iOS 26.5 beta 1 lays the groundwork for advertisements in Apple Maps.
While there aren't many new features, the beta introduces Suggested Places in Apple Maps and hints at a few forthcoming changes.
Apple is already preparing for its next minor update. Just a week after launching iOS 26.4 on the stable channel, the company has made available the first developer beta of iOS 26.5, providing an early glimpse of what’s next.
What’s new in iOS 26.5 beta 1?
The recent beta does not bring any significant, user-facing features. Instead, it concentrates on bug fixes while preparing for some noteworthy changes. Earlier this month, Apple announced its intention to introduce ads to Apple Maps along with a new "Suggested Places" feature.
Even though ads aren’t active yet, 9to5Mac reports that iOS 26.5 beta 1 already includes Suggested Places, which presents recommendations based on trending locations nearby, recent searches, and more. It’s a minor addition on the surface, but it suggests a change in how discovery might function within Maps moving forward.
Are there any other significant changes?
Apple’s release notes also indicate forthcoming changes in the App Store. The update is expected to introduce new purchase options for developers, including a model that enables users to be billed monthly while committing to a 12-month subscription. This could offer developers greater flexibility in pricing long-term subscriptions.
If you were hoping for more substantial changes, iOS 26.5 beta 1 doesn’t deliver just yet. There are no noticeable updates to Siri in this version, despite recent reports hinting at otherwise. At this stage, the update appears to be a preparatory release. It lays the groundwork for upcoming changes, but does not provide anything particularly groundbreaking at this time.
Apple is likely to refine these features in the coming weeks as additional beta versions are released. iOS 26.5 should follow once testing concludes, potentially incorporating more visible changes.
Pranob is a seasoned tech journalist with over eight years of experience in consumer technology reporting.
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iOS 26.5 beta 1 lays the groundwork for advertisements in Apple Maps.
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