Coming to iOS 26.4 is a new Apple Intelligence feature called Playlist Playground that will allow users to generate playlists using selected songs or text prompts.
Apple released the first beta version for iOS 26.4 on Monday, but it did not include the alleged improvements to Apple Intelligence. Instead, it appears to include a number of features for users, including support for HLS video podcasts in Apple Podcasts and other updates.
Among the updates to Apple Music, what at first appeared to be unused was discovered Macworldwhich highlighted a potential incoming feature that could be released alongside iOS 26.4. The code is for something called Playlist Playground, which could be tied to Apple’s new Intelligence push.
Later, 9 to 5 Mac shared that the Playlist Playground feature has indeed arrived in iOS 26.4 beta 1. It took some time for the new Apple Intelligence updates to download after the OS update, which explains why the feature was not discovered earlier.
There aren’t many details here, except that it appears to be a tool that users can access to create playlists with simple commands and inputs. For example, the user can describe the desired playlist with text or select a series of up to ten songs.
Borrowing the Image Playground name, it works similarly, albeit without the rainbow interface. Users can enter text, select from a list of moods or songs, or use other songs, albums, or playlists as input.
Apple Music already includes human-created, algorithmic, user-created and collaborative playlists. Those generated by AI could enable a new element of music discovery.
Overall, this feature seems similar to “The Sentence” by Beats Music. Although it was based on machine learning and was more deterministic, while the generative tool is non-deterministic.
iOS 26.4 beta has just started. Expect a few betas before the public release sometime in March.
Update February 16, 5:47 p.m.: added that the feature exists in beta and isn’t just stray code.