Updated March 24, 2026: iOS 26.4 is available, here we explain everything you need to know about the update for iPhone
iOS 26.4 arrived in Beta 2 this week, as we saw there. And for once, the new test version has made some fairly important changes. One of them concerns the interface of two Apple applications that you can find on your iPhone and iPad. It’s about apps App Store and Games.
What does iOS 26.4 change in App Store and Games?
And there is talk of an interface change that is anything but minor. Before iOS 26.4 beta 2, in both the App Store and Games apps, the search bar was accessible at the bottom right of the screen, via a menu separate from the main menu bar. And when you pressed this menu, the search opened just above the keyboard, which could alter the visibility of the displayed screen.
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App Store iOS 26.4 beta 1 © iOS screenshot by pocketphotography.com
Games iOS 26.4 beta 1 © iOS screenshot by pocketphotography.com
Now, with iOS 26.4, the search menu is an integral part of the bottom menu bar. And then, during a search, an entry box appears at the very top of the screen, which has the benefit of no longer hindering the visibility of the content displayed.
App Store iOS 26.4 beta 2 © iOS screenshot by pocketphotography.com
Games iOS 26.4 beta 2 © iOS screenshot by pocketphotography.com
So yes, this change will not revolutionize the way you use your iPhone. But it is an adjustment that resolves a clear interface problem: reduced visibility of the page displayed when searching for content. In ergonomics, the devil is in the details. And Apple has a knack for always finding and correcting these little hiccups.
Among the other new features brought by iOS 26.4, there is support for 5G calls at Bouygues Telecom and SFR, and support for 5G+ at SFR (after Free, Orange and Bouygues Telecom). Let’s also mention the arrival of end-to-end encryption for the RCS protocol and messages exchanged between iPhone and Android. Apple Music is also gaining some features, as are Apple Podcasts and Freeform. Find the complete list of new iOS 26.4 features here. Please note that you will probably be able to benefit from it at the end of next month.
By: Keleops AG
