Apple has a long list of new products rumored for 2026, including a series of home products that will see the company establishing more of a presence in the smart home space. Robots are on the horizon for 2027, but the 2026 releases will be a little tamer.

HomePod mini

We're expecting a new HomePod mini 2 to launch at any time. Apple isn't going to update the device's design, but we could get new colors. The ‌HomePod mini‌ 2 will have an updated S-series chip based on the Apple Watch Series 10 chip, and there's a possibility for sound improvements and improved real-time computational audio. Apple will also likely upgrade to Bluetooth 5.3 for connectivity improvements, and it could get a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

The current ‌HomePod mini‌ is $99, and that's not expected to change.

Home Hub

Apple has been working on a home hub that will serve as a centralized location for all members of the family to control smart home devices, make calls, listen to music, get information like the weather, use Siri, view photos, see a family calendar, and more.

Rumors suggest the home hub will have presence sensors to detect when someone is in the room, and an included camera could be able to tell who is speaking to it so that it can pop up a personalized selection of apps and features for each user.

The home hub is expected to have Face ID, built-in speakers, and support for Apple Intelligence thanks to an A18 chip. While there won't be a dedicated App Store, the home hub will run Apple apps like Safari, Apple Music, Notes, Calendar, Photos, and Apple News.

There are two separate models, including one that's designed to be mounted on the wall and one that has a speaker base that looks like a ‌HomePod mini‌.

Security Camera and Doorbell Camera

Apple is designing its own indoor security cameras that will connect to Apple Home and interface with the home hub. We've also heard rumors of a potential doorbell camera with ‌Face ID‌ that would be able to connect to a door lock.

Any Apple-designed cameras will feature HomeKit Secure Video with end-to-end encryption, but little else is known at this time. There has been mixed information on when we might see Apple's security cameras, but they could come as early as 2026.

Launch Timing

The ‌HomePod mini‌ and home hub are expected early in the year, likely before WWDC. The cameras, if we get them in 2026, will likely come late in the year. Prior rumors suggested that Apple would release the home hub around the time that the new version of ‌Siri‌ launches. The smarter ‌Siri‌ was expected in iOS 26.4, but it may now be pushed back to iOS 26.5.

Read More

For more on what to expect from Apple in 2026, we have a dedicated Apple Products guide that lists all of the devices on the horizon. We update it regularly, so it's a useful guide to bookmark and check every now and then to keep up to date with Apple's plans.
This article, "Three New Apple Home Products Rumored for 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

With the launch of the Creator Studio subscription app offering, Apple may be phasing out the iWork branding that it has used since 2005 for Pages, Keynote, and Numbers.


Apple today removed the iWork section on its website, and the URL now redirects to a more generic "apps" page that features Creator Studio, Apple Arcade, Apple Invites, Image Playground, and other Apple apps.

The iWork page that Apple removed was dedicated solely to Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, featuring information on each app along with a link. Apple's apps page offers some of the same information in a dedicated productivity section, but with additional details on the premium features included in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote with Apple Creator Studio.

The apps page does not mention the iWork branding at all, suggesting that Apple is no longer referring to the three productivity apps using that term and is instead going to advertise them as Apple Creator Studio apps.


It's not clear if Apple is going to phase out "iWork" entirely, and the term is still used across different support documents and guides. It may take time to completely eliminate the all-in-one branding that Apple has used for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for more than 20 years, or it could still be used in some limited situations.

Apple introduced Keynote as a standalone app in 2003, and added Pages in January 2004. A year later, both apps were bundled together under the iWork '05 name, with the software priced at $79. Apple said iWork was a successor to AppleWorks, an office suite that included a word processing app, a database, a drawing app, and a spreadsheet app. The iWork apps were designed from the ground up, and were essentially the Mac equivalent to Microsoft Office.

In 2007, iWork '08 gained the Numbers app, and in 2009, iWork '09 included an iWork.com service for sharing documents online (discontinued in 2012 in favor of iCloud). When iWork '09 came out, Apple started selling the apps for $20 each, later adding them to the Mac App Store when it launched in 2011. iOS versions of the iWork apps came in 2010 with the launch of the first iPad, with Apple charging $9.99 each.

Apple redesigned the iWork apps for Mac and iOS in 2013, and started offering them for free to Mac buyers. Pages, Keynote, and Numbers remain free today, though there are now upgraded features accessible only through the Apple Creator Studio subscription.

Apple Creator Studio is priced at $12.99 per month, and in addition to the iWork apps, it includes access to Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage. For Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, Apple Creator Studio adds a content hub with Apple-curated royalty-free photos, premium templates, and themes. There's also a tool to remix image creations right in a document, and a Super Resolution tool for upscaling images.

In addition to iWork, Apple has been phasing out other "i" branding terms over the last several years. iBooks and iPhoto are now Apple Books and Photos, respectively, while iTunes has been separated into Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. Apple still uses "i" branding for iMovie, ‌iCloud‌, iPhone, ‌iPad‌, and iMac.
This article, "Is Apple Phasing Out the iWork Brand?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is working on an updated version of the Mac Studio, and the new machine is expected to launch in the first half of 2026. We've rounded up what we know about the next-generation ‌Mac Studio‌ so far.

Design

We're not expecting Apple to redesign the ‌Mac Studio‌, and there haven't been rumors of a design update. The ‌Mac Studio‌ will continue to have an Apple TV or Mac mini-like squircle design with rounded corners.

The ‌Mac Studio‌ is a much more compact desktop than the Mac Pro, measuring in at 3.7 inches tall and 7.7 inches wide. Apple has apparently put the ‌Mac Pro‌ on the backburner, and the ‌Mac Studio‌ is seen as the future of Mac desktop computing.

M5 Max and M5 Ultra Chips

We're expecting the ‌Mac Studio‌ to adopt M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. The M5 Max chip will offer much faster CPU and GPU performance than the M5 chip that came out last October, and the M5 Ultra will double the M5 Max performance.

Signs of the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips were spotted in the recent iOS 26.3 release candidate.

Faster SSD

The M5 MacBook Pro models were updated with a faster SSD, so the ‌Mac Studio‌ and other Macs coming in 2026 could get the same refresh.

Studio Display 2

Apple debuted the first Studio Display alongside the ‌Mac Studio‌, and there is a new Studio Display 2 rumored to be coming this year. We could get the new display alongside the new ‌Mac Studio‌.

The Studio Display 2 is expected to look like the current model, but it could get a faster 90Hz refresh rate, a mini-LED display, and an A19 chip.

Pricing

There haven't been rumors of pricing increases for the ‌Mac Studio‌, so it could continue to start at $1,999.

Release Timing

Last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that new ‌Mac Studio‌ models "shouldn't arrive too long after the spring Mac refresh," which is expected to include new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models.

New ‌MacBook Pro‌ models could come as early as the week of March 2, so the ‌Mac Studio‌ will come sometime after that date.
This article, "What's Next for the Mac Studio" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple did not infringe on any patents owned by Texas-based company Optis Wireless, a jury ruled today. In a verdict shared by Reuters, the jury decided that Apple did not infringe any of the five LTE patents that Optis sued over back in 2019. If Optis had won, Apple could have faced hundreds of millions in damages.


Optis Wireless initially won $506 million from Apple in a 2020 jury trial, but the damages were thrown out after Apple appealed because the jury didn't calculate damages with an understanding of fair and reasonable essential patent (FRAND) terms. A second jury trial was held in 2021 to recalculate damages, and the jury awarded Optis $300 million. Apple again appealed, and the appeals court vacated the $300 million verdict because the district court provided the jury with incorrect instructions.

Apple and Optis were sent back to court for a third jury trial, which leads to today's verdict. With the jury finding in Apples favor, Apple owes Optis nothing. In a statement to Reuters, Apple said it was pleased the jury rejected Optis's infringement claims.

"We thank the jury for their time, and we're pleased they rejected Optis' false claims. Optis makes no products, and its sole business is to sue companies, which it has done repeatedly to Apple in an attempt to obtain an excessive payout."

Optis is likely to appeal the ruling, sending it back to the appeals court again. Apple is also fighting Optis in the UK, where a UK court ordered Apple to pay $502 million. Apple appealed the decision and the UK Supreme Court will hear the case in June 2026.
This article, "Apple Wins Third Jury Trial Against Optis, Avoiding Hundreds of Millions in Patent Damages" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is still planning to launch the smarter, more capable version of Siri in 2026, the company told CNBC today. Apple's statement comes just a day after Bloomberg reported Apple is having issues with the updated version of ‌Siri‌, leading to potential delays of the feature.


Apple initially intended to launch the Apple Intelligence-powered version of ‌Siri‌ in spring 2025, but right around when a debut was expected in March 2025, Apple said that Siri wasn't ready and needed more time. Later in the year, Apple said that it would launch its Siri update in 2026.

Though Apple never gave a timeline more specific than "2026," Bloomberg said the company was aiming to include Siri in iOS 26.4, an update planned for spring 2026. Bloomberg's latest report suggests the ‌Siri‌ functionality will not be ready in time to be included in iOS 26.4, so the new features could be pushed to iOS 26.5 or iOS 27.

Apple may miss its internal target for the 2026 ‌Siri‌ launch, but since the company never publicly gave timing beyond 2026, there's no actual delay yet. Apple has until December 2026 to launch ‌Siri‌ within the timeframe that it promised in summer of 2025.

Back in June 2024, Apple previewed three new ‌Siri‌ features, including onscreen awareness, personal context, and the ability to do more in and between apps. Apple has since started working on additional ‌Siri‌ features like image generation and a tool for searching the web.

In Apple's testing, ‌Siri‌ apparently sometimes doesn't process queries properly, and can take too long to respond to requests. Features are not working as intended, so ‌Siri‌'s new capabilities could roll out across several updates. We could still get one or two new ‌Siri‌ features in iOS 26.4, with other features set to come in future updates slated for 2026. There are still several iOS 26 updates planned for 2026, and iOS 27 will launch in September 2026.

Apple provided CNBC with a statement because the company's stock dropped five percent today, both due to the ‌Siri‌ delay rumors and FTC scrutiny over Apple News.

Apple is likely to release the first beta of iOS 26.4 later this month, giving us more insight into the ‌Siri‌ launch situation.
This article, "Apple Confirms Revamped Siri is Still Coming in 2026" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Sony today announced a new set of earbuds that are designed to compete with the AirPods Pro 3. The $330 WF-1000XM6 Truly Wireless Earbuds feature Active Noise Cancellation with a 25 percent reduction in noise compared to the prior-generation XM5 earbuds, with improved performance in the mid-to-high frequency range that's common in everyday environments.


The earbuds use Sony's HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3e with an adaptive noise canceling optimizer and four microphones on each earbud to detect sound to cut out. The earbuds analyze external noise and wearing conditions in real time to improve noise canceling performance.

Sony's XM6 earbuds are smaller than the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ because there is no stem, and they include noise isolating silicone ear tips with a USB-C charging case. Sony redesigned the earbuds with a more ergonomic shape that's meant to follow the natural curves of the inner ear to reduce discomfort, and the XM6 is 11 percent slimmer than the XM5. The updated design also reduces internal noises like footsteps and chewing sounds.

The battery in the XM6 earbuds lasts for up to eight hours, and the charging case provides an additional 24 hours.

More processing power delivers better sound, and Sony says the earbuds have a new driver unit that combines different materials on the dome and the edge. The soft edge offers deep bass, while the rigid dome provides clear and extended high frequencies. Sony is also using AI to restore compressed files in real time to improve sound quality.

For phone calls, there are two microphones and a bone conduction sensor on each side, with the earbuds using AI beamforming to isolate and capture the wearer's voice even in crowded environments.

Sony offers Adaptive Sound Control, Auto Play, multi-device support, and integrated voice assistance, with Google Gemini Live built in.

Reviews suggest the WF-1000XM6 earbuds are almost on par with the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ when it comes to noise cancellation. According to SoundGuys, the XM6 had an 88 percent average reduction in loudness across all frequencies, just behind the 90 percent average of the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. Passive isolation was better than the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ passive sound reduction.

Engadget felt that Sony's earbuds struggled with human voices and had fit issues, but The Verge said the earbuds tuned out conversations better than other ANC earbuds, including the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌.

TechRadar said the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ had noticeably better ANC, Business Insider preferred the XM6 noise canceling, and CNET said the XM6 offered better sound quality than the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌.

Sony's new earbuds are available from the Sony website for $330.
This article, "Sony Launches $330 WF-1000XM6 Earbuds to Take on AirPods Pro 3" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released new beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4. The firmware is limited to developers at the current time, and it has a build number of 8B5034f.


Apple is not testing any iOS updates right now, so it is unclear what's in the AirPods firmware beta.

With iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added a beta firmware update installation option that's available from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which facilitates beta testing.

Developers can use the beta option to turn on beta downloads.
This article, "Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 237 includes fixes and updates for Accessibility, CSS, DOM, HTML, Networking, Rendering, SVG, Web API, Web Authentication, Web Extensions, Web Inspector, and WebRTC.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
This article, "Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 237 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.


The iOS 26.4 version of ‌Siri‌ won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.

Upgraded Architecture

The next-generation version of ‌Siri‌ will use advanced large language models, similar to those used by ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Apple isn't implementing full chatbot interactions, but any upgrade is both better than what's available now and long overdue.

Right now, ‌Siri‌ uses machine learning, but it doesn't have the reasoning capabilities that LLM models impart. ‌Siri‌ relies on multiple task-specific models to complete a request, going from one step to another. ‌Siri‌ has to determine the intent of a request, pull out relevant information (a time, an event, a name, etc), and then use APIs or apps to complete the request. It's not an all-in-one system.

In iOS 26.4, ‌Siri‌ will have an LLM core that everything else is built around. Instead of just translating voice to text and looking for keywords to execute on, ‌Siri‌ will actually understand the specifics of what a user is asking, and use reasoning to get it done.

LLM Improvements

‌Siri‌ today is usually fine for simple tasks like setting a timer or alarm, sending a text message, toggling a smart home device on or off, answering a simple question, or controlling a device function, but it doesn't understand anything more complicated, it can't complete multi-step tasks, it can't interpret wording that's not in the structure it wants, it has no personal context, and it doesn't support follow-up questions.

An LLM should solve most of those problems because ‌Siri‌ will have something akin to a brain. LLMs can understand the nuance of a request, suss out what it is someone actually wants, and take the steps to deliver that information or complete the requested action.

We already know some of what LLM ‌Siri‌ will be able to do because Apple described the Apple Intelligence features it wants to implement when iOS 18 debuted.

Promised Siri Apple Intelligence Features

Apple described three specific ways that ‌Siri‌ will improve, including personal context, the ability to see what's on the screen to know what the user is talking about, and the capability to do more in and between apps.

‌Siri‌ will understand pronouns, references to content on the screen and in apps, and it will have a short-term memory for follow-up requests.

Personal Context

With personal context, ‌Siri‌ will be able to keep track of emails, messages, files, photos, and more, learning more about you to help you complete tasks and keep track of what you've been sent.

• Show me the files Eric sent me last week.


• Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.


• Find the books that Eric recommended to me.


• Where's the recipe that Eric sent me?


• What's my passport number?

Onscreen Awareness

Onscreen awareness will let ‌Siri‌ see what's on your screen and complete actions involving whatever you're looking at. If someone texts you an address, for example, you can tell ‌Siri‌ to add it to their contact card. Or if you're looking at a photo and want to send it to someone, you can ask ‌Siri‌ to do it for you.

Deeper App Integration

Deeper app integration means that ‌Siri‌ will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible with the personal assistant right now. We don't have a full picture of what ‌Siri‌ will be capable of, but Apple has provided a few examples of what to expect.

• Moving files from one app to another.


• Editing a photo and then sending it to someone.


• Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.


• Send the email I drafted to Eric.

Bigger Than Promised Update

In an all-hands meeting in August 2025, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi explained the ‌Siri‌ debacle to employees. Apple had attempted to merge two separate systems, which didn't work out.

There was one system for handling current commands and another based on large language models, and the hybrid approach was not working due to the confines of the current ‌Siri‌ architecture. The only way forward was to upgrade to the second-generation architecture built around a large language model.

In the August meeting, Federighi said Apple had successfully revamped ‌Siri‌, and that Apple would be able to introduce a bigger upgrade than it promised in iOS 18.

"The work we've done on this end-to-end revamp of ‌Siri‌ has given us the results we needed," Federighi told employees. "This has put us in a position to not just deliver what we announced, but to deliver a much bigger upgrade than that we envisioned."

Adopting Google Gemini

Part of Apple's problem was that it was relying on AI models that it built in-house, and that were not able to match the capabilities of competitors. Apple started considering using a third-party model for ‌Siri‌ and other future AI features shortly after delaying ‌Siri‌, and in January, Apple announced a multi-year partnership with Google.

For the foreseeable future, Apple's AI features, including the more personalized version of ‌Siri‌, will use a custom model Apple built in collaboration with Google's Gemini team. Apple plans to continue work on its own in-house models, but for now, it will rely on Gemini for many public-facing features.

‌Siri‌ in iOS 26.4 will be more similar to Google Gemini than ‌Siri‌ today, though without full chatbot capabilities. Apple plans to continue to run some features on-device and use Private Cloud Compute to maintain privacy. Apple will keep personal data on-device, anonymize requests, and continue to allow AI features to be disabled.

What's Not Coming in iOS 26.4

‌Siri‌ is not going to work as a chatbot, so the updated version will not feature long-term memory or back-and-forth conversations, plus Apple plans to use the same voice-based interface with limited typing functionality.

Apple's Embarrassing Siri Delay

In what became an infamous move, Apple went all-in showing off a smarter, Apple Intelligence-powered version of ‌Siri‌ when it introduced iOS 18 at the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple said these features would come in an update to iOS 18, but right around when launch was expected, Apple admitted that ‌Siri‌ wasn't ready and would be delayed until spring 2026.



Apple executives went on a press tour to explain the ‌Siri‌ shortcomings after WWDC 2025, promising bigger and better things for iOS 26, and explaining what went wrong. The ‌Apple Intelligence‌ ‌Siri‌ features we saw at WWDC 2024 were actually implemented and weren't faked, but ‌Siri‌ wasn't working as well as expected behind the scenes and Apple was dealing with quality issues.

Since Apple advertised the new ‌Siri‌ features with the iPhone 16, some people who bought the iPhone because of the new functionality were upset about the delay and sued. Apple was able to quietly settle the case in December 2025, so most of the ‌Siri‌ snafu has been resolved.

Internal Restructuring

The misstep with ‌Siri‌'s debut and the failure of the hybrid architecture led Apple to restructure its entire AI team. Apple AI chief John Giannandrea was removed from the ‌Siri‌ leadership team, with Vision Pro chief Mike Rockwell taking over instead.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was no longer confident in Giannandrea's ability to oversee product development, and Giannandrea is set to retire in spring 2026. Rockwell reports to Federighi, and Federighi told employees that the new leadership has "supercharged" ‌Siri‌ development. Federighi has apparently played an instrumental role in changing Apple's approach to AI, and he is making the decisions that will allow the company to catch up to rivals.

Apple has struggled with retaining AI employees amid the ‌Siri‌ issue and recruitment strategies from companies like Meta. Meta poached several key AI engineers from Apple, offering pay packages as high as $200 million. At Apple's August all-hands meeting, Cook and Federighi aimed to reassure employees that AI is critically important to the company. "There is no project people are taking more seriously," Federighi said of ‌Siri‌.

Cook said that Apple will "make the investment" to be a leader in AI.

iOS 26.4 Siri Launch Date

Apple has promised that the new version of ‌Siri‌ is coming in spring 2026, which is when we're expecting iOS 26.4. Testing on iOS 26.4 should begin in late February or early March, with a launch to follow around the April timeframe.

LLM Siri Compatibility

The new version of ‌Siri‌ will presumably run on all devices that support ‌Apple Intelligence‌, though Apple hasn't explicitly provided details. Some new ‌Siri‌ capabilities may come to older devices as well.

iOS 27 Chatbot Upgrade

Apple plans to upgrade ‌Siri‌ even further in the iOS 27 update, turning Siri into a chatbot. ‌Siri‌ will work like Claude or ChatGPT, able to understand and engage in back and forth conversation.

Details about the ‌Siri‌ interface and how a chatbot version of ‌Siri‌ will work are still in short supply, but iOS 26.4 will be a stop on the path to a version of ‌Siri‌ able to actually function like products from Anthropic and OpenAI.
This article, "Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

It's been four months since the iPhone Air came out, and it hasn't exactly been a resounding success. Sales are reportedly so low that Apple is delaying the next-generation model. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera shares what it's been like using Apple's thinnest and lightest iPhone on a daily basis over the last few months.


With its super thin design, the ‌iPhone Air‌ still impresses even months later. It's much lighter than the other ‌iPhone‌ models, and a pleasure to use because of it. The ‌iPhone Air‌ is Apple's best one-handed smartphone, plus it impresses everyone who tries it out.

The frosted glass texture is attractive, and thanks to that titanium frame, it's durable. The glass resists fingerprints, plus it's not slippery, so it can be used without a case. That's a good thing, since a case tends to ruin the ultra thin feel. The ‌iPhone Air‌ is all glass, though, so it's still breakable if dropped and AppleCare+ is recommended.

The ‌iPhone Air‌ has the smallest battery in the iPhone 17 lineup, and there was a lot of concern that it wouldn't last all day. As long as you're not using it for high-end gaming, the battery is totally fine. Dan hasn't had a problem with battery life for day-to-day activities like browsing social media, YouTube, navigating, and using CarPlay.

If you're someone who only uses the Wide camera on the ‌iPhone‌, you might not miss the Ultra Wide or Telephoto lenses, but having only a single-lens rear camera is one of the ‌iPhone Air‌'s major downsides. You get 1x and 2x zoom, but no 0.5x mode, no macro lens, and no 5x telephoto lens. It's definitely a dealbreaker for some people.

There's also only a single speaker, and while it's fine for use in quiet rooms, if you like to use your ‌iPhone‌ for things like listening to music in the shower, it might not be good enough.

The biggest thing wrong with the ‌iPhone Air‌ is the price tag. Sure, it's light, thin, and has an impressive design, but it's $999. For $200 less, you can get the standard ‌iPhone 17‌ with two cameras and near identical performance, and for $100 more, you can get the iPhone 17 Pro, which has three cameras and faster performance. The only sacrifice is thinness, and it's clear that most people aren't willing to pay more to lose features for a thin and light design.

At this point, it's not entirely clear when a new ‌iPhone Air‌ is coming out. Rumors originally suggested we'd get the second-generation model in the fall of 2026, but sales were below expectations, so Apple is holding back on a new model to make some changes.

The next ‌iPhone Air‌ could have a second camera and display improvements like a smaller Dynamic Island to make it more appealing, with a potential launch happening in spring 2027.
This article, "iPhone Air Review: Four Months Later, is Apple's Thinnest iPhone Worth $999?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple is planning to bring new AI features to CarPlay, reports Bloomberg. Apple will allow third-party chatbot apps to integrate with ‌CarPlay‌, so AI services like Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT will be accessible in the car for the first time.


‌CarPlay‌ already supports third-party apps, but the types of apps that are supported are limited. Companies like Anthropic and OpenAI aren't currently able to create ‌CarPlay‌ apps, so users are limited to using Siri voice controls in the vehicle.

With the change, ‌CarPlay‌ users will be able to access apps like ChatGPT to ask questions hands-free, though the apps won't be able to control vehicle or iPhone functions. Third-party AI voice apps will not be accessible via a wake word and won't replace ‌Siri‌, so users will need to open an app to get access to a chatbot. App developers will be able to design in-car experiences that will launch a voice-based chat mode when the app is opened, which will streamline the process.

Apple is planning to support third-party AI apps "within the coming months," which could align with when the company's smarter version of ‌Siri‌ is set to launch. With iOS 26.4, Apple is debuting a more personalized version of ‌Siri‌ that uses large language models.

‌Siri‌ will be able to answer complex questions, complete multi-step tasks, maintain continuity, and do more in and between apps. The personal assistant is also set to gain a World Knowledge Answers feature, allowing it to search the web and summarize information from websites.

Later in iOS 27, ‌Siri‌ will get full chatbot capabilities, allowing it to better compete with Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT.
This article, "Apple to Allow ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in CarPlay" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 17 and one of Astropad's anti-reflective Fresh Coat screen protectors to go along with it.


Fresh Coat is a new kind of screen protector that Astropad designed with an optical-grade anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and provide a better iPhone viewing experience. The technology that Astropad is using cuts reflections by 75 percent, while improving contrast and keeping colors vibrant. Unlike other anti-reflective screen protectors on the market, Fresh Coat has adds no haze or distortion.


Priced at $30, Fresh Coat is made from a scratch-proof tempered glass that also provides protection for the ‌iPhone‌'s display in addition to cutting down on glare and reflections. It's slim and won't add any bulk to the ‌iPhone‌ even though there are five layers of technology at work. From the top down, there's an anti-reflective coating, an oleophobic and hydrophobic coating, a layer of tempered glass, a dust barrier, and an impact-resistant "airbag" bonding.


If you have an ‌iPhone 17‌, it comes with an anti-reflective coating added by Apple. What you might not know, though, is that you can't use just any screen protector with the ‌iPhone 17‌. If you put a regular screen protector without an anti-reflective coating on, it nullifies the anti-reflective properties of that added coating.


Since Fresh Coat has its own anti-reflective coating, it actually improves upon Apple's included anti-reflective layer, reducing glare even further. With Fresh Coat, the ‌iPhone‌'s screen is easy to see in any lighting conditions, there's less eye strain, and if you use Dark Mode, it looks even darker.


If you don't have an ‌iPhone 17‌, Fresh Coat can provide an ‌iPhone‌ 17-style display upgrade, mirroring Apple's own reflection-reducing display coating. Fresh Coat is available for all ‌iPhone 17‌ models, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, and the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and Pro Max.


Astropad designed an installation process that's impossible to mess up, so you get perfect alignment on your ‌iPhone‌ without hassle.

We have an ‌iPhone 17‌ in white and a Fresh Coat screen protector for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.


The contest will run from today (February 6) at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on February 13. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after December 26 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone 17 and Fresh Coat Screen Protector From Astropad" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

As OpenAI is making plans to introduce ads to ChatGPT, competitor Anthropic has promised to keep Claude ad-free. In a blog post today, the company said that there are "many good places for advertising," but a "conversation with Claude is not one of them."


According to Anthropic, including ads in Claude would not be in line with its mission of creating a helpful assistant for work and deep thinking. Anthropic claims that users should not need to second-guess whether an AI is being helpful or "subtly steering the conversation towards something monetizable."

There will be no ads or sponsored links in conversations with Claude, and Claude's responses will not be influenced by advertisers or include third-party product placements.

Our analysis of conversations with Claude (conducted in a way that keeps all data private and anonymous) shows that an appreciable portion involve topics that are sensitive or deeply personal--the kinds of conversations you might have with a trusted advisor. Many other uses involve complex software engineering tasks, deep work, or thinking through difficult problems. The appearance of ads in these contexts would feel incongruous--and, in many cases, inappropriate.

Promising an ad-free experience could encourage people to choose Claude over OpenAI's ChatGPT. In January, OpenAI said that it would start testing ads in the United States for free and Go tier subscribers, though subscribers with higher paid tiers will not see ads. OpenAI claims that ads will be clearly labeled and will not influence the answers that ChatGPT provides, nor will the company provide conversation details to advertisers.

To further reinforce the difference between Claude's ad-free experience and ChatGPT's ad-supported experience, Anthropic plans to run a humorous Super Bowl commercial where a man gets an unwanted cougar dating ad after asking about his mother. "Ads are coming to AI," reads the video's text. "But not to Claude."


Anthropic plans to continue to monetize through enterprise contracts and paid subscriptions, with revenue reinvested in improving Claude. Anthropic will maintain a free tier, and the company says that it may also offer lower-cost subscription tiers and regional pricing in the future if there is demand for it. Claude Pro is priced at $20 per month, which is the same price as ChatGPT's higher-end Plus tier.

An ad-free Claude experience isn't a sure thing forever, as Anthropic gives itself an out in the blog post: "Should we need to revisit this approach, we'll be transparent about our reasons for doing so."
This article, "Anthropic Promises Claude Will Remain Ad-Free, Mocks ChatGPT Ads in Super Bowl Commercial" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The iOS 26.3 release candidate includes references to a pair of unreleased chips that are in the M5 family, according to information found by Nicolás Alvarez and shared with MacRumors.


The iOS 26.3 RC mentions two unreleased SoCs, T6051 and T6052, with associated H17C and H17D platform names. The 17 is a reference to the M5, as the standard M5 chip is numbered H17G. Typically, the "C" lettering is used with a Max chip, and the "D" lettering is used for Ultra chips. G is used for standard chips, and S is used for Pro chips.

When using Apple's past numbering and lettering as a reference, that would suggest an M5 Max and an M5 Ultra chip. There is no current reference to T6050 H17S, which is the chip identifier and platform name we'd expect for the M5 Pro.

Since we're currently waiting on new versions of the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the chip references located are a bit confusing. We have three possibilities: there's an M5 Pro chip along with an M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip and it's just not added to the iOS 26.3 code yet, Apple is changing its numbering, or Apple is planning for M5 Max and M5 Ultra ‌MacBook Pro‌ models.

• Chip 1 in the beta: T6051, H17C. Presumably M5 Max.


• Chip 2 in the beta: T6052, H17D. Presumably M5 Ultra.


• Not in the beta: T6050, H17S. Chip identifier expected for M5 Pro.

Apple's past Max chips have all used "C" lettering, including the M1 Max (H13C), M2 Max (H14C), M3 Max (H15C/H15M), and M4 Max (H16C). There was also an M variant of the M3 Max for the 14-core chip, with Apple using C for the 16-core chip.

Ultra chips have all used "D" lettering, including the M1 Ultra (H13D), ‌M2‌ Ultra (H14D), and M3 Ultra (H15D). There was no M4 Ultra chip.

It's not clear why we are only seeing signs of an M5 Max and M5 Ultra chip, but rumors suggest that new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with higher-end M5 chips are set to launch in the next few weeks. Apple is supposedly working on a Mac Studio in the M5 family, which would use an M5 Ultra chip, but we haven't heard rumors about an upcoming launch.
This article, "New M5 Chips Spotted in iOS 26.3 Beta" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Amazon's Alexa+ AI assistant is rolling out to all U.S. Amazon Prime subscribers beginning today, with the service available at no additional cost.


Amazon says that Prime subscribers can access Alexa+ with the Alexa app, Alexa-enabled devices, or the Alexa.com website. Prime members can access Alexa+ by saying "Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+," or by logging into their Amazon account on the Alexa website.

Alexa+ has been in testing since February 2025, offering a smarter, more personalized, and more proactive assistant experience. Amazon says Alexa+ is much more capable than the prior version of Alexa thanks to its updated architecture that uses large language models from Amazon Nova and Anthropic.

Alexa is able to do things like order takeout, make restaurant reservations, book rides, and schedule home repairs, plus it can control smart home products and answer questions like any other chatbot. It integrates with Amazon services, and can integrate with hardware like Ring cameras.

Amazon Prime in the U.S. is priced at $14.99 per month or $139 per year, and Alexa+ is considered one of the Prime benefits. Customers without Prime can try Alexa+ through a limited, free chat experience on Alexa.com and in the Alexa app. Subscribing solely to Alexa+ costs $19.99 per month, which makes no sense for anyone since Prime is cheaper.

Amazon's revamped Alexa+ experience is seeing a wide rollout a couple months ahead of when Apple is expected to debut a more powerful, personalized version of Siri. ‌Siri‌ is going to get an update in spring 2026, likely in iOS 26.4.

Alexa and ‌Siri‌ were two of the original large-scale voice assistants, so it will be interesting to see how Alexa+ compares to the revamped version of ‌Siri‌ when ‌Siri‌ launches.
This article, "Amazon's Alexa+ Now Free for All U.S. Prime Members, Beating Apple's Smarter Siri to Market" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Popular strategy game Civilization VII is set to launch on Apple Arcade tomorrow, allowing ‌Apple Arcade‌ subscribers to play on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.


Sid Meier's Civilization VII ‌Apple Arcade‌ Edition features the Civilization VII base game experience, with mouse support, controller support, and intuitive touch controls available. Players take on the role of one of many legendary leaders from history, aiming to build the greatest empire the world has ever known.

Gamers will construct cities and control armies to expand their territory, conquering or cooperating with rival civilizations for the resources to evolve and discover new technological breakthroughs. Multiplayer gameplay is not supported at launch, and DLC add-ons are not available. Large map sizes are limited to devices that have at least 8GB RAM.

Along with Civilization VII, ‌Apple Arcade‌ is also gaining musical rhythm adventure Felicity's Door, puzzle game I Love Hue Too+, and classic video arcade title Retrocade. Retrocade is available on the Vision Pro as well as the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌.

‌Apple Arcade‌ is Apple's subscription gaming service, priced at $6.99 per month. The service allows up to six family members to share a single subscription, and games feature no in-app fees or ads.
This article, "Civilization VII Coming to Apple Arcade Tomorrow" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today provided the release candidate (RC) version of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after the launch of the third beta. The RC is the version of ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3 that will be provided to the public as long as the final testing phase uncovers no major bugs.


Developers can download the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

There's no word yet on what's included in ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3, and no new features have been found during beta testing so far.

We'll likely see Apple release ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3 next week.
This article, "macOS Tahoe 26.3 Release Candidate Now Available" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today seeded the release candidate (RC) versions of upcoming iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the release of the third betas. The RCs represent the final versions of iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 that will be provided to the public if no bugs are found in the updates.


Registered developers can download the updates from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting the Software Update option.

iOS 26.3 adds a tool for transitioning from an ‌iPhone‌ to an Android device. Transfers can be initiated during the device setup process, and moving data from one device to another can now be done without having to download a specific app.

Apple's transfer process supports moving photos, messages, notes, apps, passwords, phone number, and more.

The update also includes a Notification Forwarding setting for third-party wearables in the European Union, and there are some minor changes to the Weather wallpaper. More information on what's changed can be found in our iOS 26.3 beta feature list.

With the RC now available, Apple will likely release iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 next week.
This article, "Apple Seeds iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 Release Candidates" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today provided developers with the release candidate versions of upcoming watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and visionOS 26.3 updates for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple provided the third betas. The release candidates are the final version of the updates that will be provided to the public as long as no bugs are found.


The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.

We don't know what new features might be added in watchOS 26.3, visionOS 26.3, and tvOS 26.3, and nothing new has been discovered so far. Apple doesn't typically provide release notes for betas, so we might not know what's new until the software updates see a public launch unless there are outward-facing changes.

The software updates will likely launch next week now that RCs are available.
This article, "Apple Releases watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3 and visionOS 26.3 Release Candidates" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

New M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in the near future, according to information shared with MacRumors by an Apple Premium Reseller.


The third-party Apple retailer said that ‌MacBook Pro‌ stock is very low currently because there is an imminent new product introduction. Apple typically coordinates supply with retail stores ahead of a new model launch to avoid leaving resellers with too many outdated machines.

Over the weekend, Bloomberg said that the new MacBook Pros are going to launch alongside macOS Tahoe 26.3 during the February/March timeframe, and we are getting closer to the software's release date. Today's Xcode 26.3 release candidate launch also suggests that a debut isn't far off.

It's atypical for Apple to introduce an Xcode release candidate without also providing iOS and macOS release candidates, and we haven't seen the iOS 26.3 or macOS 26.3 RCs yet. Holding back a macOS release candidate is sometimes an indication that the RC contains information that Apple doesn't want to leak. If the M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are going to come out alongside macOS Tahoe 26.3, it's possible that the ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.3 RC includes new model identifiers that would give away the upcoming launch.

Apple has most commonly held macOS release candidates for a few days to a week. Prior to when new M3 Macs came out in October 2023, for example, Apple provided the iOS 17.1 and accompanying Xcode release candidate on October 17, but held the macOS 14.1 release candidate. New Macs were introduced on October 23, and then the macOS 14.1 RC came out on October 24. Apple followed the same pattern ahead of the first M1 Macs in November 2020, and the M2 Mac mini in October 2022. In each case, Apple held the macOS RC while launching the iOS and Xcode RCs.

What's different in this situation is that we haven't seen the iOS 26.3 RC either, so the hold time is less clear. Apple could debut new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models as soon as tomorrow, then release both RCs. There's also a possibility we have to wait a week or two before new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models come out, especially if the RCs aren't quite ready to go and another beta update is planned.

It's not entirely clear why Apple released the Xcode 26.3 RC now instead of holding it, but it does include agentic coding tools that Apple worked with Anthropic and OpenAI to implement, so Apple may have committed to a specific schedule for the functionality.

All signs suggest that we're going to get the M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models soon. Apple already released the standard 14-inch M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌, but higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models have yet to be refreshed.

The reseller that spoke to MacRumors also said that HomePod mini supplies are drying up with many models sold out, but there is no official word on whether that's because of supply chain issues or because of an imminent update. ‌HomePod mini‌ stock has been dwindling since October 2025, so stock continuing to be low doesn't give us new information on the ‌HomePod mini‌ 2, unfortunately.
This article, "M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro Launch Imminent as Reseller Stock Dwindles" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums