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 latest 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 saved me hooked on the brand new iOS model is surprisingly discovered within the Apple Music app, and it is known 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 most likely the perfect 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 crucial missed facets of music apps. Most apps like YouTube Music and Spotify provide fundamental options like gapless playback, the place songs instantly swap 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 instrument known as AutoMix, which makes use of AI to match the beat of the upcoming monitor and blends it with the presently enjoying music on the good second, very similar to a DJ would. Whereas it could sound easy, experiencing it firsthand is one thing else.

As seen within the video above, AutoMix works fairly otherwise in comparison with crossfade. Sure, you’ll sacrifice the final 15–20 seconds of the present music, however the clean transition to the subsequent 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 provides me chills.

Associated

How to instantly boost your sound quality on Apple Music

Simply watch out if you select most high quality.

How are you going to strive AutoMix in Apple Music proper now?

You will want iOS 26 and a appropriate iPhone to strive it

Sadly, since AutoMix is a part of the brand new Apple Music options introduced with iOS 26, the one solution to strive it proper now could be by putting in the Developer Beta. Nevertheless, the beta continues to be fairly buggy, and I would not advocate putting in it in your main gadget. Apple is anticipated to launch a public beta of iOS 26 quickly, which ought to be extra steady, so chances are you’ll need to strive it then.

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

Should you’re working a beta proper now and need to strive AutoMix, right here’s easy methods 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 subsequent one, similar to a DJ.

With each iOS replace, Apple brings new options to its first-party apps, and despite the fact that AutoMix did not get a lot hype initially, it looks like a kind of underrated options that might truly appeal to 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.

Associated

Apple Music is better than Spotify and it’s not even close

Within the battle of the music streamers, Apple Music comes out forward of Spotify in vital methods