MacRumors

The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.

Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the device could tout extremely impressive battery life. It is expected to be thicker than its predecessor to facilitate the larger battery.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max has the biggest ‌iPhone‌ battery to date at 5,088 mAh. Apple says it has a battery life of up to 39 hours. A recent test found that Apple devices lead the industry for battery life, with the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max ranking as the longest-lasting phone tested and Apple tied as the top overall brand. As a result, with a bigger battery and more efficient chip, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max should comfortably offer over 40 hours of battery life.

Meanwhile, the first foldable iPhone, which is expected to debut alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, is rumored to feature class-leading battery life. The foldable's battery could be over 5,500 mAh in size, which would make it the largest capacity of any iPhone, as well as any rival foldable device‌.

The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro and ‌‌iPhone 18‌‌ Pro Max are expected to launch later this year, featuring a smaller Dynamic Island, the C2 modem, a simplified Camera Control, a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, and an upgraded main camera with a variable aperture.

iOS 27 will no longer include a long-rumored feature known as Apple Health+ inside Apple, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple Health+ was supposed to be a virtual health coach that could give users AI-powered health recommendations in the Apple Health app, based on their personal health data, the report said. The feature would have provided users with detailed health reports, videos that explained medical conditions and offered wellness tips, and more.

"The major new service would have combined new surveys and health assessments with data from Apple Watches and external lab reports," the report added.

It is unclear if Apple Health+ would have been a paid subscription service.

The feature is being scaled back instead of outright canceled. The report said some of the components of Apple Health+, such as suggestions based on existing Health app data, will be "repurposed and introduced as early as this year."

Apple Health+ was initially rumored to be an iOS 26 feature, so it was seemingly in development for a long time. But now, only bits and pieces of it will launch.

Apple's services chief Eddy Cue is apparently "considering changes" to Apple Fitness+ as well, but the report did not provide any specific details.

Apple today released watchOS 11.6.2 for the Apple Watch Series 6 through Series 10, Apple Watch SE 2, and Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2.

"This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all users," says Apple.

watchOS 11.6.2 will only appear on Apple Watch models that have not already been updated to watchOS 26 or later. There are no specific details available yet beyond Apple's vague release notes, so it is unclear what exactly the update includes.

Update: Apple says watchOS 11.6.2 "addresses a cellular network issue for Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, Series 9, Series 10, SE 2, Ultra, and Ultra 2 when establishing a connection to emergency services in Australia."

The European Commission today said it found that Apple Maps and Apple Ads should not be designated as "gateways" under the EU's Digital Markets Act.

In a press release, the European Commission said that Apple Maps and Apple Ads are not big enough individually to qualify as "important gateways between business users and end users," and therefore the platforms will not be subject to stricter regulations. This follows an investigation that began in late November.

"This assessment is based on a number of considerations, including that Apple Maps has a relatively low overall usage rate in the EU, and that Apple Ads has very limited scale in the online advertising sector in the EU," the European Commission said.

Apple as a whole is still considered a "gatekeeper" under the Digital Markets Act.

Apple Ads and Apple Maps will have more in common soon, as Apple reportedly plans to start showing ads within Apple Maps search results as soon as this year.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.

"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart sing. It really does. I promise some celebration."

Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, so the company will celebrate its 50th anniversary in a little less than two months from now.

While it is likely that Cook was referring to a celebration for Apple employees, the company will almost certainly honor the occasion in a public way too.

From near-bankruptcy in the late 1990s to becoming the world's most valuable public company in the early 2010s, Apple has been through a series of highs and lows over the past half century. The company just reported an all-time revenue record last quarter, driven by all-time high iPhone sales, so the company is still peaking financially.

We will be sure to have in-depth coverage of whatever Apple has in store for its 50th.

In an all-hands meeting with employees today, Apple CEO Tim Cook promised to lobby the U.S. government on immigration, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Cook said he is "deeply distraught" with the U.S. government's current approach to immigration, and he promised to make his voice heard on the matter, the report said.

"For as long as I can remember, we have been a smarter, wiser, more innovative company because we've attracted the best and brightest from all corners of the world," Cook told employees, according to the report. Cook ensured that he would "continue to lobby lawmakers on this issue" going forward, per the report.

Cook said immigration is especially important to Apple because the company has "team members across the U.S. on some form of visa," the report said.

Cook also reiterated his support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.

In a memo last month, Cook said he was "heartbroken" about recent events in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after two people were killed by U.S. federal immigration agents there. The killings stoked public outcry in the country.

"This is a time for deescalation," said Cook, in the memo. "I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they're from, and when we embrace our shared humanity. This is something Apple has always advocated for."

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara today shared some alleged details about the iPhone 17e and iPad 12, which are both expected to be released within the next few months.

In February 2025, Apple discontinued the iPhone SE and released a new entry-level iPhone 16e. The device features a 6.1-inch OLED display, an A18 chip, Apple Intelligence, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, an Action button, a USB-C port, and more. The iPhone 17e would be the follow-up, spec-bumped model.

According to the report, which cites "reliable sources," the iPhone 17e will have a similar overall design as the iPhone 16e. While some previous rumors indicated that the iPhone 17e would have a Dynamic Island, the report said this information is not true and that the device will continue to have a notch like the iPhone 16e.

The publication expects three key upgrades for the iPhone 17e:

• A19 chip: This one is no big surprise, but the iPhone 17e is expected to be powered by Apple's A19 chip, up from the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e. This upgrade will result in faster performance and power efficiency improvements.
• C1X modem: Apple says its second-generation C1X modem for 5G and LTE is up to twice as fast as its first-generation C1 modem in the iPhone 16e. Apple also says the C1X is the most power-efficient modem in an iPhone to date.
• N1 chip: Like the iPhone Air, the report said the iPhone 17e will be equipped with Apple's N1 chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread. In the iPhone Air, the N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and Apple says the chip improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.

As for the iPad 12, the report said that device will likely have a similar design as the iPad 11, but with a newer A18 chip that supports Apple Intelligence. That means the iPad 12 would have 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB in the iPad 11.

A separate report from Macwelt, available in English on Macworld, cites a source who said that Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e with a press release on an unusual date: Thursday, February 19. The publication agreed that the iPhone 17e will not have a Dynamic Island, but they do expect the device to feature MagSafe, as previously rumored.

• MagSafe: Unlike the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e will reportedly feature MagSafe for up to 20W-25W magnetic wireless charging. The iPhone 16e is limited to Qi wireless charging at up to 7.5W speeds. You would also be able to magnetically attach accessories like Apple's MagSafe Wallet to the back of the iPhone 17e.

Macwelt added that the iPhone 17e will still have a single rear camera.

Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil new products on a Thursday, but anything is possible.

No other major changes have been rumored so far, so the iPhone 17e's overall design and other specs should be similar to the iPhone 16e. In the U.S., the iPhone 16e starts at $599, but there is no word yet on how much the iPhone 17e will cost.

Apple expanded its lead in the global tablet market in late 2025 as overall shipments rebounded, according to new research from Omdia.

Global tablet shipments reportedly reached 162 million units in 2025, representing 9.8% year-over-year growth. The research firm said the strongest momentum occurred during the holiday quarter, when shipments reached 44 million units, also up 9.8% compared to the same quarter a year earlier. Omdia described the annual total as the highest shipment volume recorded since the surge in demand seen in 2020, partly caused by anticipation of memory supply constraints.

Apple was a key contributor to the market's late-year growth. Omdia says that Apple shipped 19.6 million iPads in the fourth quarter of 2025, representing a 16.5% year-over-year increase. The firm said this performance was driven by strong demand for the 11th-generation iPad and the M5 iPad Pro.

The fourth-quarter results increased Apple's market share to 44.9%. This placed Apple well ahead of other tablet vendors during the holiday quarter, with Samsung at 14.7%, Lenovo at 8.8%, Huawei at 6.9%, and Xiaomi at 6.4%. Other manufacturers collectively accounted for the remaining 18.3% of shipments.

The report also highlighted changes in how tablets are expected to be positioned in the coming years, including greater emphasis on ecosystem integration and artificial intelligence features:

On the product side, we expect a shift in how tablets are positioned and marketed, with vendors framing them as ecosystem-centric devices in a more controlled demand environment. This includes the introduction of cross-OS functionality and a focus on AI-driven experiences. Recent examples include Lenovo's Qira, which operates across Windows and Android to deliver a more seamless user experience and reduce friction between AI assistants. In addition, the collaboration between Apple and Google to use Gemini for future Apple Intelligence features represents a positive step forward for the generative AI ecosystem across its device portfolio, including iPads.

Regional performance varied across the year. Omdia said Central and Eastern Europe recorded the fastest growth in 2025, followed by Asia Pacific. All regions experienced double-digit growth except North America, where vendor and retail discounting helped offset an otherwise declining trend during the holiday season.

We were so busy covering Apple's earnings call last Thursday that iFixit's AirTag 2 teardown video that afternoon went under our radar until now.

For those who have yet to watch the video, iFixit opens up the AirTag 2 and reveals what is new inside, including a redesigned speaker that is up to 50% louder than the one in the previous AirTag, according to Apple. The teardown also provides a look at the AirTag 2's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip and more.

The overall design of the AirTag 2 is similar to the original version of the item tracking accessory.

For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com.

Apple released the new AirTag last month. In addition to the louder speaker, Precision Finding works up to 50% farther away from an item compared to the previous-generation model, and the overall Bluetooth tracking range is also improved.

Related Reading: AirTag 2 Hands-On: What's New and Should You Upgrade?

While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another seven months or so, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.

It was initially reported that iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that the devices will have only partially under-screen Face ID, which will result in a narrower Dynamic Island area.

Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of February 2026:

1. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras
2. More power-efficient LTPO+ displays
3. A narrower Dynamic Island, resulting from Face ID being partially under the screen
4. Variable aperture for at least one rear camera
5. A20 Pro chip manufactured with TSMC's 2nm process and new packaging technology
6. A simplified Camera Control button with no swipe gestures
7. Design changes to the rear Ceramic Shield for MagSafe charging, potentially including a more frosted glass appearance
8. Apple-designed C1X or C2 modem for 5G/LTE cellular connectivity
9. Apple-designed N1 chip or newer for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread
10. Web browsing via satellite
11. New color options under consideration: burgundy, brown, or purple
12. iPhone 18 Pro Max may be slightly thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, perhaps to accommodate a larger battery

Bookmark our iPhone 18 roundup to stay on top of future rumors.

Woot this week is back with a massive sale on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands for Apple Watch, with prices that match the previous record low Woot deals on these bands.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can get the Solo Loop for just $14.99 ($34 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). All bands in this sale are in brand new condition and come with a one-year Apple limited warranty.

Woot has reorganized the sale for 2026, with shoppers choosing their size before color this time around. Woot has size 1-12 of the Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop available, but color and style availability varies within each size category.

Shoppers should note that this sale is focused on colors of the Braided Solo Loop and Solo Loop that Apple has stopped selling, and it doesn't include any of the new band colors. That being said, all of the bands in this sale are in new condition.

The entire sale is focused on Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop Apple Watch bands, so you'll need to know the size that works best for you before you buy. Apple has a measurement tool on its website that you can use to determine your exact size.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

A broad new smartphone test has found that Apple devices lead the industry for battery life, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max ranking as the longest-lasting phone tested and Apple tied as the top overall brand.

CNET this week published the results of a large-scale battery-life comparison based on testing conducted throughout 2025 across 35 smartphones sold in the United States. According to the report, Apple and OnePlus ranked as the two brands with the strongest battery performance overall, based on averaged results from multiple battery benchmarks.

The top-performing individual device in the testing was Apple's ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, which finished first overall despite not having the largest battery capacity among the tested phones. It has a battery capacity of 5,088 mAh, and its extended battery life is largely attributed to silicon efficiency and software optimization.

The iPhone 17 tied for second place alongside the OnePlus 15. The ‌iPhone 17‌ achieved this ranking despite having the smallest battery capacity among the top-performing phones. The Poco F7 Ultra placed third, while the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ placed fourth in the overall rankings.

CNET's methodology included standardized tests using two benchmarks designed to minimize real-world variability. The first involved streaming video over Wi-Fi at full brightness for three hours, while the second was a 45-minute endurance test that included gaming, video streaming, social media scrolling, and a video call. Results from both tests were averaged to determine final rankings.

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max again ranked first in the endurance benchmark, followed by the ‌iPhone 17‌, ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌, and iPhone 16e. The publication noted that Google's Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold also performed well in this specific test, along with Motorola's Razr.

The experiment also compared battery life across smartphone brands by averaging results from companies for which at least three models were tested. Apple and OnePlus ranked first and second respectively in overall brand battery performance. Motorola and Samsung followed in third and fourth place, while Google ranked fifth.

Apple is reportedly evaluating a tougher display film technology for its first foldable iPhone as it tests materials that could differentiate the durability and feel of the screen from rival devices.

According to a new supply chain report from The Elec, Apple is evaluating transparent polyimide film as a protective layer that would sit on top of the ultra-thin glass used in the foldable display. The report says the company is currently testing two options for this outer film: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and clear polyimide (CPI).

Most of today's foldable displays use ultra-thin glass to improve clarity and rigidity, but the glass still requires a flexible polymer film on top to prevent scratches and damage. This is the layer that users actually touch, making it a key factor in overall durability and feel.

Samsung currently uses PET film as the protective layer on top of the ultra-thin glass in its Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip devices. The Elec says Apple's evaluation of CPI is rooted in a wish to differentiate its approach. CPI is more expensive than PET, but has better surface hardness and scratch resistance.

Kolon Industry has apparently emerged as a potential supplier of the material. The company previously built a mass production line for CPI film after anticipating strong demand from upcoming foldable devices. China-based Lens Technology is expected to supply the ultra-thin glass for the foldable iPhone and will handle bonding the final protective film to the glass.

The final decision on the protective film is expected to be made soon as Apple continues testing remaining components of the first foldable ‌iPhone‌. Other rumors suggest that the device will feature a 7.8-inch crease-free inner display, a 5.5-inch cover display, ‌Touch ID‌, two rear cameras, the A20 chip, and the "C2" modem. It is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max later this year.

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."

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."

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.

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.

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.