iOS 26.5 is arriving shortly with an array of new features for users. Below are the new functionalities being introduced in iOS 26.5 to three widely-used iPhone applications.
## #1: Messages
Apple’s Messages app is set to receive a significant enhancement in iOS 26.5 for RCS messaging. RCS presents the optimal messaging choice for users with green bubbles, offering numerous iMessage-like capabilities that SMS lacks. In iOS 26.5, Apple has incorporated end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in beta. According to Apple’s fine print:
> End-to-end encryption is in beta and is not accessible for all devices or carriers. Conversations marked as encrypted are secured end-to-end, ensuring that messages remain unreadable during transmission between devices.
Apple had tested this RCS upgrade in iOS 26.4 but withdrew it prior to release. However, they informed testers this would occur, and no similar warning has been issued for iOS 26.5, suggesting the new feature will be included this time.
## #2: Apple Maps
Apple Maps is introducing a helpful feature to the search interface in iOS 26.5. ‘Suggested Places’ is a new functionality that proposes two locations each time you engage with the search field. These recommendations depend on several different criteria:
– Nearby trending locations
– Your previous search history
– “And more” according to Apple
This feature feels like a great enhancement to the search functionality, as it does not congest other areas of the application and serves as an excellent tool for discovery. Ultimately, Apple indicates that one of these ‘Suggested Places’ spots might include promoted locations (e.g., advertisements). However, this is anticipated to have an overall positive impact.
## #3: App Store
The App Store is set to introduce a new option for in-app subscriptions. Apple allows developers to choose which subscription plans they provide, with the most favored being monthly and annual subscriptions. With iOS 26.5, Apple will launch a new subscription alternative that combines elements of these popular plans. It’s an annual subscription divided into 12 monthly payments, or as Apple describes it, a “monthly with 12-month commitment” plan.
From Apple’s developer beta release notes:
> You can specify the billing plan type to use for subscriptions that have a monthly with 12-month commitment billing plan configuration.
This plan could attract more users to enroll for a year of service and obtain a discount while avoiding a significant upfront fee.