The first developer beta of iOS 26.5 can now be put in.
The first beta of iOS 26.5 has arrived, with Apple Intelligence now making its technique to customers in China, and Notification Forwarding increasing past the EU.
On Monday, lower than per week after iOS 26.4 obtained its full public release, Apple started the iOS 26.4 beta testing cycle. The iPhone software program replace has the construct quantity 23F5043g, up from 23E246 on the ultimate model of iOS 26.4.
Apple Intelligence debuts in China
According to a number of iOS customers based mostly in China, together with the previous leaker LoveToDream, Apple Intelligence options have seemingly become available in the nation.
Apple Intelligence is now seemingly out there in China.
Apple Intelligence first made its technique to customers in the United States, with the iOS 18.1 replace. Apple ultimately added assist for areas and languages past English. Users in China, nevertheless would not obtain the AI-powered utilities almost as rapidly.
For Apple Intelligence to debut in China, Apple was required to associate with a home AI firm, and the iPhone maker allegedly chose Alibaba and Baidu.
Throughout 2025, it was repeatedly rumored that Alibaba’s involvement would come with the creation of a censorship layer for Apple Intelligence. Monday’s iOS 26.5 developer beta, in the meantime, accommodates a reference to Baidu’s Wenxin Yiyan mannequin, fairly than one by Alibaba.
In any case, Apple Intelligence customers in China probably will not be capable of see data their authorities does not agree with, or does not need proven to most of the people. This successfully represents a censored model of Apple Intelligence, distinctive to China.
While Apple Intelligence is offered to customers operating Monday’s developer beta, it stays to be seen if its China launch is tied to the iOS 26.5 replace. The AI-powered function suite might additionally turn into out there to customers in China operating iOS 26.4 and earlier variations.
Notification forwarding now out there past the EU
With the iOS 26.3 replace, Apple added a notification forwarding function to make the iPhone work higher with smartwatches from producers apart from Apple. Initially, nevertheless, the aptitude was solely out there in the European Union.
The new functionality, discovered in the Notifications space of the Settings software, controls whether or not notifications from an iPhone might be displayed on one other non-Apple gadget.
Notification forwarding was probably meant to make sure Apple’s compliance with the interoperability requirements laid out inside the EU’s Digital Markets Act. In essence, the DMA requires Apple to make a few of its proprietary options out there on units from different producers.
Notification Forwarding is now out there to everybody utilizing iOS 26.5 beta 1.
Apple was similarly forced to open up the iPhone’s NFC {hardware}, successfully serving to Apple Wallet rivals. The iPhone maker later made the identical capabilities out there to builders in the United States, and it seems to be like the identical factor will occur with Notification Forwarding on iOS 26.5.
Monday’s iOS 26.5 beta additionally lets builders take a look at end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging. This functionality has been available for testing for the reason that second developer beta of iOS 26.4, although it remained absent from the software program’s public launch.
End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging continues to be out there just for builders, and people inclined to check the function.
No Siri enhancements in iOS 26.5 but
While the iOS 26 replace as an entire is basically recognized for its Liquid Glass aesthetic, iOS 26.5 could to introduce Apple’s long-overdue Siri overhaul. This is in response to a February 2026 report, which claimed that the digital assistant’s personalization options had been being examined with iOS 26.5.
Initially, Siri was alleged to obtain an enormous improve with the roll out of Apple Intelligence, which made its debut at WWDC 2024. Apple’s digital assistant was meant to achieve enhanced in-app capabilities and contextual consciousness, options that Apple even featured in ads.
However, whereas the iPhone maker’s different AI-powered options, like Image Playground and Writing Tools, had been all made out there to most of the people, the contextually conscious Siri skilled delays.
Supposedly, Apple desires to launch the Siri revamp with iOS 26.5, because it failed to take action with the previous iOS 26.4 replace. Whether Siri will obtain an replace in iOS 26.5 is not clear although.
Overall, if the primary developer beta is something to guage by, it seems to be like iOS 26.5 can be considerably of a subdued replace. Still, the software program has solely simply entered developer testing, so there’s nonetheless time for Apple to allow the long-awaited Siri improve afterward.
