iOS 26.5 is coming very soon with a variety of new features for users. Here are the new iOS 26.5 features being added to three popular iPhone apps.
#1: message
Apple’s Messages app is getting a significant upgrade in iOS 26.5 for RCS messaging.
RCS Green Bubble is the best messaging alternative for friends, offering many iMessage-like features that SMS doesn’t support.
And in iOS 26.5, Apple has added end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in beta. Per Apple’s fine print:
End-to-end encryption is in beta and not available for all devices or carriers. Conversations labeled as encrypted are end-to-end encrypted, so messages cannot be read when sent between devices.
Apple previously tested this RCS upgrade in iOS 26.4 but removed it before launch. However, it warned testers that this would happen, and no such warning has been shared for iOS 26.5, so it looks like the new feature will ship this time.
#2: Apple Maps
Apple Maps is getting a useful feature in the Search screen in iOS 26.5.
‘Suggested Places’ is a new feature that recommends two places every time you tap the search field.
These suggestions are based on a few different factors:
- Nearby places are trending
- Your last searches
- Per Apple “and more”.
I’ve really enjoyed this feature so far in the beta, as it feels like a perfect addition to the search screen. It doesn’t get in the way or clutter other parts of the app, and is a great search aid.
Finally, Apple says that one of these ‘Suggested Places’ slots may include promoted places (for example, advertisements). But I’m still hopeful that this feature will be an overall positive one.
#3: App Store
The App Store is about to add a new option for in-app subscriptions.
Apple gives developers flexibility in what subscription plans they offer, but the most popular are monthly and annual plans. Monthly is easily the most common, but annual plans usually come with good discounts.
With iOS 26.5, Apple will begin offering a new subscription option that’s a mix of sorts between these popular plans.
This is an annual subscription divided into 12 monthly payments. Or as Apple says, a “monthly with a 12-month commitment” plan.
From Apple’s developer beta release notes:
You can specify the billing plan type to use for subscriptions that have monthly and 12-month commitment billing plan configurations…
Presumably, this plan could entice more users to sign up for a year of service and receive the discount while avoiding the large upfront fee.
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