Apple iPhone 17
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Update May 25: This post, first published on Saturday, May 23, has been updated with more details on what’s expected to be in the new release and when it’s expected.
It hasn’t even been two weeks since the last iPhone update, iOS 26.5, was released on Monday, May 11, 2026. But the latest report suggests that two more updates are already almost on the slide. And the first of these, iOS 26.5.1, could be days away. See what they have and when they will land.
Apple iOS 26.5.1 Content
It’s not unusual for Apple to follow a major release with a minor one, and the timing fits for iOS 26.5.1 to be on the way if needed.
Mostly, but not always, the minor releases are about bug fixes and security issues, and since iOS 26.6 brought a very big update — RCS messages to make messages sent between Android and iPhone as secure as iMessages already were — the next update will almost certainly tweak features like these.
It may still be light on security issues, as more than 60 flaws were fixed in iOS 26.5, unless something went wrong.
As for the fixes that will be in the update, The Mac Observer has this view on the upcoming release.
“User reports continue to report battery drain, overheating, app crashes and occasional performance issues on some iPhone models,” it said. I’d like to add that although I heard initial feedback about iOS 26.5 draining the battery, which is common in the hours and days after installation thanks to system re-indexing, this doesn’t seem to be a major issue. It gets worse if you’ve updated after a long period of version avoidance, for example if you’ve gone from iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.5, say.
Apple iOS 26.5.1 Estimated Release Date
“Apple software engineers are testing iOS 26.5.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which are a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS releases; MacRumors was mentioned.
That means a release is imminent, but when exactly? Normally, I’d say Monday, May 25th or Tuesday, May 26th, but Monday is Memorial Day, so that’s unlikely.
Apple engineers will be working on it on Tuesday, so I think Wednesday, May 27 or even Thursday, May 28 are the most likely dates.
The Mac Observer also has a release date thought. “This makes a quick iOS 26.5.1 release seem very likely. Apple typically releases ‘.1’ updates shortly after a major public release, when post-update issues start appearing on supported devices. In recent years, these smaller patches have focused on fixing real-world issues rather than adding major new features,” he commented.
Apple iOS 26.6 First Developer Beta and WWDC
THE MacRumors The logs also revealed that Apple is simultaneously testing iOS 26.6, which will likely be one of the last releases for the iOS 26 cycle.
Although testing has begun, if Apple follows the same schedule as last year, the first beta might not be sent to developers until after WWDC, which runs from June 8-12.
