iOS 26 did not impress me, however this Apple Music characteristic gained me over

Apple lastly refreshed the design language of all its working techniques, together with iOS, at WWDC 2025. The corporate unveiled its new Liquid Glass design, introducing a visible theme with transparency and glass-like shine results. However that wasn’t all — iOS 26 additionally comes packed with new features below the hood, together with upgrades to the Messages app, a redesigned Telephone app, and a collection of recent Apple Intelligence options.

I have been utilizing the iOS 26 beta for fairly a while now, and whereas I anticipated the brand new design and flashy options to impress me, particularly since I’ve lengthy wished a design refresh on my iPhone, iOS 26 has didn’t wow me to date. The early construct is riddled with bugs and fairly unstable, which is to be anticipated from a beta, however I hope Apple improves issues in upcoming developer releases.

That mentioned, one characteristic that is stored me hooked on the brand new iOS model is surprisingly discovered within the Apple Music app, and it is referred to as AutoMix. Apple demoed the characteristic briefly in the course of the keynote, however I didn’t pay a lot consideration to it on the time. After attempting it on my iPhone, although, I might say it is in all probability one of the best iOS 26 characteristic to date.

AutoMix in Apple Music is iOS 26’s standout characteristic

It is like having an AI DJ in your pocket

Track transitions are one of the vital neglected facets of music apps. Most apps like YouTube Music and Spotify supply primary options like gapless playback, the place songs instantly change with out pause, and crossfade, which fades out one monitor whereas fading within the subsequent.

With iOS 26, Apple has launched a brand new characteristic within the Music app that adjustments this. It is an AI-powered device referred to as AutoMix, which makes use of AI to match the beat of the upcoming monitor and blends it with the at the moment enjoying music on the excellent second, very like a DJ would. Whereas it might sound easy, experiencing it firsthand is one thing else.

As seen within the video above, AutoMix works fairly in another way in comparison with crossfade. Sure, you’ll sacrifice the final 15–20 seconds of the present music, however the clean transition to the following monitor creates a surprisingly immersive expertise.

I have been utilizing this characteristic on my iPhone ever since putting in iOS 26. Whereas there are some bugs, and AutoMix doesn’t kick in each single time, when it does, it genuinely offers me chills.

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How will you strive AutoMix in Apple Music proper now?

You may want iOS 26 and a suitable iPhone to strive it

Sadly, since AutoMix is a part of the brand new Apple Music options introduced with iOS 26, the one method to strive it proper now’s by putting in the Developer Beta. Nonetheless, the beta remains to be fairly buggy, and I would not advocate putting in it in your major gadget. Apple is predicted to launch a public beta of iOS 26 quickly, which ought to be extra secure, so chances are you’ll need to strive it then.

The wonderful thing about AutoMix, although, is that although Apple advertises it as an “AI” characteristic, it is not restricted to solely iPhones that help Apple Intelligence (iPhone 16 series and iPhone 15 Professional). AutoMix will probably be accessible on all iOS 26-compatible iPhones when the replace launches in its secure model later this 12 months.

In case you’re working a beta proper now and need to strive AutoMix, right here’s the right way to allow it in your iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down, faucet Apps, then head to Music.

   

3. Faucet Track Transitions and choose AutoMix.

   

Now, if you play music in your iPhone and a monitor is queued, your iPhone will seamlessly combine into the following one, similar to a DJ.

With each iOS replace, Apple brings new options to its first-party apps, and although AutoMix did not get a lot hype initially, it appears like a kind of underrated options that might truly entice extra subscribers to Apple Music. There is no phrase but on whether or not it’ll come to Android gadgets, because the Apple Music app is accessible on Google’s OS, however I doubt it.

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