Apple iOS 26.5 public beta is now available
Apple has released the first public beta for iOS 26.5, just a few days after the beta for developers came out. One of the biggest changes the new operating system brings is the тАЬ Suggested Places тАЭ feature in Apple Maps. It will show you trending places to visit, such as restaurants and other establishments, near your location or based on your search history. You can see Suggested Places when you tap on the search bar in the Maps app. iOS 26.5 beta also will also come with notifications that the company will be putting ads inside Maps. Apple confirmed in March that it was going to expand its ads outside of the App Store and Apple News apps. The ads you see will be based on your location, the search terms youтАЩve used and what youтАЩre looking up on Maps. They will show up at the top of your search results and in AppleтАЩs Suggested Places list. Apple said the ads will be clearly marked and wonтАЩt be a danger to your privacy. Your current location and the ads you interact with will not be associated with your Apple Account, and your personal data will stay on your iPhone and wonтАЩt be collected. In addition, Apple is testing end-to-end encryption for RCS messages on iOS 26.5 beta yet again. However, the company has yet to reveal whether the feature will roll out with the operating systemтАЩs stable release. To be able to get AppleтАЩs public beta releases , go
Apple has released the first public beta for iOS 26.5, just a few days after the beta for developers came out. This latest iteration of the operating system introduces several new features and updates, including a significant enhancement to the Apple Maps app. One of the most notable changes is the introduction of the "Suggested Places" feature, which will provide users with trending locations to visit, such as restaurants and other establishments, near their current location or based on their search history.
To access the Suggested Places feature, users simply need to tap on the search bar in the Maps app. This new functionality aims to make it easier for users to discover popular spots in their area or nearby, based on their preferences and past behavior. The Suggested Places list will be dynamic and will update in real-time to reflect the most relevant and trending locations.
In addition to the Suggested Places feature, iOS 26.5 beta also introduces notifications about the company's plans to place ads inside the Maps app. Apple confirmed in March that it was expanding its advertising presence beyond the App Store and Apple News apps. The ads that users will encounter in Maps will be tailored to their location, search terms, and the places they are looking up on the app. These ads will appear at the top of search results and within the Suggested Places list.
Apple has emphasized that these ads will be clearly marked and will not pose a threat to user privacy. The company stated that users' current location and the ads they interact with will not be linked to their Apple Account. Furthermore, personal data will remain on the user's iPhone and will not be collected by Apple. This ensures that users can continue to enjoy the benefits of the Maps app without worrying about their privacy being compromised.
Another key feature being tested in iOS 26.5 beta is end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. Apple has previously experimented with this feature, but it is unclear whether it will be included in the stable release of the operating system. End-to-end encryption is a security measure that ensures that messages can only be read by the sender and recipient, providing an additional layer of privacy and security for users.
To access Apple's public beta releases, users can visit the Apple Beta Software Program website and sign up using their Apple credentials. By participating in the beta program, users can provide feedback and help shape the future of the iOS operating system.
In conclusion, iOS 26.5 beta introduces several exciting new features and updates, including the Suggested Places feature in Apple Maps, ads within the Maps app, and the testing of end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. These changes reflect Apple's ongoing commitment to enhancing the user experience while maintaining privacy and security. As the beta version is now available to the public, users can start exploring these new features and provide valuable feedback to the company.
