Just a few days after launching the developer version, Apple officially transferred iOS 26.5 to the public testing phase.
The most significant change on this operating system focuses on the Apple Maps application with a new feature called "Suggested Places".
Now, when users touch the search bar, the application will automatically display popular locations around such as restaurants, cafes or service establishments. These suggestions are personalized based on the actual location and previous search history of the user.
However, along with the new utility is the appearance of sponsored content. iOS 26.5 beta begins to display notifications confirming that Apple will put ads inside the Maps application, just like the service expansion plan that the company announced in March. These ads will appear priority at the top of search results and in suggested location lists, based on location algorithms and keywords users are asking.
Regarding privacy, Apple affirms that advertisements will be clearly labeled for users to easily recognize. The company also committed that current location data and interactions with ads will not be directly linked to personal Apple accounts. Instead, sensitive data will still be locally stored on the device and not collected on the company's server to ensure maximum information security.
Besides the map segment, Apple is also retesting the terminal encryption protocol for RCS messages on iOS 26.5 beta. However, "Apple" has not yet given a specific timeline on whether this security feature will be retained in the official update or not.
Currently, interested users can access the Apple Beta Software Program website, register with an Apple account to download and experience these new features early.
