Apple changed a few Liquid Glass elements in iOS 26 developer beta 3 and got a lot of online feedback. Now we’re on to iOS 26 beta 4, which will surely be compared under the microscope in as much detail in this season of change.

iOS 26 developer beta 4 has arrived

Apple describes the upcoming iPhone software update by saying that iOS 26 “delivers a stunning new design, powerful Apple Intelligence capabilities, new ways to stay connected in the Phone and Messages apps, and exciting updates to CarPlay, Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet.”

In iOS 26 beta 2, we saw design tweaks including legibility improvements for Control Center, better menu organization in Safari, and stronger accessibility options with borders added to High Contrast Mode.

iOS 26 beta 3, as mentioned, most notably added opaqueness to some of the more transparent tab bars alongside new wallpaper colors. Meanwhile, Notification Center still uses absolute transparency when pulled down until fully open. That seems ripe for changing.

Public beta imminent

The line between developer beta and public beta has blurred since Apple made it free for anyone to test the developer version a few years ago. The difference now is mostly about risk tolerance. The public beta is typically released a week after the third developer beta, giving Apple a full month after WWDC to improve the pre-release software.

Developer betas come in June, public betas come in July, and the final release comes in September. This year, Apple opted to give iOS 26 a little more time to bake before opening up the public beta. Hopefully iOS 26 dev beta 4 is a good representation of what to expect in September. That seems to be a prerequisite for releasing the public beta.

Is your iPhone ready for iOS 26? The next major software update runs on iPhone SE (2nd generation) as well as iPhone 11 and up. iOS 18 is the last version that will run on iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. You’ll need to upgrade your iPhone if you want the latest features and newest design, but older iPhones will continue to receive software updates for security for a while. Features that use Apple Intelligence require iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 family model.

Meanwhile, we’ll collect and list every change to iOS 26 beta and more on 9to5Mac so stay tuned (and join the fun with tips@9to5mac.com)!