Apple releases iOS 26.5 in May with RCS encryption and Maps ads
Updated
Updated · MacRumors · May 4
Apple releases iOS 26.5 in May with RCS encryption and Maps ads
16 articles · Updated · MacRumors · May 4
After more than a month of beta testing, the update also adds a new Pride wallpaper and code for EU interoperability changes affecting third-party smartwatches and headphones.
Apple Maps ads are due in the US and Canada this summer, appearing in search results and a new Suggested Places section, with Apple saying location data is not tied to Apple Accounts.
RCS end-to-end encryption was tested in iOS 26.4 but missed March's final release, while the Pride wallpaper accompanies Apple's 2026 Pride Collection, including a $49 Apple Watch Sport Loop and matching watch face.
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