Overview
- Apple issued second developer betas for iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, and macOS Tahoe 26.5 on Monday, landing about two weeks after the first seeds.
- Testing continues for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages between iPhone and Android, with an encryption toggle back in Messages settings for RCS, which is the texting standard used by most Android phones.
- Apple Maps gains a Suggested Places feature that recommends nearby spots based on trends and recent searches, while code in the beta prepares the app for labeled ads.
- In the European Union, Apple is trying support for third-party wearables through proximity pairing, notification forwarding, and Live Activities, which would let non-Apple devices show ongoing updates on the iPhone lock screen.
- Developers can get the updates in Settings under Software Update or via IPSW downloads, and reports point to public betas later this week, with Apple and outlets advising installs only on test devices.