New Delhi: Apple has started rolling out its first public beta of iOS 26.5, by offering iPhone users who have enrolled in Apple’s iOS 26 beta program the opportunity to experiment with all of the latest feature that comes with the latest iOS 26.5 beta 1.
This upgrade unveils the Suggested Places feature in Apple Maps, end-to-end encryption for RCS, and the ability to push Live Activities to third-party accessories. iOS 26.5 public beta 1 can now be installed on the eligible iPhone models.
Apple Maps
The latest Suggested Places feature is now available in the public beta of iOS 26.5. This tool is notable for the trending locations nearby, alongside suggestions based on the user’s recent searches. This feature now appears directly in the search tab within Apple Maps, making it easier for users to discover places without entering specific queries.
Ads in Maps
Support for the ads in Apple Maps is now part of the public beta of iOS 26.5. This upgrade also includes backend changes that will indicate Maps could also show the local ads based on the user’s location, search activity, or what they are streaming on their iPhone.
RCS encryption
Apple is now once again experimenting with end-to-end encryption for RCS messages in the public beta of iOS 26.5. This feature first appeared in the iOS 26.4 beta, but Apple had already confirmed that the end-to-end encryption for RCS would not be available with the iOS 26.4 upgrade and would rather be unveiled in a future release. With this upgrade, encryption has been returned for experimentation, though it is still unclear whether it will be part of the public rollout.
App Store subscription options
Public Beta of iOS 26.5 also hints at a change to how subscriptions might work on the Apple App Store. Public beta experimenters might be going to see the latest subscription options, which include monthly billing linked to a 12-month commitment. The report has also suggested supporting paying annual plans in monthly installments at a discounted rate, although complete details are yet to be confirmed.
Eligible iPhone models to get iOS 26.5 Beta 1 Update:
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17 series
- iPhone 16 series
- iPhone 15 series
- iPhone 14 series
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 12 series
- iPhone 11 series
- iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)
