Apple has started rolling out iOS 26.5 RC and the matching iPadOS release to iPhone and iPad users, with build number 23F75. According to IT Home, this candidate build arrives seven days after the previous beta or release candidate, and it packages several visible changes instead of being just a quiet maintenance drop.
One of the more notable updates involves the Maps app. Apple is said to be adding a Suggested Places feature that can recommend nearby spots based on search history and broader trends. The company is also reportedly testing sponsored rankings inside Maps for the US market, which would introduce an ad-driven placement mechanism into map search results.
Apple is also bringing in its annual 2026 rainbow wallpaper, continuing a pattern that has shown up in prior releases. On the messaging side, the company has restarted testing for RCS encryption. IT Home says this end-to-end encryption work had previously appeared in iOS 26.4 testing before being removed, and now it has returned as part of Apple’s effort to improve privacy for conversations between iPhone and Android users.
For users in the European Union, the update is also testing several features tied to third-party wearable devices. Those include nearby pairing, notification forwarding, and Live Activities support. If these changes ship broadly, third-party headphones and smartwatches in the EU could get a more system-level experience that feels closer to what Apple currently offers with AirPods and Apple Watch.
Beyond those headline items, the build continues Apple’s march toward a public iOS 26.5 release. Based on the details available so far, iOS 26.5 RC looks like a fairly meaningful late-stage update, mixing communication privacy work, fresh visual touches, Apple Maps changes, and region-specific device features rather than focusing on just one area.
