Apple releases iOS 26.5 beta 1 with Maps ads groundwork, RCS encryption, but no Siri upgrade

Apple on Monday seeded the first developer beta of iOS 26.5, arriving less than a week after iOS 26.4 went public. The update carries build number 23F5043g and weighs in at just over 8GB on iPhone 17 Pro.The headline disappointment: there are no Siri improvements whatsoever. Apple had reportedly targeted iOS 26.5 for at least some of its long-delayed Gemini-powered Siri overhaul—on-screen awareness, personal context, deep app integration—but none of that made the cut. All signs now point to iOS 27, expected to enter beta after the WWDC keynote on June 8.

Apple Maps is getting ads this summer, and iOS 26.5 lays the foundation

What iOS 26.5 does bring is a new Suggested Places feature in Apple Maps.

It recommends locations based on what's trending nearby and your recent searches. More notably, Apple is laying the groundwork for ads inside Maps—code in the beta references local ads served based on approximate location, search terms, and map view. Ads will carry a clear "ad" label and are expected to go live this summer.End-to-end encryption for RCS messages is back in beta after being pulled from the final iOS 26.4 release.

The toggle sits in Settings under Messages and is enabled by default. When active, conversations between iPhone and Android users get the same encryption protection iMessage has always had.

EU interoperability features expand with Live Activities for third-party wearables

In the European Union, Apple is testing expanded interoperability features to comply with the Digital Markets Act. iOS 26.5 adds Live Activities support for third-party accessories—smartwatches and similar devices can now mirror live updates from an iPhone.

Notification forwarding, previously EU-only, appears to be expanding globally in this beta.Smaller additions include automatic Bluetooth pairing when you plug a Magic Keyboard into an iPhone over USB-C, a new Inuktitut keyboard layout, and new App Store subscription options that let developers offer monthly billing with a 12-month commitment.A public beta is expected later this week.