iOS 26.5 arrives soon. Here are the new features to know.

Apple’s latest mobile operating system, iOS 26.5, has just been released for developers. Typically, this means the latest public release of iOS is just around the corner.

So, what new features should iPhone users expect in iOS 26.5? Let’s take a look at What’s new.

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Apple Maps: Announcements and Suggested Locations

Two new features are coming to Apple Maps with the release of iOS 26.5, if we consider the introduction of advertisements to the platform as a new feature, as Apple does.

Apple is integrating ads into its proprietary Apple Maps app with the latest iOS. We first reported about it in March and Apple is now actively looking for advertisers.

The ads will be clearly labeled, according to Apple. Businesses will be able to run paid ads on Apple Maps in the same way that app developers can run ads in the Apple App Store. Local ads will appear in Apple Maps based on the user’s location. Ads will appear in Apple Maps search results and suggested locations.

Speaking of suggested places, this is another new feature coming to Apple Maps with iOS 26.5. Although advertisements also appear in this section, it is not just an advertising space. Suggested Places will provide users with recommendations based on their most recent searches, as well as what other nearby Apple Maps users are searching for.

RCS end-to-end encryption

RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is essentially the messaging protocol that allows iPhone and Android users to exchange messages with high-quality media, read receipts, and keystroke indicators. Basically, it gives iPhone users the familiar Messenger experience when texting with Android users.

With iOS 26.5, Apple introduces a layer of protection by enabling end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for these RCS messages.

E2EE will be enabled by default with iOS 26.5. However, iPhone users will be able to enable or disable the feature by going to their Settings app and enabling the End-to-end encryption option in the Messages section.

With E2EE for ‌RCS‌, messages sent between iPhone and Android users will be encrypted, meaning they cannot be read by third parties.

Other new features

While these are the main new features in iOS 26.5, other new additions are also on the way.

For example, when a user connects Apple accessories like the Magic Keyboard to an iPhone via USB-C, the device will automatically connect via Bluetooth also with iOS 26.5.

Transferring from iPhone to Android device with iOS 26.5 provides a new option setting to select message attachments to include in the transfer. Users can choose all options, 1 year or 30 days.

Apple Books also offers a new Trophies and medals feature that rewards users based on their audiobooks and reading habits.

Finally, Apple will also release a new iPhone wallpaper celebrating Pride with iOS 26.5. Pride wallpaper will match the previous one announcement Apple Watch Pride band and face.

iOS 26.5 could also potentially bring a new feature to EU users. Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple must allow iPhone features such as notifications, live activity and AirPods pairing to work with third-party headphones and smartwatches. Although this has been included in previous beta versions of iOS, including the iOS 26.5 beta, it has not yet been included in any public releases. We’ll see if Apple includes it this time with iOS 26.5.

Finally, iOS 27 will also arrive later this year, and we may learn more at WWDC 2026 in June.