Everything New in iOS 26.5 Beta 1

[eveluvsrainbows]

iOS 18 will be remembered as the last good iOS
Event comparable to iOS 6
That’s how insanely bad iOS 26 has been due to all the bugs and horrendous memory management even with the 12GB iPhone 17 Pro it performs WORSE than iPhone XS with 4GB did on iOS 18.

You’re literally wrong. I have an iPhone 17 Pro Max and iOS 26 peforms swimmingly on it. Also, all operating systems have bugs. They aren’t immune. They are a part of software development.

It does NOT perform worse than an an iPhone XS running iOS 18.

 

[eveluvsrainbows]

No ads in Apple Maps is honestly the only reason I still use it. 🤦‍♂️ The second I upgrade to iOS 26.5, I'm deleting it and switching back to Google Maps/Waze

Ah yes, letting Google suck up more of your data in an attempt to own Apple for adding business ads to Maps. Because that will show them, and because that makes sense despite the fact that Google has ads too in their Maps app. Except it won’t, at all, and you are just negatively impacting your privacy as a result.

The difference with Apple’s ads is you can disable any and all targeting and they are privacy respecting whereas Google collects any and all data they can get their grubby little hands on; they even read people’s email contents for pete sakes. I don’t care if a business will be allowed to advertise in the Maps app. Quite frankly I’m surprised it took them 14 years to add the ability for businesses to advertise in the app in the first place.

I don’t understand the negativity of this, and the “I will go back to Google Maps with this change” remarks, even though you’re just putting yourself back in privacy hell by going back to a company that enjoys sucking up all of your data, make absolutely no sense. You aren’t “owning” Apple by going back to the company that is known for being garbage at respecting people’s privacy. The amount of data they collect on Android users as well is astronomically insane.

I switched to Apple because of their stance on privacy, but there is no reason why businesses shouldn’t be allowed to advertise on Apple Maps.

 

[tikde]

Interesting that Apple is holding back the bigger Siri changes for iOS 27 again. Feels like they’re prioritizing compliance features (like EU changes) over user-facing improvements lately.

 

[pbau]

Still no Siri in Polish and no iPhone Mirroring?

 

[-BigMac-]

This is gonna be HUUUUUGE!

How so?

 

[-BigMac-]

It’s a .1 update… I’m not sure what grand changes you were expecting.

It’s not a .1 update. Its a .5

Not sure how you expect to be able to understand peoples comments when you are 6 months behind the update cycle, and dont know the context of threads you are commenting on👍

 

[eveluvsrainbows]

It’s not a .1 update. Its a .5

Not sure how you expect to be able to understand peoples comments when you are 6 months behind the update cycle, and dont know the context of threads you are commenting on👍

i think they mean that it is an update where the .x number is incremented by one; i don’t believe they are calling it a .1 update as in 26.1 but rather a incremental update which this one is.

 

[widestload]

"Ads in Maps" UGH! Ad's in anything is a massive downgrade! Create an ads app, stick them all in there, anyone that wants to rerview them can, whilst everyone else gets a far cleaner unencumbered experience in everything else!

 

[CubsAndRedSox]

so a boring update

If you think this is a boring update, you are going to be greatly disappointed with the iOS 27 update. It is supposed to focus primarily on bug fixes.

 

[ChrisMac47]

I genuinely hate Apple’s direction to become a service company. There are many service companies out there, but there’s not many hardware companies like Apple.

I use Apple services because of the hardware, experience, and the ecosystem, not because of the service. Apple’s apps are rarely the best among all choices, and they are usually tied to software releases so updates are slow.

The whole statement of Apple’s financial structure will be better if they transition to a half service company just doesn’t make sense.
The services should be a way to attract users to use and stay with Apple, not to milk even more money. One day when people leave Apple’s hardware, their software services will collapse as well.

Now with AI, building software is easier than ever. You really just need some fantastic new ideas. Hardware companies are much harder to be out competed.

Apple totally missed the boat on many hardware innovations. Their core identity is to provide the foundation for other companies to innovate (building OS, establishing standards, etc.), not to build the Apple Services.

Maybe it's time to split up Apple into a few separate companies?

 

[ChrisMac47]

The "European Union Third-Party Wearable Changes" looks like a small step in the right direction. I wonder if it will make the 26.5 final release and whether the listed changes will actually work ... we'll see.

 

[Northgrove]

Ads in iOS is such a tragedy. :-(

 

[datsdatcharlie]

Ads in Maps is gonna be interesting

 

[janderland]

The fact that they are not including RCS mandatory features (proper reactions, inline replay, edit/delete messages) is, at least, strange, since they are mandatory since 2.7 and 3.0 is the first to include e2e encryption.

The UI/UX excuse is flimsy at best, since they have the same features in iMessage and can use the same UX (like read receipts)

It’s calling regulators (China, EU, and actually US Gov) to fine them for anti consumer tactics.

I don’t know how they dare to do that. Again it doesn’t make any sense other than evil behavior.

 

[JohnRckr]

That’s it.
I’m done.
You can’t even call this an update!
For what? Enable ads in devices we paid premium prices for.

 

[dexter69]

I'm still typing like a dyslexic baboon.

Fix the keyboard !!

 

[Naildown]

One more: Notifications section now includes support for Australia's upcoming national emergency alert system "AusAlert".

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

No ads in Apple Maps is honestly the only reason I still use it. 🤦‍♂️ The second I upgrade to iOS 26.5, I'm deleting it and switching back to Google Maps/Waze

So you're going to go from an app that will show ads in search results, to using an app that's provided by literally the biggest advertising company on earth? What...?

 

[Wieslawo]

A system-wide Liquid Glass transparency slider would be nice.

Needs to go all the way down to zero.

For me transparency isnt'a an issue. Sure, it does look cheap and old, but my main concern are all those bubbles, circles, and spacing between them.

 

[Wanted797]

It’s not a .1 update. Its a .5

Not sure how you expect to be able to understand peoples comments when you are 6 months behind the update cycle, and dont know the context of threads you are commenting on👍

Current release is iOS 26.4

Simple math is a difference of .1 🤨

 

[-BigMac-]

Current release is iOS 26.4

Simple math is a difference of .1 🤨

Never ever has someone called that a .1 update. That is called a .X update. Hence the confusion

 

[HouseLannister]

x.5 will most likely have the annual pride wallpapers and watchfaces. Not added until the RC usually, though.

 

[skofgar]

Regarding ads in maps I sent this to Apple: https://www.apple.com/feedback

Subject: Concern Regarding Ads in Apple Maps

I recently read that iOS 26.5 may introduce advertisements into Apple Maps. This is very concerning, as it would significantly degrade the user experience of a core service I rely on daily.

One of the main reasons I choose Apple products and services is the expectation of a clean, ad-free experience. I am comfortable paying a premium for hardware and services like iCloud because I value privacy and the sense that I am not being treated as the product.

Introducing ads into Apple Maps would feel like a meaningful shift away from that principle. It would not only reduce the quality of the experience, but also erode trust in Apple’s long-standing positioning.

If this direction is pursued, I would seriously reconsider using Apple Maps and, more broadly, my reliance on Apple’s ecosystem.

I strongly encourage Apple to reconsider introducing advertisements into core system apps like Maps. Preserving a high-quality, ad-free user experience is a key differentiator and an important reason many users remain loyal to the platform.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

If 26.5 has full RCS 3.0 with E2EE and unsend and edit messages after sent, I might have to take the plunge

Same. I'm still rocking iOS 18 on my personal phone.

Wife and daughter use a Pixel, so RCS all day long.

 

[jchap]

If it works like on Mac, then this means you plug it in once and it automatically pairs, not connects, so you don’t need to go into Bluetooth settings. Then when you unplug it will switch to wireless.

Ah, the difference between "pairing" and "connecting"... 🙄