iOS 26.4: These changes are barely noticeable

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With iOS 26.4, Apple is not only rolling out major new features, but also numerous smaller adjustments throughout the system. Many of these changes are barely noticeable at first glance, but have a significant impact in everyday use. The current beta of iOS 26.4 includes several detailed improvements in the Health app, the camera, CarPlay, Apple Music, hotspot data, live captions, passcode settings, and the Shortcuts app.

Apple traditionally uses beta versions not only to test new major features, but also to fine-tune existing ones. This is particularly evident with iOS 26.4.

In addition to the already known features, further changes have been discovered that Apple has quietly integrated. These are mostly functional improvements, structural adjustments, and minor design changes.

Health app: New sleep metric and expanded vitals view

In the sleep section of the Health app, iOS 26.4 adds a new metric: average sleep time.

This metric shows the average time people fall asleep. This makes it easier to understand how regular or irregular bedtimes can affect sleep quality. Previously, the focus was primarily on sleep duration and sleep phases. The new average time gives greater consideration to the temporal aspect.

Blood oxygen is now integrated into the Vitals diagram

In the US, the "Vitals" section within the health app was also updated.

Blood oxygen levels are now displayed directly in the daily line graph. While iOS 26.3 and earlier versions of iOS 26 had a separate section for blood oxygen measurements, this value was not integrated into the main chart overview.

With iOS 26.4, blood oxygen now appears as part of the daily graphical display, making the overview more consistent and informative.

Camera: New "Audio Zoom" option

A new feature called "Audio Zoom" has been added to the camera app settings.

This option ensures that the audio recording focuses more on the subject during video recording as soon as the image is zoomed in. This means that if the camera zooms in visually, the audio recording adjusts accordingly and focuses more on the captured area.

The feature can be manually enabled or disabled depending on the desired audio characteristics. This gives iOS 26.4 more control over audio recording during video recording.

CarPlay: Hints of Apple TV support

Evidence of possible Apple TV support within CarPlay was discovered in the iOS 26.4 beta.

This suggests that Apple may soon allow content from Apple TV to be played directly through the CarPlay display in the vehicle. The prerequisite for this is that the vehicle is not in motion.

At WWDC 2025, Apple announced its intention to add support for AirPlay video content to CarPlay displays. The newly discovered clues in iOS 26.4 suggest that this feature could be available in the near future.

Apple Music: Add songs to multiple playlists at once

One functional improvement concerns the Apple Music app.

With iOS 26.4, a song can be added to multiple playlists simultaneously. A list button has been integrated into the "Add to Playlist" interface for this purpose.

Tapping this button allows you to select multiple playlists simultaneously. In previous versions, this process had to be repeated for each playlist individually. This new feature simplifies the management of larger music libraries.

Hotspot data: New position of the consumption display

Apple has adjusted the display of hotspot data usage in iOS 26.4.

Previously, the relevant usage metrics were stored in the "Mobile" section. With the update, data usage is now displayed directly in the "Personal Hotspot" section.

This makes it immediately clear how much data volume has been used via the hotspot function, without having to switch to other settings areas.

Live subtitles: Added Chinese (Taiwan)

In the "Accessibility" section, a new language option has been added to the live subtitles.

With iOS 26.4, Chinese (Taiwan) is now available as an additional language for live captions. Apple is thus expanding language support in the area of accessibility.

Passcode settings: Subtle design adjustment

A minor visual change affects the "Face ID & Passcode" section in the Settings app.

When the passcode is entered to access the relevant settings, the displayed text is now centered instead of left-aligned.

This is a purely visual adjustment that standardizes the layout.

Shortcuts app: New action "Set charging limit"

A new action has been added to the Shortcuts app: "Set charging limit".

This function allows you to define a specific charging limit for the iPhone's battery. This enables you to individually set the maximum charging limit.

The new feature can also be integrated into automations, allowing charging limits to be adjusted based on time or events.

iOS 26.4 Beta launches without new Siri features

iOS 26.4: Many small changes with a big impact

iOS 26.4 brings with it a number of small but functionally relevant changes in addition to familiar main features.

These include the new bedtime metric and integrated blood oxygen display in the Health app, the audio zoom option in the camera, indications of Apple TV support in CarPlay, the ability to add songs to multiple playlists simultaneously in Apple Music, the new hotspot data usage display, the addition of Chinese (Taiwan) to live captions, the visual adjustment to passcode settings, and the new "Set Charge Limit" action in the Shortcuts app.

The iOS 26.4 beta primarily showcases meticulous attention to detail. Many of the changes are minor, yet they significantly improve transparency, ease of use, and functionality in everyday life. The best products for you: Our Amazon storefront offers a wide selection of accessories, including those compatible with HomeKit. (Image: Shutterstock / RYO Alexandre)