Apple has released iOS 26.5 for developers, and the update brings paid ads to Apple Maps, end-to-end encryption for RCS messages and a handful of smaller changes across the company’s software. The public version is likely just around the corner after the developer release.
Apple Maps will start showing clearly labeled ads in search results and in Suggested Places, with businesses able to buy placement in a way similar to app developers advertising in the App Store. The ads will be local and based on a user’s location, while Suggested Places will use recent searches and what other nearby Apple Maps users are looking for.
The move pushes Apple further into ad-supported services at a time when Maps is already one of the company’s most used navigation tools. Apple first reported plans to bring ads into Apple Maps in March 2026, and iOS 26.5 is the release that starts turning that plan into a product.
Apple is also switching on end-to-end encryption for RCS messages by default in iOS 26.5, though iPhone users will be able to turn the option on or off in the Messages section of Settings. That means messages sent between iPhone and Android users will be encrypted and cannot be read by third parties.
There is a practical wrinkle in the update too. When users connect Apple accessories such as the Magic Keyboard to an iPhone through USB-C, the device will automatically connect via Bluetooth as well. And when transferring from an iPhone to an Android device, users will get a new choice for which message attachments to include: all, 1 year or 30 days.
Apple Books is getting a new Trophies and Medals feature that rewards users based on their audiobook and reading habits, and the company is also preparing a new iPhone wallpaper tied to Pride that matches the previously announced Apple Watch Pride band and watch face.
One more feature could still show up for some users in the European Union. Apple has included an EU-related change in previous iOS beta releases, including the beta for iOS 26.5, but it has not yet appeared in any public release. Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple must allow iPhone features such as notifications, Live Activities and AirPods pairing to work with third-party headphones and smartwatches.
For now, iOS 26.5 is shaping up as a broad release with one clear theme: Apple is widening what its software can do, while also opening new parts of it to business and regulatory pressure. A public rollout appears close, and Apple is expected to release iOS 27 later this year.
