Apple is getting ready to release the first iOS 26.4 beta to developers. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the update should arrive within the next two weeks and will bring early access to the company's revamped AI assistant.
The first beta is expected to drop during the week of February 23, assuming no delays pop up during final testing. This gives developers a window to start testing their apps against the new software ahead of a public release.
Don't expect the complete Siri overhaul in this beta though. Apple is taking a phased approach to the assistant's upgrade. iOS 26.4 will only include select components of the new Gemini-powered system, giving users a taste of what's coming without the full chatbot experience.
What's Coming in iOS 26.4
The beta will let developers and early adopters test some of the new AI features, but the fully revamped Siri won't arrive until later this year. The complete chatbot-style assistant is scheduled to debut at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June alongside the iOS 27 announcement.
This staged rollout makes sense from a development standpoint. Apple can gather feedback on individual features before the major overhaul ships. It also helps identify any integration issues between Siri and third-party apps before the public release.
iOS 27 Focus Areas
Beyond the new Siri capabilities, iOS 27 is shaping up to be a refinement update. Sources indicate the release will prioritize bug fixes, code cleanup, and design refinements. Performance improvements across the board are also on the roadmap.
This approach follows Apple's recent pattern of alternating between feature-heavy releases and stability-focused updates. After the visual overhaul introduced in iOS 26, users should appreciate the attention to polish and reliability.
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