Apple has seeded a second round of release candidate builds of iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5, bringing the updates a step closer to public release with a smaller round of fixes and feature additions. Liquid Glass in iOS 26 The RC builds arrived one week after the fourth betas . Release candidates are typically the final versions Apple ships publicly unless major bugs force additional revisions during last-minute testing. Build number 23F77 appears on Apple's developer portal for both iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5, replacing the earlier 23F75 RC build released on May 4. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Apple today seeded new release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming five days after the first RC. It's not clear what's changed in the second RC, but Apple typically sends out another candidate if there are bugs that need to be addressed. Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update. iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 do not include new Siri capabilities, suggesting any ‌Siri‌ updates are being held until iOS 27 . The Maps app has a Suggested Places feature for recommending locations to visit nearby based on trends and recent searches, plus Apple is laying the groundwork for ads in the Apple Maps app. Apple is continuing to test end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android users. Apple included the feature in the iOS 26.4 beta, but removed it before the update launched to the public. There is a new Pride wallpaper to go along with the Pride Apple Watch band for this year. More detail on what's new in iOS 26.5 can be found in our iOS 26.5 beta features guide . iOS 26.5 is likely to see a launch next week. Related Roundups: iOS 26 , iPadOS 26 , iOS 27 Related Forum: iOS 26 This article, " Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 Release Candidates to Developers " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
SpaceXAI has released Grok Voice mode for Apple CarPlay, allowing CarPlay users to ask the chatbot questions and make requests directly from their vehicle dashboard, handsfree. Previously, Grok for iPhone displayed a placeholder app in CarPlay saying the handsfree support would be coming soon. Grok comes built-in on Tesla vehicles, but now almost any other car can access it. Apple started permitting third-party voice-driven conversational apps to integrate with CarPlay in iOS 26.4, but developers must add support for the feature and obtain a special entitlement from Apple. Apple requires apps to use its voice control template for CarPlay. Whenever voice-based services are active, apps must display the voice control interface and can include up to four action buttons. However, Apple says chatbot apps should not show text or imagery in response to queries. Grok Voice mode joins ChatGPT and Perplexity, which arrived on CarPlay in March and April, respectively. Your commute just got smarter Talk to me hands free — now on Apple CarPlay pic.twitter.com/ZuMzC9D9jH — Grok (@grok) May 7, 2026 CarPlay has supported third-party apps for years, but Apple restricts the types of apps permitted on the platform to reduce driver distractions. Apple maintains a list of approved app categories, including audio, communication, EV charging, and navigation apps. Related Roundup: CarPlay Tag: Grok Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology This article, " Grok AI Voice Mode Arrives on Apple CarPlay " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
