Three New Changes in iOS 26.5 (and 50 Other Reasons to Update Now)
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At first, Apple’s latest iOS 26.5 release may look like one of those updates that does nothing new, but once you start looking a bit deeper, you’ll find it brings a few useful new features to the table.
Of course, we weren’t expecting anything too big from Apple at this stage. After all, we’re only a few weeks away from the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference, where it will reveal iOS 27 and everything new it comes with. But that doesn’t mean iOS 26 is out of the picture just yet.
Here are three of the biggest changes iOS 26.5 brings to your iPhone — and why you should consider updating right away.
Maps Can Now Suggest Different Places
One of the biggest changes in iOS 26.5 is the addition of a new Suggested Places section in Apple Maps. This feature recommends places you might want to check out. These suggestions are based on recent searches you’ve made and popular places that other users are visiting that are near you.
However, that feature also has a slightly darker side, as it’s also paving the way for ads to come to Apple Maps this summer, which will be mixed in with your own suggestions. Those will be limited to the US and Canada initially, but it’s likely only a matter of time before they have a global reach.
There’s a New Wallpaper
Apple is constantly adding wallpapers with different themes, and iOS 26.5 is no different. This time, the new wallpaper is called Pride Luminance, and as you can expect, it lets you express your pride in up to 12 custom colors with the new iOS 26 Liquid Glass style.
The wallpaper’s colors can be customized with many different options, so you can make it as unique as you want. Moreover, it’s also available on the iPad and as an Apple Watch face, so you can match all your Apple devices.
RCS Messaging Is Now Safer Than Ever
iOS 26.5 also brings a new level of security to RCS messaging with end-to-end encryption, guaranteeing that the texts you send to Android devices can be just as protected as those you send or receive via iMessage.
That said, the new end-to-end encryption feature in RCS still carries a “beta” tag, so don’t expect it to work everywhere just yet. For one, it’s not supported by all carriers, but your Android friends will also need to be on the latest version of Google Messages, since Apple isn’t using Google’s old proprietary encryption standard; instead, both companies are adopting the new Message Layer Security (MLS) that’s part of the open RCS Universal Profile.
Download iOS 26.5 Now
Even though this isn’t the biggest update ever, there are still a handful of features you’ll surely love to have. Not only that, but having your iPhone up to date keeps your device safer and more optimized — and Apple has also fixed over 50 security vulnerabilities in iOS 26.5.
Needless to say, there’s no reason not to update your iPhone. All iPhones that support iOS 26 can install iOS 26.5, and you can find the software update right now by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
