Apple iOS 26.5 public beta is now available

Apple has released the first public beta for iOS 26.5, just days after the developer beta was released. One of the biggest changes the new operating system brings is the “Suggested Places” feature in Apple Maps. It will show you trending places to visit, such as restaurants and other establishments, near your location or based on your search history. You can see suggested places when you tap the search bar in the Maps app.

iOS 26.5 beta will also come with notifications that the company will place ads in Maps. Apple confirmed in March that it would expand its advertising outside of the App Store and Apple News apps. The ads you see will be based on your location, the search terms you used, and what you search for on Maps. They will appear at the top of your search results and in the list of places suggested by Apple. Apple said the ads would be clearly marked and would not pose a danger to your privacy. Your current location and the ads you interact with will not be associated with your Apple account and your personal data will remain on your iPhone and will not be collected.

Additionally, Apple is retesting end-to-end encryption for RCS messages in iOS 26.5 beta. However, the company has not yet revealed whether the feature will roll out with the stable version of the operating system. To be able to get Apple public betas, go to the Apple Beta software program website and sign up using your Apple credentials.