It appears that iOS 26.5 is laying the groundwork for a lot of backend changes like ads in Apple Maps and Apple Intelligence in China, but there are no indications of AI upgrades.

The early release time for upgraded Apple Intelligence features powered by new Apple Foundation Models has come and gone. At this point, it seems Apple will wait until WWDC to debut any changes to Apple Intelligence.

The iOS 26.5 release that has arrived does have a few changes, but nothing user-facing. It does lay the groundwork for several new features and upcoming upgrades.

iOS 26.5 is build number 23F77.

What's new in iOS 26.5

Apple is working to bring ads to Apple Maps, and iOS 26.5 enables the feature to be activated. Now all Apple will have to do is enable the backend and users will start encountering ads in search results.

A new annual subscription feature is also being introduced to the App Store with the update. It allows users to get annual discounts while still paying month to month with a 12-month commitment.

End-to-end encryption in RCS hasn't arrived yet, but the backend for it is being built. Code found in beta builds suggests the feature is on its way.

Apple was also forced to allow some system features to become more compatible with third-party accessories in the EU. With iOS 26.5, EU users can forward notifications to third-party smartwatches.

Apple Intelligence upgrades still pending

There are also signs that Apple is continuing the work to bring Apple Intelligence to China. It was accidentally enabled prematurely in an early iOS 26.5 beta, which could mean Apple is preparing for a full launch soon.

The bigger news of the release is the lack of the upgraded Apple Intelligence. Some rumors pointed to a spring 2026 release of a more contextual Siri powered by the Gemini-trained Apple Foundation Models.

Of course, that could still occur at any time since Apple Intelligence updates occur independently from OS updates. However, since Apple would surely announce such a release ahead of time, it seems that update isn't coming before WWDC.

While iOS 26.5 lacks any user-facing features, users should still update as soon as is reasonable to ensure they get the bug fixes and security patches it includes. Navigate to the Settings app -> General -> Software Update to manually install the update.