What’s new in 26.4
The biggest innovation in the 26.4 versions can be found in podcasts: Here Apple implements HTTP Live Streaming and now offers video podcasters the opportunity to integrate external advertising platforms. Apple probably wants to compete directly with YouTube here. Apple is also testing end-to-end encryption for RCS messages – but this feature will probably not be activated in the final versions, but at a later date. Apple is also focusing on Liquid Glass and adapting some details of the new user interface. With 26.4, Apple renamed the bootloader from iBoot to mBoot – but it is completely unclear what this actually does or what impact this has on users.
New features in the fourth preliminary version
Normally, after the release of the first and second pre-release versions, Apple focuses largely on bug fixes – and for this reason, no major innovations are to be expected in the fourth pre-release version that is now available. If there are visible innovations, we will add them to this news.
A visible change is the new wallpapers in macOS: All the wallpapers that Apple created for the MacBook Neo are now available for use by all users.
The current betas in the developer area
Finally, as always, the well-known list of the currently available beta versions including their build numbers. This is what it currently looks like in the development area – a public beta is not yet available, but it should appear with little delay for participants in the test program:
| system | Build number | Published |
| macOS 26.4 Beta 4 | 25E5233c | March 9, 2026 |
| iOS 26.4 Beta 4 | 23E5234a | March 9, 2026 |
| iPadOS 26.4 Beta 4 | 23E5234a | March 9, 2026 |
| watchOS 26.4 Beta 4 | 23T5236a | March 9, 2026 |
| tvOS 26.4 Beta 4 | 23L5234a | March 9, 2026 |
| visionOS 26.4 Beta 4 | 23O5235a | March 9, 2026 |