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2h ago

Apple Seeds iOS 26.5 Beta With Maps Suggested Places and RCS Encryption Prep

The beta signals a modest spring release that leaves the Siri and AI overhaul for iOS 27 at WWDC on June 8.

a row of iphones showing liquid glass features and sticker that reads 'available now'
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Overview

  • Apple released the first iOS 26.5 developer beta this week, revealing a small set of changes as work shifts to the larger iOS 27 update.
  • Apple Maps now shows a Suggested Places section that surfaces nearby recommendations based on trends and recent searches, with code preparing for clearly labeled ads in the U.S. and Canada this summer.
  • Apple says Maps ads will appear in search and atop Suggested Places, and it states that location and ad interactions in Maps are not linked to a user's Apple ID.
  • The beta includes groundwork for end‑to‑end encryption in RCS texts between iPhone and Android, though the feature is not guaranteed to ship in the final 26.5 release after being pulled from 26.4.
  • In the EU, Apple is adding support so third‑party smartwatches and headphones can get iPhone notifications, show Live Activities, and pair more like AirPods to meet Digital Markets Act rules.