April 14, 2026, 2:34 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Competitor Google has been showing ads in its map service for years, in the form of paid search results. Apple itself is considering a similar implementation for its own Maps app starting in 2025. The next step in preparation can be found in the current beta version of iOS 26.5.
This change is not new. As part of the new corporate platform Apple Business, the company announced an “option that […] allows businesses in the U.S. and Canada to place local ads in maps during key search and discovery moments,” Apple announced.
Next Step Toward Advertising
In iOS 26.5 Beta 1, the groundwork for preparing ads in Apple Maps is already present. New is the so-called “Suggested Places” feature, which suggests locations based on local trends and recent searches and is intended to deliver paid advertising in the future. These ads are expected to be clearly marked as advertisements, similar to those in the App Store.
With Beta 2, Apple is further expanding the framework. When opening the Maps app, a new start screen informs users that ads may appear based on approximate location, current search terms, or map usage. This is likely to serve the delivery of personalized ads. So far, only the notice of advertising appears—it is unclear whether the test already allows the placement of paid results.
Apple emphasizes that the displayed ad content is not linked to the Apple account to protect privacy. This means that usage data is neither stored nor shared with third parties.
Additional Features in iOS 26.5 Beta 2
In the current beta, Apple is once again working on implementing encrypted RCS messages. An initial test run for end-to-end encryption already took place in the beta version of 26.4—however, the feature did not appear in the final version.
Additionally, Apple continues to test new functions in the EU to open iOS to third parties in order to meet the regulatory requirements of the European Commission. These include a simplified Bluetooth pairing by proximity, notification forwarding to devices other than the Apple Watch, and live activities for wearables like headphones and smartwatches.