iOS 26.5: Five new iPhone features are coming next week

We’re just weeks away from iOS 27’s unveiling, but Apple has another iPhone update arriving first. iOS 26.5 is coming next week, here are five new features it will bring.

#1: Suggested Places in Apple Maps

Apple Maps gets a useful addition in iOS 26.5 to help you discover new places.

’Suggested Places’ is baked into the search screen inside Maps. So whenever you tap the search bar, you’ll see two recommendations you might be interested in.

Apple says these suggestions are based on “what’s trending nearby and your recent searches.”

I’ve seen a lot of great recommendations so far while using the iOS 26.5 beta, and they feel like a perfect fit for the search screen.

#2: Messages adds end-to-end encrypted RCS

RCS support came to the iPhone in iOS 18, but iOS 26.5 brings a welcome upgrade.

Apple’s Messages app now supports end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in beta.

It’s not available on every carrier, but hopefully most carriers will quickly get on board once iOS 26.5 launches. End-to-end encryption means RCS messaging can offer some of the same security assurances that iMessage has long had.

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