iOS 26 public beta reveals Apple is reviving a controversial feature it was forced to abandon
- iOS 26 developer beta 4 includes the return of a controversial iPhone feature
- Notification Summaries for News apps is back
- This time users will have the option to enable or disable the summarization tool
Apple has reinstated its controversial Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries for news apps feature in the latest iOS 26 beta.
The summarization tool had been disabled for all news apps notifications earlier this year following a mishap where Apple Intelligence summarized BBC News breaking headlines incorrectly.
Now, with the release of iOS 26 developer beta 4, Apple has reintroduced the option for users to summarize news notifications using AI.
With the iOS 26 public beta release imminent it’s expected this change will also be available for a wider user base it just a few days.
Unlike the last time we had the feature, users are now greeted with multiple choices related to Apple Intelligence Notification Summaries following the update to iOS 26. You’ll be able to choose to disable Notification Summaries altogether, or select from multiple categories such as News & Entertainment, Communication & Social, and All Other Apps.
Apple initially removed Notification Summaries for News apps as part of iOS 18.3 which launched in January. Now, however, it looks like the Cupertino-based company is happier with the rollout of the feature, opting to reinstate it and give users the choice with a brief disclaimer that “Summarization may change the meaning of the original headlines. Verify information.”
It’s back, but I turned it off anyway
I’ve been rocking iOS 26 on my iPhone 16 Pro Max for over a month now, and while I’m very happy with the recent iOS 26 developer beta 4 update in terms of performance improvements compared to beta 3, I’m less pleased about the return of News Notification Summaries.
The first thing I did after trying Notification Summaries back in iOS 18.1 was turn them off, and while I’m willing to enable the feature again for all my notifications this time around, I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch.
I’m hoping Apple has rectified some of the glaring issues with the reliability of Notification Summaries in the latest iOS 26 beta, although I worry that the disclaimer highlighting potential problems is just a way to skirt around any uproar, instead keeping the feature as unreliable as it was before.
As I use it more, time will tell. iOS 26 is still in beta and there’s plenty of time for Apple to rectify any potential hiccups before the official release later this year. Until then, I’ll give Notification Summaries one last chance.
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