Apple adds encrypted RCS and Maps ads in Ios 26.5
Apple has released ios 26.5 for developers, and the update turns on end-to-end encryption for RCS messages by default while adding ads to Apple Maps. iPhone users who message Android users, search for places, or rely on Apple accessories now get a different set of defaults and a new ad layer inside Maps.
Apple Maps gets paid listings
Apple is bringing ads into Apple Maps, and it is actively seeking advertisers for the app. The ads will be clearly labeled. Paid placements will appear in search results and in Suggested Places.
Suggested Places will use a user’s most recent searches and what other nearby Apple Maps users are searching for. That makes the recommendations less like static directory listings and more like location-based promotion. Businesses will be able to buy that visibility in a model similar to ads in the App Store.
RCS encryption in Messages
ios 26.5 also adds end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. Apple says the feature will be on by default. Users will still be able to switch the End-to-End Encryption option on or off in the Messages section of Settings.
That change matters most for conversations between iPhone and Android users. Their RCS messages will be encrypted with E2EE, which tightens the privacy setting for a messaging path that has long been less consistent across platforms. The practical question now is whether users will keep the default on or change it in Settings.
Apple also added a new transfer option for people moving from an iPhone to an Android device. They can choose which message attachments move over. The options are all, 1 year, or 30 days. That gives users a way to trim older media before switching phones instead of copying everything by default.
Apple will also make Apple accessories behave a little differently. When users connect accessories such as the Magic Keyboard to an iPhone over USB-C, the device will automatically connect by Bluetooth as well. That reduces the setup step for hardware that already has a wireless link available.
Apple Books gets Trophies and Medals, a feature tied to audiobook and reading habits. Apple will also ship a new iPhone Pride wallpaper that matches the previously announced Apple Watch Pride band and watch face. A separate EU feature has appeared in previous beta releases, but it has not reached any public release yet.
The remaining question is timing for the public rollout. Apple says the latest public version of iOS is just around the corner, while iOS 27 is also coming later this year.
