iOS 26.5 is expected to be released this May, following more than a month of beta testing. The update is relatively minor so far, which is not too surprising given that Apple is starting to shift its focus towards iOS 27 . iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for end-to-end encryption for RCS in the Messages app and ads in the Apple Maps app , and it will include a new Pride wallpaper and a few other changes. Below, we outline all of the notable additions in iOS 26.5. End-to-End Encryption for RCS End-to-end encryption for RCS is a security feature that ensures that messages sent between supported iOS 26.5 and Android devices are encrypted and cannot be intercepted and read by a third party while they are being delivered. Apple already tested end-to-end encryption for RCS in the iOS 26.4 beta, but the feature did not make it into the final release of iOS 26.4 in March . The option returned in the iOS 26.5 beta, but it remains to be seen if it makes it into the final release. Ads and "Suggested Places" in Apple Maps In March, Apple announced that localized ads are coming to the Apple Maps app on the iPhone and iPad in the U.S. and Canada starting "this summer," and there is evidence of Apple preparing for that within iOS 26.5's code . Apple says businesses in the U.S. and Canada will be able to place local ads in search results and at the top of a new "Suggested Places" section. "Ads on Maps will appear when users search in Maps, and can appear at the top of a user's search results based on relevance, as well as at the top of a new Suggested Places experience in Maps, which will display recommendations based on what's trending nearby, the user's recent searches, and more," says Apple. Similar to the ads that are already shown in App Store search results on the iPhone and iPad, ads in Apple Maps will have an "Ad" label, and Apple promises strong privacy protections. For example, Apple says a user's location and the ads they see and interact with in Apple Maps are not associated with a user's Apple Account. New Pride Wallpaper Alongside the new Pride Edition Sport Loop and Pride Luminance watch face for the Apple Watch, iOS 26.5 will include a matching iPhone wallpaper. Apple said the wallpaper features a "joyful, vibrant design to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities worldwide during Pride Month and beyond." The wallpaper has a dynamic design with customizable colors. More In the iOS 26.5 beta, Apple is also working to extend iPhone features like notifications, Live Activities, and AirPods-like pairing to third-party smartwatches and headphones in the EU, as required under the Digital Markets Act. Beyond that, iOS 26.5 has only a few other minor changes . Related Roundups: iOS 26 , iPadOS 26 Related Forum: iOS 26 This article, " iOS 26.5 Coming Soon With These New Features " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
The 2026 Apple Pride Collection has arrived, with a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Loop accompanied by a matching watch face and Pride Luminance wallpapers. Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Loop for 2026 - Image Credit: Apple Each year, Apple releases Pride Editions of Apple Watch bands, as part of its work to champion LGBTQ+ equality. On May 4, the 2026 batch became available. The new Pride Edition Sport Loop is woven from nylon yarns in 11 colors. The weaving blends the colors into each other, which Apple describes as reflecting the "unique identities that shape LGBTQ+ communities worldwide." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
A new report claims that while Apple Silicon chips based on TSMC's 3nm processors will remain in shorter supply than usual, there are reasons to expect the launch of 2nm processor in the next MacBook Pro will improve the situation. Supplies of the Mac mini are already constrained During Apple's latest earnings call, Tim Cook cautioned that the current shortage of memory would be an increasing problem , and the expectation is that iPhone and Mac prices will rise. But the demand from AI firms is such that firms like Apple may not be able to buy sufficient memory or even processors at any price, and a new report says that is going to continue. According to Digitimes , Macs supply will remain constrained until processor TSMC manufacturer is able to ramp up its 2-nanometer manufacturing. Apple is expected to use TSMC's 2nm processor in the forthcoming OLED MacBook Pro, which had been predicted for the end of 2026. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
