Apple iPhone receives two new features with iOS 26.5
Apple today released iOS 26.5, a free update for the Apple iPhone, which requires a download of around 4.2 GB. The update introduces two main new features. Firstly, a dynamic "Pride Luminance" wallpaper to celebrate Pride Month in June.
And secondly, support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), an industry standard that allows messages to be sent securely back and forth between an iPhone and an Android smartphone without having to use third-party services such as WhatsApp. Messages are end-to-end encrypted. This means that messages cannot be read even if an attacker intercepts them on their way from the sender to the recipient, and they cannot be decrypted on the server either
Apple's RCS support is still in a beta phase in which restrictions apply. First and foremost, RCS only works if the recipient is using the latest version of the Google Messages app, which supports RCS communication with an iPhone. In addition, RCS is currently only available with selected network operators. In the US, these are currently AT&T, Boost Mobile, C Spire, Consumer Cellular, Cox Mobile, Cricket, Family Mobile, FirstNet, H20, Metro, PureTalk, Red Pocket, Spectrum, T-Mobile, Total, TracFone, Ultra Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon, Visible and Xfinity.
No additional app needs to be downloaded to use RCS. Instead, the technology is integrated into Apple's "Messages" app, which already sends SMS, MMS and iMessages. In the EU, iOS 26.5 also introduces the option of forwarding live activities to supported accessory products. Apple does not state in the release notes whether the update will also include the long-awaited better support for third-party smartwatches.
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