Apple revealed a multitude of thrilling updates regarding iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, yet as new beta versions have been released, data miners are uncovering additional features that Apple has not yet made public. The most recent leak comes from iOS developer Steve Moser, who discovered two new functionalities for Apple Maps in iOS 26 beta 3.
There’s no certainty that these new features will be present when iOS 26 is officially released this fall. In fact, it’s quite possible that we may never see these features at all. However, there is a strong likelihood that both will eventually be integrated into the Apple Maps app, especially considering the code exists in the latest beta.
Natural-language search for Apple Maps
At present, conducting a search on Apple Maps resembles utilizing a search engine. The best results are obtained by employing keywords and location names. In iOS 26, Apple appears to intend to change that approach by enabling more conversational and natural searches.
“Search the Way You Talk,” states a code string in the localization files for the updated Maps app. “Utilize natural language to discover places like “Best coffee shops with free wi-fi.””
As Moser highlights, Apple introduced a comparable feature for its App Store in iOS 18.1. “App Store search allows you to use natural language to locate what you need more effortlessly,” mention the update notes from Apple. It permitted users to search for apps by defining them more distinctly, such as: “Apps that can help me fall asleep.”
Moser asserts that Maps on iOS 26 is already exhibiting improved responsiveness to conversational inquiries. For example, when searching for the “best coffee shops with free wi-fi” in a small town in Germany, the map zooms out to display more than a dozen results in the vicinity. Previously, the same inquiry would yield only one coffee shop in the town.
Maps won’t always keep your screen on
Alongside the search enhancement, there is a new string suggesting that the Maps app will cease to compel your screen to remain on when your iPhone is overheating: “Maps will no longer keep your screen on to allow your iPhone to cool down.”
