Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 Release Candidates to Developers

Source: MacRumors

Overview

Apple today seeded new release‑candidate (RC) versions of the upcoming iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates to developers for testing. This is the second RC, released five days after the first. Apple typically issues another candidate when bugs need to be addressed, though the exact changes in this build have not been detailed.

How to Download

Registered developers can install the betas directly from the Settings app on an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General → Software Update.
3. Follow the prompts to download the iOS 26.5 or iPadOS 26.5 RC.

New and Updated Features

• Siri: No new Siri capabilities are being added; further updates are slated for iOS 27.
• Maps: The Maps app now includes a Suggested Places feature that recommends nearby locations based on trends and recent searches. Apple is also preparing to introduce ads within Apple Maps.
• Pride Wallpaper: A new Pride‑themed wallpaper is available, complementing this year’s Pride Apple Watch band.

Removed Features

• RCS Messaging: Support for RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages between iPhone and Android users, which appeared in the iOS 26.4 beta, has been removed before the public launch.

Timeline

iOS 26.5 is expected to launch next week, following the developer RC distribution.

Sources

• Original article published on MacRumors.com.