new beta version, the design of the Liquid Glass interface continues to be refined. Although Beta 3 made adjustments to transparent elements in certain apps, Beta 4 has restored some of those changes. Testers have noted updates in apps like App Store, Photos, Apple Music, Weather, and the dynamic color changes in the notification center when scrolling, adding a fresh feel.
Additionally, this update introduces new dynamic wallpapers that can change colors at any time, as well as new CarPlay wallpapers for users to choose from.
Currently, the release notes for Beta 4 have not yet been published on the Apple Developer website, so users can still expect other small bug fixes and performance improvements.
Along with iOS 26 Beta 4, Apple also released the fourth developer beta for other systems, including iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and Xcode 26.