Apple releases iOS 26.5 update

Apple has unveiled its latest iOS 26.4 update, introducing 13 new changes alongside eight emoji characters.

Apple Music

Upgrades to the Apple Music application include Playlist Playground (beta), which curates playlists based on your description, complete with a title and track selection.

'Concerts' help users discover local performances by artists in your library, while recommending new artists based on your preferences. 

Through the Control Centre, Offline Music Recognition (Shazam) can now identify songs even without an internet connection, delivering results once you have reconnected.

An Ambient Music widget for several focus modes presents curated playlists directly on the home screen. 

Reminders 

Users can now mark reminders, depending on the urgency of the task they want to complete.

Keyboard

The keyboard includes eight new emojis, including an orca, a fight cloud, a trombone, a landslide, a ballet dancer, and a distorted face.

The update also includes enhanced keyboard accuracy for a quicker typing experience.

Accessibility 

A new Reduce Bright Effects setting minimises glaring flashes when tapping on elements.

Subtitles and caption settings are now easily accessible through the captions icon while viewing media. 

The Reduce Motion feature has also been improved for users sensitive to screen movement. 

Purchase Sharing

Adults in Family Share can now use their own payment methods, whereas before users within a Family Share could only make use of one payment method.

Freeform

The application now includes advanced AI image generation, editing tools, and a premium content library, aligning with Apple’s Creator Studio.