What’s new in iOS 26.5? Is new Siri included?

The first beta of iOS 26.5 has arrived, with Apple Intelligence now making its solution to customers in China, and Notification Forwarding increasing past the EU.

On Monday, lower than every week after iOS 26.4 obtained its full public releaseApple 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 primarily based in China, together with the previous LoveToDream leaker, Apple Intelligence options have apparently become available in the nation.

Apple Intelligence first made its solution 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 practically as shortly.

For Apple Intelligence to debut in China, Apple was required to accomplice 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 doubtless will not have the ability to see info their authorities does not agree with, or does not need proven to most people. This successfully represents a censored model of Apple Intelligence, distinctive to China.

While Apple Intelligence is out there to customers working Monday’s developer beta, it stays to be seen if its China launch is tied to the iOS 26.5 replace. The AI-powered characteristic suite may additionally develop into accessible to customers in China working iOS 26.4 and earlier variations.

Notification forwarding now accessible past the EU

With the iOS 26.3 replace, Apple added a notification forwarding characteristic to make the iPhone work higher with smartwatches from producers apart from Apple. Initially, nevertheless, the potential was solely accessible in the European Union.

The new functionality, discovered in the Notifications space of ​​the Settings utility, controls whether or not notifications from an iPhone will be displayed on one other non-Apple machine.

Notification forwarding was doubtless meant to make sure Apple’s compliance with the interoperability requirements laid out throughout the EU’s Digital Markets Act. In essence, the DMA requires Apple to make a few of its proprietary options accessible on gadgets from different producers.

Notification Forwarding is now accessible 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 accessible to builders in the United Statesand it appears to be like 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 because the second developer beta of iOS 26.4, though it remained absent from the software program’s public launch.

End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging continues to be accessible just for builders, and people inclined to check the characteristic.

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 May to introduce Apple’s long-overdue Siri overhaul. This is in line with a February 2026 report, which claimed that the digital assistant’s personalization options had been being examined with iOS 26.5.

Initially, Siri was purported to obtain an enormous improve with the roll out of Apple Intelligencewhich made its debut at WWDC 2024. Apple’s digital assistant was meant to realize enhanced in-app capabilities and contextual consciousness, options that Apple even featured in commercials.

However, whereas the iPhone maker’s different AI-powered options, like Image Playground and Writing Tools, had been all made accessible to most 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 evaluate by, it appears to be like like iOS 26.5 will probably be considerably of a subdue 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.