iOS 26.5 Is Now Out there With 6 Cool New Options – BGR

After a month of beta testing, Apple is now rolling out iOS 26.5 to everybody. Whereas this replace does not carry the lengthy awaited all-new Siri with Gemini assist, which is now anticipated to be unveiled through the WWDC 2026 keynote, Apple nonetheless has a couple of attention-grabbing upgrades for customers, resembling end-to-end RCS encryption and enhancements to Apple Maps and the App Retailer.

In comparison with iOS 26.4, which was an replace filled with helpful and hidden options, iOS 26.5 nonetheless has lots to supply iPhone customers, as Apple continues to construct upon one of many largest evolutions to the cell software program because the launch of iOS 7 virtually 13 years in the past.

Whereas Apple continues to enhance the Liquid Glass design and convey tweaks and safety updates to the iPhone, there are additionally quite a lot of main options now out there as a part of iOS 26.5 that you may get in your iPhone as quickly as you hit the “Replace” button.

Apple began testing end-to-end RCS encryption in late February. On the time, the corporate mentioned this characteristic would not arrive with the discharge of iOS 26.4. The characteristic is now available in beta, making texts between iPhone and Android customers much more safe. When you replace to iOS 26.5, you may see that conversations with Android customers on appropriate carriers shall be labeled as encrypted, which suggests they cannot be learn whereas they’re despatched between units.

Apple has an extended and complex historical past with RCS. Apple’s outgoing CEO Tim Cook dinner as soon as even went so far as to say to an attendant of the 2022 Code Convention that they need to purchase their mother an iPhone quite than watch for a greater texting integration between iPhone and Android. A lot has modified within the intervening years.

In 2023, for instance, the corporate introduced that it could assist RCS the next 12 months, and iOS 18 in actual fact added assist for this new normal. This considerably improved compatibility between iOS and Android units, together with assist for images, movies, and reactions. Now, Apple is making these conversations safer by providing correct end-to-end encryption.

In March, Apple introduced that Apple Maps would endure a serious change by that includes advertisements contained in the app. Whereas the corporate additionally revamped its advert service to make it simpler for builders, firms, and extra to advertise their apps and companies on Apple’s platforms, the corporate can also be introducing a cool new characteristic to Maps with Urged Locations. This characteristic suggests suggestions primarily based on what’s taking place close by, along with the consumer’s current searches, and, in fact, advertisements.

Whereas this may develop Apple’s advert enterprise, it additionally helps the app extra readily compete with Google Maps. Nevertheless, whereas Apple is lastly being extra proactive about suggesting locations for customers to go, Google lately additionally up to date its maps expertise by including Gemini, as the non-public assistant can now counsel locations primarily based on consumer suggestions, create particular routes, and enhance automobile navigation with easier-to-understand signaling.

Whereas it is unclear if the brand new Siri may carry one thing just like Apple Maps as soon as it is revealed, it is clear that Apple nonetheless has catching as much as do. iOS 26 did introduce vital options for Apple Maps, however the app nonetheless is not fairly as succesful as Google’s different.

With iOS 26.5, Apple will introduce a brand new means for builders to supply subscriptions. In keeping with iOS 26.5 beta launch notes, builders can now promote an annual subscription that expenses month-to-month. With this new technique, if a month-to-month subscription for an app prices $12.99 and a yearly subscription prices $100, then you can pay $100 over 12 months whereas nonetheless committing to a 12 months.

This permits Apple to assist builders push subscriptions at a extra reasonably priced value to clients. In keeping with the discharge notes, builders will be capable to specify the billing plan kind that has a “month-to-month with 12-month dedication billing plan configuration” for customers.

Whereas it is unclear if Apple will change the way it affords yearly subscriptions altogether or simply supply this as a further choice, it is vital to notice that you just’d be dedicated to paying this subscription for 12 months or probably paying it off all of sudden for those who attempt to cancel the subscription. Nonetheless, this resolution makes subscriptions extra engaging, as not all people is prepared or capable of pay a bunch for a single subscription upfront.

One other cool characteristic included in iOS 26.5 is the flexibility to pair a Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse to an iPhone or iPad extra simply. Customers simply want to attach these equipment by way of USB-C and they’ll stay linked wirelessly for so long as you are utilizing them.

Moreover, the corporate introduced new customizable wallpapers as a part of its 2026 Satisfaction Assortment. Whereas the brand new Sport Loop Satisfaction Version displays the “distinctive identities that form LGBTQ+ communities worldwide,” the brand new wallpapers supply a “complementary joyful and dynamic design” with customizable colours. It is vital to notice that these wallpapers are potential because of the revamped Background Settings launched in iOS 26.4 in March, which splits wallpapers primarily based on completely different collections.

The sixth characteristic launched in iOS 26.5 is a brand new set of information switch choices from iPhone to Android. Apple and Google lately improved this integration as a part of iOS 26.4, and it is now increasing even additional by giving customers the flexibility to switch a selected time vary of message attachments, together with a 12 months, 30 days, or each message attachment on the system.

Along with these six cool options, massive adjustments are additionally coming for European Union and Brazilian customers in iOS 26.5. For instance, within the EU, as Apple continues to adjust to the Digital Markets Act, it can permit third-party smartwatches to obtain notifications and let customers work together with them, similar to they’ll on an Apple Watch. AirPods-like pairing can also be coming to third-party smartwatches and headphones, as the corporate is being instructed to supply further APIs to builders.

In Brazil, Apple must permit third-party marketplaces on the iPhone. Whereas it is unclear if the corporate will apply the identical guidelines that have been established within the European Union, Brazilian weblog iHelpBR says that code present in iOS 26.5 RC reveals the corporate is readying assist for this modification. 

Since Apple must adjust to the choice of an area watchdog, it means Brazilians will be capable to obtain apps from exterior the App Retailer. In the mean time, it is unclear if Apple will implement different related adjustments as we have seen within the EU in Brazil. Nevertheless, it reveals that governments are persevering with to problem Apple’s stranglehold on the cell software program market.