It’s been almost two months since iOS 26.4 landed. That was the big one. New emojis. Video podcasts. All the fanfare. Now iOS 26.5 is here. Launched May 11. It’s smaller. Tighter. But it brings something people actually waited for. End-to-end encrypted RCS. Plus Maps ads. And fifty-plus bug fixes.
Go to Settings. General. Software Update. Tap it. Wait for it to download.
Here’s what changes.
Encryption Finally Arrives for RCS
When Apple added RCS back in iOS 18, it felt incomplete. Missing piece? Encryption. Now it’s there. End-to-end. Your iPhone finally matches Android on this front.
The feature is labeled beta. That means it works on some carriers, not all. It rolls out gradually. Apple says it’s on by default but you can check. Head to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. Look for End-to-End Encryption. Flip the switch if it’s off.
Messages get labeled. You’ll know if a text is protected or just riding in the old unprotected lane. It’s privacy. But it’s beta privacy.
Maps is Selling Your Attention
Open Maps after the update. See that splash screen? It’s an ad pitch. Apple is putting local ads in Maps.
“Maps may show local ads based on that approximate location, current search terms or view of the map while we search.”
Apple touts privacy. Says ad data doesn’t link to your Apple ID. True. But they still know where you are. And what you’re looking for. Apple launched Apple Business in March for this. Letting businesses connect via Mail and Wallet. And now Maps. That coffee shop down the block? You’ll see their ad. Because you walked past it. Or searched for it.
New menus help too. Suggested Places sits under Recents. You tap Search. You see new sections. Trending nearby stuff. It’s convenient. Until it feels like it’s watching.
Pride and Payments
There’s a new wallpaper. Pride Luminance. Vertical stripes. They shift every time you unlock the phone. Celebrates Pride Month. You can pick from 11 presets. Or make your own colors. It’s nice. Aesthetic.
Payments change too. For yearly subscriptions. Developers can now ask for monthly installments. You get the annual discount. You pay monthly. Sounds great.
Read the fine print though. Cancel early? You still owe the rest. Apple won’t forgive the debt. You stick with the payments until the year ends. Is that fair? Maybe. For developers.
The EU Gets a Head Start
One quirk for Europe. Third-party accessories can show Live Activity updates from iPhone. Apple watches. Headsets. Devices that connect.
This is only for the EU. Part of regulatory pressure. The rest of us wait. Or live with our screens.
Why patch what isn’t broken? It is. It was.
The full notes say it all. End-to-End encrypted RCS in Messages. Supported carriers only. Rolling out over time. Check support.apple.com if you’re stuck.
The wallpaper refracts color. Maps suggests places based on trends. Suggested Places lives below Recents.
Download it if you want the encryption. Leave it if you hate ads. No right answer. Just choices.
What else? Fifty bug fixes. Who knows which ones.
