iOS 26.5 beta contains bad news for Siri and Apple Maps but there's a major privacy bonus for iPhone messaging

Date:
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:47:47 +0000

Description:
iOS 26.5 brings back end-to-end encryption when messaging Android users, but it also brings us one step closer to ads in Apple Maps.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter The first iOS 26.5 beta is out now It includes end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between Android and iPhone It also lays the groundwork for the addition of ads in Apple Maps The first iOS 26.5 beta has now landed for developers, but where most new versions of iOS are upgrades, this could
almost be considered a downgrade in some ways.

Notably, it sets the scene for ads to be added to Apple Maps, with code spotted by MacRumors that reads: "Maps may show local ads based on your approximate location, current search terms, or view of the map while you search." Thankfully, you wont be seeing any ads yet, but Apple plans to fully implement them this summer, so they are coming soon, and many people are likely to consider that a downgrade for Apple Maps. Article continues below You may like iOS 26.4 will bring these 5 upgrades to your iPhone, but not the new Siri iOS 26.4 is here these are 5 best upgrades for your iPhone iPhone users are getting a new feature to protect their privacy in iOS 26.3

Still, Apple Maps does have a desirable new feature too, with a new Suggested Places section that will recommend places you might want to visit, based on whats trending nearby and what youve searched for recently. (Image credit: MacRumors) End-to-end encryption is back The biggest upgrade in this beta, though, is arguably the re-enabling of end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between Android and iPhone. This feature actually previously appeared in the iOS 26.4 beta , but didnt launch with the finished version, so Apple is clearly still testing it.

It remains to be seen whether it will be ready in time for the finished iOS 26.5 release, but its an important upgrade that will help keep messages between these two platforms secure.

Thats the bulk of what youll find here, with sadly no Siri upgrades present. Siris upgraded AI capabilities are long overdue at this point, and recent leaks also suggested that a standalone Siri chatbot could be coming soon, but none of that is present here, so well likely be waiting until iOS 27 . Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

As for this release, weve got a guide covering how to download iOS developer betas , but wed recommend most people wait for the finished version, as it will probably be a lot more stable. Today's best iPhone deals Contract Deals Sim Free gift Apple iPhone 17 24 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 10GB data 19 upfront 34.99 /mth View at Mobiles.co.uk See all prices Apple iPhone 17 Pro 36 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 1GB data 100 upfront 62.37 /mth View at Vodafone Ltd See all prices Apple iPhone 16e 36 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 1GB data 12 upfront 20 /mth View at Sky See all prices Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max 36 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 1GB data 50 upfront 54.75 /mth View at Vodafone Ltd See all prices Apple iPhone Air 36 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 5GB data 40 upfront 41.49 /mth View at Vodafone Ltd See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/ios-26-5-beta-contains-bad-news-for-si ri-and-apple-maps-but-theres-a-major-privacy-bonus-for-iphone-messaging


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