iOS 26.5 and iOS 27 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Apple has seeded the first developer beta of iOS 26.5.

iOS 26.5 lays groundwork for end-to-end encryption for RCS in Messages, encrypting chats between supported iOS 26.5 and Android devices; Apple previously tested this in the iOS 26.4 beta.

Ads will appear in Apple Maps in the U.S. and Canada starting this summer; businesses can buy placements in search results and at the top of a new "Suggested Places" section (visible in the iOS 26.5 beta); ads will show an "Ad" label and Apple says ad impressions and location data are not tied to a user’s Apple Account.

In the iOS 26.5 beta, Apple is working to extend iPhone features to third-party smartwatches and headph.

Apple appears to be shifting focus to iOS 27, which is expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2026 on June 8 and released around September.