Apple Maps app in iOS 26 beta spotted with a natural language search feature that would allow the app to respond to conversational user queries.
Apple showcased the iOS 26 update during the WWDC 2025 event
Photo Credit: Apple
Apple is expected to start the roll of the stable iOS 26 versions with the upcoming iPhone 17 series in September. However, the beta version of the new operating system is currently being tested by developers across several devices. According to a new report, Apple Maps is said to get “an intelligence boost” with the iOS 26 stable rollout. The tech giant's proprietary navigation app, Apple Maps, is said to get an upgraded natural language search feature, the report stated, citing code strings within the app.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), TheTapeDrive's Steve Moser said that Apple is preparing to launch a natural language search feature for the Apple Maps app. Moser claims that he found the update in the localisation files of the app for iOS 26. The tech giant allegedly first introduced the natural language search feature to its App Store with the iOS 18.1 update.
The upgraded natural language search feature in Apple Maps in iOS 26 beta will allow users to search the way they talk to each other, Moser said. The updated Apple Maps feature would respond to conversational queries of users, while allowing them to be more descriptive. For example, a user could search for the best coffee shops that provide free Wi-Fi in his vicinity, instead of searching for a specific coffee shop. Apple Maps would then present a list of such places.
It is to be noted that the US-based tech giant has not announced the new search feature for the Apple Maps app.
Apple released the iOS 26 Beta 3 on Monday. The new beta version brings aesthetic changes to the user interface. The tech giant had unveiled iOS 26 with the liquid glass design during its WWDC 2025 event. With the latest beta version, Apple has added new colour choices for the stock wallpaper for home and lock screens.
Additionally, the company has made its Liquid Glass UI less transparent, seemingly rolling back from its earlier design commitment. The move could have come after several users complained of finding text within the UI harder to read.
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