medium9to5Mac·April 14, 2026

Apple releases iOS 26.5 public beta 2

📊Affects these metrics

Apple has released the second iOS 26.5 public beta. The release follows iOS 26.5 beta 2 for developers, which added an Apple Maps ads explainer.

iOS 26.5 features and changes

While there’s no Gemini-powered AI features, the update does include a few changes.

The most discoverable new feature in iOS 26.5 is included in Maps. The new “Suggested Places” feature is now part of search in Apple Maps.

Apple also continues to test end-to-end encryption for RCS in beta.

In Europe specifically, Apple is testing the ability to push Live Activities to third-party accessories.

iOS 26.5 may also support monthly payments for annual subscriptions at a discounted rate with commitment.

Check out 9to5Mac’s roundup of new features in iOS 26.5 to see some of the smaller changed spotted so far.

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Key Insights

1

iOS 26.5 introduces subscription pricing flexibility (monthly payments for annual plans), potentially affecting app monetization strategies and user conversion rates

2

Maps 'Suggested Places' feature expansion signals Apple's investment in discovery mechanics, relevant for location-based app visibility

3

Regional feature rollouts (Live Activities in Europe) indicate platform fragmentation in iOS capabilities requiring app localization

Apple releases iOS 26.5 public beta 2 | ASO News