Users who text friends or family on Android devices will notice their conversations in the Messages app feel more secure right away. RCS messaging now supports end-to-end encryption by default, meaning no one else can read those messages while they travel between phones. A small lock icon appears at the top of any encrypted RCS chat so everyone knows the protection is active, and an Encrypted label shows up as well. The system turns encryption on automatically over time for both new chats and older ones, with no extra steps required from the user beyond having a supported carrier plan.
Major carriers in the United States have all stepped up to enable this feature from the start, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Boost Mobile, Cricket, Metro by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile, US Cellular, Visible, and many others. Canadians on Bell, Rogers, Telus, Freedom Mobile, and other networks will receive the functionality on the same day it is released. Apple keeps an online list updated for each location, and they continue to add to it. To begin encryption on Android, simply install the most recent version of Google Messages.
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For years, RCS has been gradually introducing typing indicators, high-resolution pictures, and read receipts to iPhone-Android conversations. This encryption improvement is simply the missing component that bridges the final major privacy gap between those discussions and iMessages. Apple still handles all chats between two iPhones via iMessage, and encryption has always been standard. When a contact uses an Android, their phone quietly changes to RCS and provides the same degree of protection without the need to switch apps or services.
Aside from the messaging changes, iOS 26.5 features a host of minor but nevertheless essential updates that make daily living on the iPhone a little easier. The Maps app now has a “Suggested Places” area that displays local spots based on recent searches and current trends; it’s a very neat feature. Ads are now appearing in Maps, but they are supposed to surface only when you are in a specific location and have looked for something, without requiring you to sign in to your Apple account.
A new wallpaper named Luminance appears, and it’s Pride-themed. When you open your phone, several vertical stripes change color pleasantly. So, there you have it. The App Store now allows customers to pay for their annual subscriptions month by month without losing the yearly discount. It’s like paying a regular monthly price while still receiving the discount, and Family Sharing members who are adults can now use their own payment method instead of the family organizer, which is quite useful when you’re independent.
Reminders now have a “urgent” marking option in the Quick Toolbar, allowing you to easily indicate items that require immediate attention. Smart Lists can also be filtered to only include flagged items. Freeform now has several complex image capabilities and a larger inventory of premium content. Of course, eight new emojis are now accessible, including an orca, a trombone, and a ballet dancer.
Typing speed is increased slightly, so you will not make as many mistakes when typing text quickly. The animations in Liquid Glass respond better to the Reduce Motion setting, and with Reduce dazzling Effects switched on, the dazzling flash is less jarring. Music fans can now see which song is playing offline from the control center, and an ambient music widget on the home screen provides simple access to curated playlists. Full-screen backgrounds now display artwork from the album or playlist in question.
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