Khaberni - Apple launched the first beta version of iOS 26.5 update, initiating a new testing phase for the iPhone operating system, shortly after the release of iOS 26.4.
The beta update is now available to developers, and is expected to reach users in the public beta version in the coming days.
Concurrently, Apple has introduced updated beta versions for iPadOS 26.5, macOS 26.5, visionOS 26.5, and watchOS 26.5, as part of a unified update cycle across various platforms.
Features of iOS 26.5
At the forefront of changes, Apple Maps has acquired a new feature called Suggested Places, aimed at enhancing the location discovery experience.
This feature relies on presenting customized recommendations to users, based on popular places in their vicinity, previous search history, and usage patterns, appearing directly inside the search box in the app, making accessing suggestions easier and faster.
This move coincides with Apple’s plan to introduce advertisements to Apple Maps during the summer, indicating clear signs of beginning to prepare the infrastructure for these ads, where in the future, the app may display localized promotional content based on approximate geographical location, search operations, and map usage context.
In communications, the update reintroduces the full end-to-end encryption for RCS messages, a feature that Apple began testing in the iOS 26.4 beta versions without officially launching it.
In the current version, the feature reappears without previous signs that ruled out its deployment, enhancing the likelihood of its availability upon the final release, although the company has not explicitly confirmed this yet.
The update also includes notable changes in the App Store, where Apple is working on developing a new model for in-app subscriptions, allowing users to pay monthly with a 12-month commitment.
This approach gives developers the ability to display details of this pricing type and set the appropriate payment plan within subscription settings, although the company has not yet revealed all aspects of this system, or how it will be applied practically.
In terms of compliance with European legislation, iOS 26.5 continues testing a set of new features within the European Union, focusing on enhancing the integration of external devices with iPhone.
These features include support for Live Activities for accessories, allowing these devices to display upcoming live activities from the phone, alongside enabling them to receive notifications and interact with them, capacities that were previously limited to Apple devices like smart watches.
The company is also improving the Proximity Pairing technology, making connecting accessories easier, through an experience similar to that provided by AirPods, where simply bringing the device near the phone initiates the pairing process automatically.
However, these features are still under testing, and Apple has not yet specified an official release date or list of devices that will support them upon launch.
Besides, the update presents a range of additional improvements, including improved pairing mechanism for accessories like the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad, which will stay connected automatically via Bluetooth when connected.
The company has also added a new keyboard layout for the Inuktitut language, along with system indications to the feature Year In Review 2026 in the Apple Books app, which will include badges and motivational titles for users based on reading activity.
The update also provides new options when transferring data from iPhone to Android devices, particularly regarding message attachments, where the user can opt to transfer them entirely, or select a specific time period, such as the last 30 days or one year.
Absence of Artificial Intelligence
In related context, this release confirms the absence of updates related to Siri or Apple Intelligence features based on Google technologies and the Gemini model, as indications suggest that these capabilities will not arrive in the current beta releases this month, despite the update being released on its usual schedule.
Apple had first announced Apple Intelligence in June 2024, and gradually introduced some of its features through updates iOS 18.1, iOS 18.2, iOS 18.3, and iOS 18.4, yet features of Personal Intelligence, along with advanced capabilities related to understanding screen content and executing commands within apps, did not arrive during the iOS 18 cycle.
With Apple adopting a new naming system for its releases based on the year of release, iOS 26 became the direct successor to iOS 18, yet the latest indicators suggest that the iOS 27 release might be the first to present Siri features supported by the Gemini model.
Despite the possibility that Apple may surprise users by including these features in subsequent beta releases of iOS 26.5, most signs indicate that the company decided to postpone them entirely to iOS 27.
This comes at a time when less than two months remain until the launch of the first beta version of iOS 27, opening the possibility of introducing these features before the final release in September, even if they are not ready within the iOS 26 updates.
It is likely that Apple needs additional time to develop these capabilities, as it aims to incorporate its entire artificial intelligence strategy in the upcoming release.
