Apple rolls out the third developer betas of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, watchOS 26.5, and more

Apple has started rolling out the third beta versions of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 to developers. These updates come one week after the release of the second betas, which included a new Splash Screen in iOS 26.5 upon opening the Apple Maps app for ads, indicating that it might launch with the final release. iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 Beta 1 had re-enabled support for end-to-end encrypted RCS communication between iPhone and Android devices, added Suggested Places in Apple Maps, and more.

Here are the build numbers for the new developer betas:

• iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 Beta 3: 23F5059e
• macOS Tahoe 26.5 Beta 3: 25F5058e
• watchOS 26.5 Beta 3: 23T5558e
• visionOS 26.5 Beta 3: 23O5458e
• tvOS 26.5 Beta 3: 23L5460d

Usually, as we progress through the beta cycle, the letter at the end of a build number is in descending order. For this beta, however, Apple has shifted back to ‘e’. The letters ‘d’ and ‘e’  towards the end of the build number indicate that we might have 4-5 more beta versions before the Release Candidate. Unfortunately, iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 do not include any new Apple Intelligence features as we expected previously. We can now expect new AI features only with the release of the betas of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and more, which are set to debut in June at WWDC 2026. We can expect the next betas for version 26.5 to be rolled out after one week. Users who are registered as a developer on www.developer.apple.com can opt in to receive beta updates by going into Settings>General>Software Update>Beta Updates and selecting Developer Beta.

Do note that these versions are not stable and are meant for testing purposes. Did you find any more features in these updates? Let us know down in the comments or write to us on @appleosophy! Be sure to download the Appleosophy App from the App Store or visit our website to stay updated with the latest Apple news!