iOS 26
Apple tested encrypted RCS in multiple iOS betas before confirming the feature would ship in iOS 26.5 Screenshot / Apple

Apple's iOS 26.5 will bring end-to-end encrypted messaging between iPhones and Android devices for the first time in the history of the iPhone, but it will also lay the groundwork for advertisements inside Apple Maps.

The Release Candidate build went out to developers and public beta testers on 4 May 2026, and the public rollout is expected as early as the week of 11 May. Apple's release notes list three official additions, but the full picture reveals changes that will reshape how you text, search for places, and use your phone every day.

Here is the complete list of new features and what they mean for you.

Encrypted RCS Messaging Closes a Years-Long Privacy Gap

The biggest addition in iOS 26.5 is encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging. The feature is still labelled 'beta' but Apple has confirmed it will ship in the final build. Until now, every text sent between an iPhone and an Android device has travelled without end-to-end encryption. That changes with this update.

The encryption is built on the GSMA's Universal Profile 3.0 standard, which uses the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. Apple helped develop the specification, making RCS the first large-scale messaging service with interoperable encryption across platforms from different providers.

Encryption is on by default. A lock icon appears in the Messages app when a conversation is protected. But availability depends on carrier support, and Apple has not yet published which networks qualify. Group chats with Android users also remain unencrypted under this update.

Here is what that means for you.

  • Your one-on-one texts to Android users will be encrypted for the first time, preventing third parties from reading them in transit
  • A lock icon will confirm when a conversation is protected. If no icon appears, the chat is not encrypted
  • If your carrier doesn't support the latest RCS standard yet, your messages will still go through, but without encryption
  • Group chats that include Android contacts are not covered

Apple Maps Will Start Showing You Ads

iOS 26.5 introduces a 'Suggested Places' section in Apple Maps that surfaces recommendations based on nearby trends and your recent searches. It also opens the door to localised advertising for the first time.

Apple announced the initiative in March through its Apple Business programme, which lets companies place ads at the top of Maps search results and within Suggested Places. The ads won't go live until later this summer, but iOS 26.5 installs the infrastructure.

Here is what that means for you.

  • Maps search results in the US and Canada will eventually include sponsored listings, clearly tagged with an 'Ad' label
  • Apple says your location data and ad interactions won't be linked to your Apple Account
  • The ad programme is limited to the US and Canada at launch

EU Users Get Expanded Third-Party Device Support

Under the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple is extending iPhone features to third-party smartwatches and headphones. This includes notifications, Live Activities, and simplified pairing that previously worked only with Apple's own accessories.

Pride Wallpaper, App Store Changes, and Bug Fixes

The update also includes several smaller additions.

  • A new Pride Luminance wallpaper with dynamic colours and customisable elements, timed for Pride Month
  • Monthly payment plans for annual App Store subscriptions, letting users spread the cost across twelve instalments
  • ChatGPT integration in CarPlay for voice queries
  • General bug fixes and security patches

iOS 26.5 is not a sweeping overhaul. But the two changes that will affect your daily experience pull in very different directions. You're getting a privacy upgrade that took years to arrive. You're also getting ads in an app that has never had them. Both hit your iPhone the same week.

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