Apple releases third beta of iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 for developers

Apple has released the third beta of upcoming iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates to developers. This comes a week after the release of the second beta, allowing developers to continue testing upcoming features.

Registered developers can download these betas via the Settings app on their devices, in the General section, by selecting Software Update. These versions do not include new Siri capabilities, suggesting Siri updates might be reserved for iOS 27.

Among the new features, the Maps app now offers a Suggested Places feature that recommends nearby locations based on trends and recent searches. Apple is also laying the groundwork for ads in Maps, although no specific details are available yet.

Another focus is testing end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and Android users. This feature was included in the iOS 26.4 beta but was removed before the public launch, and now remains in testing.

In Europe, Apple is experimenting with features for third-party wearables, such as proximity pairing, notification forwarding, and Live Activities. These aim to bring many functionalities of Apple Watch and AirPods to other brands' devices.

For more details on what’s new in iOS 26.5, check out our beta features guide. The developer community closely follows Apple’s progress in these updates.