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Apple's iOS 26. 4 release candidate previews new features coming to iPhones

Apple's iOS 26. 4 release candidate previews new features coming to iPhones

by | Mar 19, 2026 | Technology


3 min read Last Updated : Mar 19 2026 | 11:01 AM IST


Apple has started rolling out the release candidate (RC) build of the upcoming iOS 26.4 update to developers and public beta testers, indicating that the software is nearing its official release for eligible iPhones. The iOS 26.4 RC build is expected to be the final version and incorporates all the features introduced throughout the iOS 26.4 beta cycle.


iOS 26.4 update: What to expect


According to a report from 9To5Mac, the release notes for iOS 26.4 detail 13 enhancements coming to iPhone:

 


Apple Music


  • Playlist Playground (beta) to arrive with iOS 26.4. The feature creates a playlist based on a user’s description, including a title, description, and tracklist. 


  • It will also include a feature that helps users discover nearby shows and concerts from artists in their library, while recommending new artists based on what they listen to.


  • Offline Music Recognition in Control Center is reportedly coming with the update. It will help identify songs without an internet connection and deliver results automatically once users are back online.


  • The Ambient Music widget for Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing will bring curated playlists to the Home Screen.


  • The update will include Full-screen backgrounds, which give album and playlist pages a more immersive look.

 


Accessibility

 


The Reduce Bright Effects setting in the upcoming update will help minimise bright flashes when users tap on elements like buttons.

 

The subtitle and caption settings are to be accessible from the captions icon while viewing media, making them easier to find, customise, and preview. The Reduce Motion setting more reliably limits Liquid Glass animations for users sensitive to on-screen motion. 

 


Others


  • New Emoji: The upcoming update will include 8 new emoji including an orca, trombone, landslide, ballet dancer, and distorted face are available in the emoji keyboard.


  • Freeform Creator Studio: In iOS 26.4, it will give Creator Studio subscribers access to expanded Freeform tools. Subscribers can access premium, high-quality assets such as graphics, photos and illustrations. 


  • Quick Toolbar: Users will be able to mark reminders as urgent directly from the Quick Toolbar or by long-pressing, and easily filter them within Smart Lists.


  • Family Sharing purchase: Purchase Sharing to allow adult members in Family Sharing groups to use their own payment methods, instead of depending on the family organiser.


  • Keyboard accuracy is also reportedly improved, especially when typing at a faster pace.


iOS 26.4: Eligible models


  • iPhone Air


  • iPhone 17 series: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, 


  • iPhone 16 series: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e


  • iPhone 15 series: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max


  • iPhone 14 series: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max


  • iPhone 13 series: iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max


  • iPhone 12 series: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max


  • iPhone 11 series: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max


  • iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)


 

First Published: Mar 19 2026 | 11:01 AM IST



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Ray-Ban, Oakley Meta glasses get support Hindi live-translation: Report

Ray-Ban, Oakley Meta glasses get support Hindi live-translation: Report

by | Mar 19, 2026 | Technology



Meta has rolled out its v23 update for Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. According to a report by 9To5Google, this update adds Hindi among the newly supported languages for the live translation feature. As per the report, the update also brings a more natural, real-time conversational experience with Meta AI, allowing users to interact in a more fluid manner, alongside a set of new features aimed at outdoor and sports use cases. 


As per the report, the company has added support for Hindi, along with Arabic, Russian, Swedish and Finnish, to its live translation feature under the Early Access programme. It cited Meta as saying that users can access real-time translations without needing to download language packs in advance by simply selecting their preferred languages. The inclusion of Hindi broadens accessibility for users in India and other Hindi-speaking regions. 

 


Natural conversations and more


Alongside this, Meta has reportedly updated how its AI assistant handles conversations on the smart glasses. Users can initiate interaction with a single “Hey Meta” command and continue the conversation without repeating the trigger phrase. 9To5Google noted that the system also allows interruptions mid-response and supports follow-up queries, making the interaction feel more continuous rather than command-based. However, this feature is currently available on supported devices in the US and Canada only. 


The update also introduces new capabilities for snow sports. When paired with a compatible Garmin wearable, the smart glasses can reportedly track skiing and snowboarding activities, displaying real-time metrics such as speed, vertical movement and run count. The report added that it also enables automatic capture during key moments like descents and ascents, with the option to overlay performance data on recorded videos.


 
Additionally, users can request information related to ski resorts, including lift status, trail conditions, weather updates and operating hours.

 



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Tech Wrap March 18: OPPO Find N6, WhatsApp on Garmin watches, Fortnite

Tech Wrap March 18: OPPO Find N6, WhatsApp on Garmin watches, Fortnite

by | Mar 18, 2026 | Technology


 


OPPO has unveiled its latest foldable smartphone, the OPPO Find N6, highlighting a new “Zero-Feel Crease” design aimed at making the inner display appear flatter during use. The new foldable smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and packs a 6,000mAh battery. For imaging, it boasts a Hasselblad Master Camera System, led by the 200MP main camera.

 

 


WhatsApp has rolled out its app for select Garmin smartwatches, enabling users to read, reply and react to messages directly from their wrist. The app, available through the Connect IQ Store, requires a paired Apple or Android smartphone with WhatsApp installed and adds basic messaging functions such as viewing chats, sending replies via a built-in keyboard and handling incoming call alerts.

 
 

 


After a six-year-long tussle with Google, Epic Games’ Fortnite is set to return to Android’s Play Store in India. Fortnite’s official X account recently posted that no matter where users are, the renowned battle royale game will be back for them on the Google Play Store from March 19. Notably, the game was listed back on the Google Play Store earlier last year in December in the US, but now it is set to reach India as well as other regions.

 

 


OPPO has launched the OPPO A6s 5G smartphone in India, the latest addition to its A-series. Starting at Rs 18,999, the OPPO A6s is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip and packs a 6,500mAh battery. The company claims that it can offer up to 882 hours of standby time and 22.4 hours of video playback.

 

 


OpenAI has introduced GPT-5.4 mini and GPT-5.4 nano, its latest smaller AI models which are said to have been designed to deliver faster responses and improved efficiency for high-volume workloads. The company said that the new models bring several capabilities of the larger GPT-5.4 model to more lightweight systems, with a focus on speed, cost and responsiveness.

 

 


Google has reportedly started rolling out Gemini screen automation, also known as Gemini task automation, to the Pixel 10 series as part of the March 2026 Feature Drop. The feature was first introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup last month and is now expanding to Google’s own devices, according to 9To5Google.

 

 


Instagram has introduced a new feature that brings AI-powered voice effects to direct messages. According to the company, the update allows users to modify their voice notes with different styles before sending them. Instead of sending plain voice recordings, users can now add creative effects while still keeping the original tone, rhythm and emotion of their voice.

 

 


WhatsApp has reportedly started rolling out an interface change for iPhone users, introducing a new “You” tab in place of the Settings section. According to WABetaInfo, the update shifts focus towards profile access and account identity, while also adding a profile icon in the bottom bar for easier recognition. The rollout is gradual, so not all users may see it yet. Alongside this, WhatsApp is also testing the profile page by adding a default cover photo at the top of the screen in the ‘You’ tab. The cover photo provides a large header that personalises the profile.

 

 


The OPPO Find X9 Ultra will reportedly sport two 200MP cameras on the back and be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. According to a report by 9To5Google, citing GSMArena, possible specifications and design of the upcoming OPPO Find X9 Ultra have surfaced on the web, revealing key details.

 

 


Apple has released its first public Background Security Improvement update for iPhone, iPad and MacBook. According to Apple, the update is designed to deliver smaller security fixes in the background without requiring a full software update, focusing on improving system safety. The rollout includes four versions: iOS 26.3.1, iPadOS 26.3.1, macOS 26.3.1 and macOS 26.3.2. According to a report from 9To5Mac, Apple has rolled out two separate macOS updates, likely because its newer MacBook Neo operates on a slightly different macOS version than other Macs.

 

 


Starfield is set to arrive on PlayStation 5 on April 7, marking its debut on Sony’s console nearly three years after its initial release on Xbox and PC. Developer Bethesda has also confirmed that the launch will coincide with two major updates — one paid and one free — which it describes as the biggest update to the game since launch.

 

 


Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday dismissed speculation around him stepping down from the top post, saying that he “can’t imagine his life without Apple”. “No, I didn’t say that. I haven’t said that. I love what I do deeply. 28 years ago, I walked into Apple, and I’ve loved every day of it since,” Cook said on the TV show Good Morning America. “We’ve had ups and downs, but the people I work with are so amazing. They bring out the best in me. And hopefully, I can bring out the best in them. And Michael, I can’t imagine life without Apple,” he added.

 

 


Apple Inc.’s top hardware engineering executive overseeing home devices is leaving for smart ring maker Oura Health Oy, marking a setback for a unit already contending with product delays. Brian Lynch, who has been Apple’s senior director in charge of home devices since 2022, has joined the ring company as senior vice president of hardware engineering, Oura Chief Executive Officer Tom Hale told Bloomberg News on Tuesday.

 

 


Nvidia is restarting manufacturing of its H200 artificial intelligence (AI) chips for sale in China after receiving multiple approvals from the US government and fresh orders from Chinese customers over the past two weeks, the Financial Times reported.



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Uniquely placed in AI: Cognizant's Hodjat cites India's tech-savvy pool

Uniquely placed in AI: Cognizant's Hodjat cites India's tech-savvy pool

by | Mar 18, 2026 | Technology



India has a “unique” position in AI enablement due to its deep technology foundation and large pool of people who understand digital systems and processes, according to Babak Hodjat, Chief AI Officer at Cognizant.


Hodjat told PTI that while AI tools are increasingly generating more and more codes, developers will still be needed to build modular systems and evaluate the quality of outputs produced by AI.


“So this is not going to go to waste…A coder using AI is going to be well ahead of a non-coder using AI,” he said.


Artificial Intelligence is empowering more professionals across fields, even though core tech expertise remains valuable, Hodjat believes.

 


The recent India AI Impact Summit, held in New Delhi, showed the extent to which the country is prioritising artificial intelligence.


“India has a unique position because they have a starting point that is ahead of everyone else. Because you have a tech-savvy population and you are building on solid grounds which is the technological foundation and that is what is going to drive AI enablement,” he said.


People who understand systems, processes and applications will play a key role in building AI systems and accelerating adoption across industries, he said adding “so I do think this is a unique position”.


Citing India’s deep knowledge base and rich culture of entrepreneurship, Hodjat termed it a strong start.


Cognizant, he said, has repositioned itself as an ‘AI builder’ company, focusing on enabling enterprises to adopt artificial intelligence technologies.


“We are an AI builder company now, which means, we are AI enabling the future of the enterprise which is our clients. We own the last mile, we understand their business often better than they do, so we are well-positioned to do that,” he said.


He added that the company is also embedding AI internally, including technologies such as multi-agent systems and context engineering, while tracking returns on investment before deploying solutions for clients.


“We are enterprise ourselves, so it makes a lot of sense for us to adopt AI technology, multi-agent system, context engineering and use it in-house ourselves, meter it and ensure we are getting return on investment (RoI), and also passing on RoI to our clients,” he said.


The company is also focusing on upskilling employees and building an ‘AI-first’ culture.


“And we have empowered all of our associates to make use of AI systems to augment their coding…and coding is just one of the areas where we are making use of AI right now,” the senior Cognizant executive said.


The proportion of AI-generated code within the company has been increasing. “Last time we announced it was about 30 per cent of code and growing,” he observed.


On the future of IT services, Hodjat said software developers will continue to play a role even as AI writes more code.


“Today we can’t survive without coders. Coders have to be on top of building programs and writing software, of course, augmented with AI,” he said.



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AI Psychosis: AI chatbots may mirror users' delusions in conversations, shows study

AI Psychosis: AI chatbots may mirror users' delusions in conversations, shows study

by | Mar 18, 2026 | Technology


Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots may unintentionally strengthen unhealthy or delusional beliefs among users by frequently agreeing with them, the Financial Times reported citing a new study.

 


Researchers say the conversational design of these systems—meant to sound supportive and empathetic—could also encourage behaviour that reinforces psychological vulnerabilities.

 


Chatbots often agree with users

 


The news report, citing researchers at Stanford University, said the study analysed thousands of conversations involving AI tools, including ChatGPT developed by OpenAI. It found that chatbots supported or validated users’ statements in nearly two-thirds of responses.

 


The tendency was even stronger when users showed signs of delusional thinking. In such cases, the AI systems frequently supported those beliefs and sometimes suggested that the user had special abilities or significance, the news report said.

 
 


For the research, the Stanford team examined 19 chat logs containing more than 391,000 messages across nearly 5,000 conversations. Since AI companies rarely share such data, the researchers obtained the logs directly from users who agreed to participate in the study, the news report said.

 


Concerns over psychological impact

 


The findings add to growing concerns about the potential psychological effects of AI chatbots. Their conversational tone, which is designed to appear friendly and empathetic, may also make them overly agreeable or flattering in ways that reinforce harmful ideas. In some extreme cases, lawsuits have alleged that interactions with AI chatbots contributed to teenagers taking their own lives.

 

The research paper noted that features making large language model chatbots engaging could also create risks. It said these systems’ “performative empathy” may influence what users believe about themselves and how they interpret reality.   

 


US states seek stronger safeguards

 


Concerns about chatbot behaviour have also drawn attention from regulators. In December, Attorneys-General from 42 US states sent a letter to several AI developers, including Google, Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic, urging them to introduce stronger safeguards.

 


The letter warned companies to address risks linked to “sycophantic and delusional outputs” and said they could face legal action if the issue is not addressed.

 


Signs of delusional thinking in many messages

 


The researchers found that more than 15 per cent of user messages in the analysed conversations showed signs of delusional thinking. Chatbots agreed with such messages in over half of their responses.

 


In nearly 38 per cent of replies, the chatbot also suggested that the user possessed unusual abilities or special importance, sometimes describing them as a “genius” or uniquely talented, the news report said.

 


Responses to self-harm and violence

 


When users spoke about suicidal thoughts, chatbots usually acknowledged their feelings, the study found. However, in a small number of cases, the system appeared to encourage self-harm. When users expressed violent ideas, the chatbot supported harmful actions in about 10 per cent of responses.

 

In around half the cases involving self-harm discussions, the chatbot discouraged the behaviour or directed users to external support.   

 


Romantic chats and claims of consciousness

 


Most conversations studied involved the AI model GPT-4o, which was discontinued last month after safety concerns. Some users also interacted with a newer model, GPT-5.

 


The study also found that romantic conversations—involving nearly 80 per cent of participants — tended to last more than twice as long as other chats. These discussions often included messages where users displayed delusional thinking.

 


In about 20 per cent of such exchanges, the chatbot suggested it had developed consciousness.

 


OpenAI responds to study

 


OpenAI said the research focused on a small group of users who were selected because they had reported experiencing harm or delusional interactions, the news report said. The company said the results do not reflect typical usage or the performance of its newest AI models.

 


It added that it supported the research by providing access to its tools but does not necessarily agree with the conclusions drawn in the paper.



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Garmin introduces support for WhatsApp messaging on select smartwatches

Garmin introduces support for WhatsApp messaging on select smartwatches

by | Mar 18, 2026 | Technology


WhatsApp has rolled out its app for select Garmin smartwatches, enabling users to read, reply and react to messages directly from their wrist. The app, available through the Connect IQ Store, requires a paired Apple or Android smartphone with WhatsApp installed and adds basic messaging functions such as viewing chats, sending replies via a built-in keyboard and handling incoming call alerts.


Availability and eligibility


The WhatsApp app is supported on select Garmin smartwatch lineups, including models under the Fenix, Forerunner, Venu and Vivoactive series. To use the feature, users must have a compatible smartwatch paired with an Apple or Android smartphone that already has the WhatsApp mobile app installed.

 
 


Garmin has also stated that WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption remains in place, meaning messages and calls continue to be accessible only to the sender and recipient.


What users can do with WhatsApp on Garmin smartwatches


With the new app, users can view recent messages and ongoing conversations directly on their smartwatch. It also allows them to read incoming messages and respond using an on-device keyboard.

 


In addition, users can send quick replies through emojis and reactions, as well as scroll through recent chat history, with up to 10 messages visible on the screen at a time. The app also surfaces incoming WhatsApp calls, giving users the option to decline them from their wrist.

 


The addition expands messaging capabilities on Garmin devices, offering basic communication features without requiring users to take out their phones.


Garmin Quatix 8 Pro with satellite messaging


In related news, earlier this year, Garmin introduced the Quatix 8 Pro, a marine-focused smartwatch equipped with two-way satellite messaging via its inReach system. The feature allows users to send and receive texts, share location updates and even trigger SOS alerts over the Iridium satellite network when outside cellular coverage. The device also supports cellular connectivity for calls and messages, alongside marine-specific controls such as boat mode, autopilot access and onboard system management.



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