MacRumors

With Xcode 26.3, Apple is adding support for agentic coding, allowing developers to use tools like Anthropic's Claude Agent and OpenAI's Codex right in Xcode for app creation.

Agentic coding will allow Xcode to complete more complex app development tasks autonomously. Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI models have been available for use in Xcode since Apple added intelligence features in Xcode 26, but until now, AI was limited and was not able to take action on its own. That will change with the option to use an AI coding assistant.

AI models can access more of Xcode's features to work toward a project goal, and Apple worked directly with Anthropic and OpenAI to configure their agents for use in Xcode. Agents can create new files, examine the structure of a project in Xcode, build a project directly and run tests, take image snapshots to double-check work, and access full Apple developer documentation that has been designed for AI agents.

Adding an agent to Xcode can be done with a single click in the Xcode settings, with agents able to be updated automatically as AI companies release updates. Developers will need to set up an Anthropic or OpenAI account to use those coding tools in Xcode, paying fees based on API usage.

Apple says that it aimed to ensure that Claude Agent and Codex run efficiently, with reduced token usage. It is simple to swap between agents in the same project, giving developers the flexibility to choose the agent best suited for a particular task.

While Apple worked with OpenAI and Anthropic for Xcode integration, the Xcode 26.3 features can be used with any agent or tool that uses the open standard Model Context Protocol. Apple is releasing documentation so that developers can configure and connect MCP agents to Xcode.

Using natural language commands, developers are able to instruct AI agents to complete a project, such as adding a new feature to an app. Xcode then works with the agent to break down the instructions into small tasks, and the agent is able to work on its own from there. Here's how the process works:

• A developer asks an integrated agent to add a new feature to an app.
• The agent looks at the current project to see how it's organized.
• The agent checks all relevant documentation, looking at code snippets, code samples, and the latest APIs.
• The agent begins working on the project, adding code as it goes.
• The agent builds the project, then uses Xcode to verify its work.
• If there are errors or warnings, the agent continues to work until all issues are addressed. It is able to access build logs and revise until a project is perfect.
• The agent wraps up by providing a summary of everything that happened so developers have a clear view of the implementation.

In the sidebar of a project, developers can follow along with what the agent is doing using the transcript, and can click to see where code is added to keep track of what the agent is doing. At any point, developers can go back to before an agent or model made a modification, so there are options to undo unwanted results or try out multiple options for introducing a new feature.

Apple says that agentic coding will allow developers to simplify workflows, make changes quicker, and bring new ideas to life. Apple also sees it as a learning tool that provides developers with the opportunity to learn new ways to build something or to implement an API in an app.

"At Apple, our goal is to make tools that put industry-leading technologies directly in developers' hands so they can build the very best apps," said Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. "Agentic coding supercharges productivity and creativity, streamlining the development workflow so developers can focus on innovation."

The release candidate of Xcode 26.3 is available for developers as of today, and a launch will likely follow in the next week or so.

In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.

In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart home in the app entirely. In addition, users who do not upgrade will miss out on newer features like robot vacuum cleaner support, and they will not receive important security fixes and performance improvements.

Apple explains how to upgrade the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac:

• Open the Home app
• Tap or click on the three dots in the upper-right and navigate to Home Settings
• Tap or click on Software Update
• Tap or click Update Now, then follow the prompts. All of the homes that you own are updated at the same time.

If you see "This home and all accessories are up to date," then you are on the current version of the app and no further action is required.

Notably, the new version of Apple Home requires a minimum of iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2.

Apple Music subscribers can now access their Replay 2026 playlist, which is rolling out to users who meet Apple's minimum listening requirements for the year.

As in previous years, Replay 2026 ranks your most-played songs on ‌Apple Music‌ from 1 to 100, updating weekly as your listening habits evolve throughout 2026. Apple typically activates Replay in early February, once January listening data has finished processing, allowing subscribers to track their music activity well ahead of the traditional year-end recap.

Unlike a static summary released in December, Replay primarilony functions as an evolving playlist. From its first appearance in February, rankings refresh every weekend, gradually building a complete picture of your top songs across the year. By the time December arrives, Replay 2026 becomes a finalized list of your 100 most-streamed tracks.

Replay 2026 can be accessed directly in the ‌Apple Music‌ app by opening the Home tab, scrolling to the "Replay: Your Top Music" section. It is also available through Apple Music for the web, where users can sign in with their Apple ID. Once the Replay 2026 playlist is added to your library, it updates automatically every week.

New generated playlists can sometimes take several hours to appear. If Replay 2026 does not appear after a short while, the most common causes are disabled listening history or insufficient listening activity. Apple requires listening history to be enabled and enough streamed music to generate rankings. Listening history can be checked in Settings under Music, where "Use Listening History" must be turned on. Light or infrequent listening may delay Replay activation, but the playlist should appear automatically once these conditions are met.

‌Apple Music‌ Replay has been available annually since 2019, originally launching as a web-only experience with an accompanying playlist. Apple gradually expanded Replay's scope in the following years. From 2022 onward, the feature placed greater emphasis on detailed statistics and visual summaries, including structured breakdowns of listening activity across the year. With more recent updates to ‌Apple Music‌, Replay's detailed views are now available directly inside the ‌Apple Music‌ app, including monthly breakdowns and expanded listening insights alongside the Replay playlist itself.

The iPhone 18 lineup will not feature signifiant design changes, according to the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital."

The Weibo user claims that since the iPhone 17 lineup proved to be successful with high sales, the ‌iPhone 18‌ models likely won't have major changes to their appearance. Rather than promoting design changes, Apple is apparently likely to heavily emphasize advancements made with the A20 and A20 Pro chip, which will likely be the first 2nm Apple silicon chips. This upgrade is anticipated to be a key point of discussion around the new devices later this year.

The iPhone 17 Pro models saw a major redesign, following two years of the same design across the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro. The ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, 13 Pro, and 14 Pro also largely shared the same design, as did the ‌iPhone‌ X, ‌iPhone‌ XS, and ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro. Successive generation-over-generation flagship ‌iPhone‌ redesigns would be unprecedented, making it highly likely that the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro will look very similar to the device currently on sale.

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. The ‌iPhone 18‌ is expected to follow in early 2027, touting many of the same upgrades.

We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.

Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.

iOS 26.3

iPhone to Android Transfer Tool

iOS 26.3 makes it easier for iPhone users to switch to an Android device. A new tool allows you to place your iPhone next to an Android device to wirelessly transfer photos, messages, notes, apps, and more. You can also transfer your phone number.

In the iOS 26.3 beta, the new tool can be found in the Settings app, under General → Transfer or Reset ‌iPhone‌ → Transfer to Android. It is available worldwide.

Notification Forwarding in EU

In the EU, iOS 26.3 introduces both a Notification Forwarding feature and AirPods-like proximity pairing for third-party accessories like earbuds and smartwatches.

Apple was required to make these changes to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act.

End-to-End Encrypted RCS Preparations

As of the second iOS 26.3 beta, Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for carriers to be able to support end-to-end encryption for RCS messages.

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Starting with iOS 26.3, there is a dedicated section for Weather wallpapers, with three preset options available to choose from. To access them, tap and hold on the Lock Screen and tap on the plus sign in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

iOS 26.3 introduces a new "Limit Precise Location" setting that reduces the location data available to mobile networks to increase user privacy.

iOS 26.1 introduced a Background Security Improvement feature that is designed to provide security updates for Safari, WebKit, and some other system items between iOS software updates. Apple has been testing the feature with updates such as "iOS 26.3 (a)" and "iOS 26.3 (b)," but they do not actually contain any security fixes.

iOS 26.4

Personalized Siri

Last month, Apple and Google announced that Google Gemini will help power a more personalized version of Siri coming this year.

The more personalized version of Siri is expected to be introduced with iOS 26.4, following a lengthy delay. The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls, but some of this functionality might not be available until iOS 27 later this year.

For example, all the way back at WWDC 2024, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info retrieved from the Mail and Messages apps.

Looking ahead, Apple is reportedly planning to launch a full-out Siri chatbot on iOS 27, allowing users to have ChatGPT-like conversations with Siri.

New Emoji

Last year, the Unicode Consortium previewed some of the new emoji that are expected to be added to the iPhone with iOS 26.4.

Here are nine of the new emoji:

• Trombone
• Treasure Chest
• Distorted Face
• Hairy Creature (aka Bigfoot or Sasquatch)
• Fight Cloud
• Apple Core
• Orca
• Ballet Dancers
• Landslide

Apple most recently added new emoji to the iPhone with iOS 18.4, an update that came out in March last year. iOS 17.4, iOS 16.4, and iOS 15.4 also introduced new emoji over the years, so the timing has become predictable by this point.

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Macworld's Filipe Espósito leaked some other potential iOS 26.4 features:

• If you have credit card information stored in Apple's Passwords app, you will be able to AutoFill those details in third-party apps.
• You will be able to create folders in the Freeform app.
• Apple is apparently working on a new sports tier for the Apple TV app, but the report did not offer any further details about this.
• There are signs of "a new validation system that will check the integrity of the device before logging into Apple ID and iCloud."
• A new "Precise Outdoor Location" feature for AirPods in the Find My app.

iOS 26.4 should have many other new features, so stay tuned.

We're just over one week away from Valentine's Day, which falls on Saturday, February 14 this year. Similar to years past, many third-party Apple resellers and accessory companies have opened up notable discounts on Apple products and accessories to coincide with the holiday.

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

Additionally, there are a few solid discounts on Apple products like AirPods, Apple Watch, and iPad. In this article you'll find deals from third-party retailers collected first, including special Valentine's Day themed sales from AT&T, ZAGG, Casely, and more.

Valentine's Accessory Sales

• Best Buy - Save up to 50% on select TVs
• Nomad - Save 49% in Nomad's overstock sale
• OtterBox - Save 30% on cases, 50% on charging accessories, and more
• Anker - Save up to 40% on essential accessories
• Sonos - Save up to 20% off soundbars, speakers, and subwoofers
• AT&T - iPhone 17 Pro at no cost with eligible trade-in
• Samsung - Save on Samsung monitors and TVs
• ZAGG - Save up to 75% during clearance event
• Casely - Save 10% sitewide with code LOVE10
• Casetify - Buy 2 get 20% off with code LOVE2026

AirPods

Amazon this week has major discounts on a few AirPods models, including some of the best prices of the year so far on AirPods 4. You can get the base AirPods 4 for $99.99 on Amazon, down from $129.00.

Amazon also has the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for $119.99, down from $179.00. We did track both of these these at a lower prices during the 2025 holiday season, but these deals never returned and today's is the best we've seen so far in 2026.

AirTag

Amazon has the first generation AirTag 4-Pack for $69.98 this week, down from $99.00. This is a second-best price on the accessory, and just a few dollars away from the record low price.

Apple Watch

Amazon this week has the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 on sale for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. This is only the second time so far in 2026 that we've tracked $100 markdowns on the Series 11, and nearly every aluminum model is on sale right now.

If you're shopping for cellular models, you can find record low prices on multiple models this week on Amazon. The 42mm cellular Apple Watch Series 11 has hit $399.00, down from $499.00, and the 46mm cellular model has hit $429.00, down from $529.00.

iPad

There are numerous iPads on sale in early February, and we're starting with a $49 discount on the 11-inch iPad at Amazon. You can get the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad for $299.99, down from $349.00, which is the best price we've tracked in 2026 so far and an overall second-best price.

Amazon this week is also providing record low prices on multiple models of the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.99 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. Best Buy is also matching many of these iPad deals, and in some cases it has better delivery estimates.

Amazon recently introduced discounts across the M5 iPad Pro lineup, including both 11-inch and 13-inch models. Prices start at $899.99 for the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch iPad Pro, down from $999.00.

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.

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Apple is expected to use TSMC's base 2-nanometer N2 process rather than the newer N2P variant for its upcoming A20 and M6 chips, according to the China Times.

Apple is rumored to launch the A20 chip with new iPhone models in the fall, and the M6 family of Apple silicon chips in redesigned MacBook Pro models featuring OLED displays later this year. The latest report claims that the company will not move to TSMC's most advanced 2-nanometer manufacturing variant for these chip generations.

TSMC's 2-nanometer family marks the company's transition from FinFET transistors to gate-all-around technology, which is intended to improve power efficiency and performance scaling as chip densities increase. TSMC previously said that its base N2 process will enter mass production in 2026, followed by enhanced variants including N2P and A16 in the second half of the year.

N2P is positioned as a higher-performance version of N2, while A16 is designed for high-power and high-complexity chips, particularly for AI applications and data centers. The performance difference between N2 and N2P is expected to be modest. N2P offers roughly a 5% performance gain at the same power level, but comes at a higher manufacturing cost, which helps explain why Apple is expected to remain on N2 for its A- and M-series chips this year.

Competitors including Qualcomm and MediaTek are expected to adopt N2P for their flagship mobile chips in order to reach higher peak clock speeds. TSMC apparently expects the 2-nanometer generation to have a long lifecycle and potentially scale beyond its 3-nanometer family. Companies including AMD, Google, and Amazon are expected to adopt 2-nanometer processes for future CPUs, GPUs, and AI chips.

Supply availability is also thought to be a factor. Demand for 2-nanometer manufacturing has apparently exceeded expectations, with much of the initial N2 capacity already reserved by leading customers such as Apple. This early capacity allocation reduces the need for Apple to move to N2P simply to secure production volume for future A-series and M-series chips.

Crucially, since N2P only begins mass production in the second half of the year, it likely does not leave enough time for Apple to introduce chips made with the newer technology to its devices. N2 chips are already in production.

Apple plans to release a new version of the Studio Display "in the first half of 2026," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In his Power On newsletter on Sunday, Gurman noted that inventory of the current Studio Display is running low on Apple's online store and at its retail stores, although this has generally been the case for a while now. Extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store can sometimes hint at an upcoming product refresh.

Last month, an unreleased Apple monitor with the model number A3350 surfaced in a Chinese regulatory database, and it is likely the Studio Display 2.

Unfortunately, the database entry did not reveal any new details about the Studio Display 2, beyond indicating that it will still have an LCD display instead of an OLED display. However, mini-LED backlighting remains a possibility.

There have been many reports about a new Studio Display being in the works, with rumored features including mini-LED backlighting, ProMotion support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and an A19 chip or A19 Pro chip.

The current Studio Display was filed in the same Chinese database around three months before it launched, so perhaps the next Studio Display will be released around March or April, but Apple has until the end of June if we go by Gurman's timeframe. It would make sense for Apple to unveil a new Studio Display alongside the next Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, or perhaps a new Mac mini, but it is not strictly necessary.

If the next Studio Display receives mini-LED backlighting and HDR support, its maximum brightness and contrast ratio would be higher than the current model. And a newer A19 or A19 Pro chip — up from the A13 Bionic currently — should contribute to performance improvements, camera-related enhancements, and more.

The current Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K screen, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., pricing starts at $1,599.

Apple's first MacBook Pro models with OLED displays will launch in the fourth quarter of 2026, according to Korea's The Elec.

Samsung Display will reportedly begin mass production of eighth-generation OLED displays for the device in May. Samsung is planing to ship two million of these displays to Apple by the end of the year. The panel will be sent to Foxconn from the third quarter of 2026 for assembly into the final machines.

Some components for the device are said to still be in development, since Apple has been changing the design of some parts to reduce manufacturing costs. China's BOE is also hoping to supply Apple with OLED displays for the ‌MacBook Pro‌, but only unit with Samsung displays will be available this'd s year.

The fourth quarter of 2026 runs from October to December. The OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ is expected to feature 14- and 16-inch display size options, M6-series chips, and the first complete redesign of the device since 2021.

Apple today stopped signing iOS 26.2, which means that iPhone users who have updated to iOS 26.2.1 are no longer able to downgrade to the earlier version of iOS. Apple released iOS 26.2.1 last week with support for the AirTags 2.

Software "signing" means that it has passed the server-side verification check that Apple performs when a user downloads a new version of iOS on an ‌iPhone‌. An update can't be installed unless it passes the verification check.

Apple does not show users earlier versions of iOS once an upgrade has come out, but when software is still signed, it is possible to downgrade using the macOS Finder on a Mac or the Apple Devices app on a Windows PC. Until today, users would have been able to downgrade from iOS 26.2.1 to iOS 26.2 if desired for some reason.

Unsigning software prevents Apple customers from installing outdated, less secure versions of iOS, and Apple typically stops signing an update a week or so after new software comes out.

Apple has also stopped signing several older versions of iOS provided for devices unable to update to iOS 26, including iOS 12.5.7, iOS 15.8.5, iOS 16.7.12, and iOS 18.7.3. iOS 12.5.8, iOS 15.8.6, and iOS 18.7.4 were released last week, while an updated version of iOS 16 came out today.

The Firefox browser is gaining options to turn off AI enhancements, Mozilla said today. Firefox users who prefer to browse without artificial intelligence will be able to turn off several AI features that Mozilla has added over the last several months.

Here's what can be disabled:

• Translations, which help you browse the web in your preferred language.
• Alt text in PDFs, which add accessibility descriptions to images in PDF pages.
• AI-enhanced tab grouping, which suggests related tabs and group names.
• Link previews, which show key points before you open a link.
• AI chatbot in the sidebar, which lets you use your chosen chatbot as you browse, including options like Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and Le Chat Mistral.

The AI features can be disabled entirely or individually, so users can pick and choose what they want to use. Users will be able to continue to opt out of AI features as they are added in the browser, and the main Block AI Enhancements toggle will disable all current and future AI features, including pop-ups or reminders to use existing or upcoming AI features.

Mozilla says that it wants to be able to continue to build AI options for those who want them, while also giving those who don't a way to disable them.

AI controls will be added in Firefox 148, which is set to start rolling out to users on February 24.

Apple just released the second-generation AirTag, five years after the original model debuted. There's been a lot of time for Apple to come up with improvements, so we thought we'd test out the new model to see what's changed, and whether it's worth upgrading from the first-generation ‌AirTag‌.

Unfortunately, Apple didn't update the design of the ‌AirTag‌ 2, so it looks almost identical to the original model. The only thing that's changed is the text on the back, which is now in caps and includes wording about the IP67 waterproofing, and that doesn't count as any kind of design change.

It would have been nice to have different design options or a rechargeable battery, but the ‌AirTag‌ is the same coin shape and it still uses CR2032 batteries. Apple didn't mention anything about battery life improvements, so the ‌AirTag‌ 2 still lasts about a year before you need to swap it out.

While there aren't external updates, Apple did boost connectivity. The ‌AirTag‌ 2 uses an upgraded version of Bluetooth and it has a second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, so it can be tracked from further away over Bluetooth, and the close-range Precision Finding feature works over longer distances.

According to Apple, Precision Finding works from up to 50 percent further away, so when you lose your ‌AirTag‌ indoors or are close to it, a UWB-enabled iPhone (the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and later) can lead you right to it. Apple also enabled Precision Finding on the Apple Watch Series 9 and later and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, which is super useful. You can't use an Apple Watch to locate an original ‌AirTag‌ nearby, and it's probably the best addition to the second-generation version.

You can even add a quick access toggle for Precision Finding to the Apple Watch for instant access to tracking down an ‌AirTag‌ without digging through menus. It's a much more natural way to find your items.

In our testing, Precision Finding on the Apple Watch worked reliably, tracking down an ‌AirTag‌ indoors even with walls and furniture in the way. The interface is the same as the Precision Finding interface on ‌iPhone‌, just scaled down to an Apple Watch size. You'll get a directional arrow and distance to help you accurately track down the ‌AirTag‌.

When pitting the original ‌AirTag‌ against the ‌AirTag‌ 2 with ‌iPhone‌ Precision Finding, the ‌AirTag‌ 2 was clearly superior. Both AirTags were tucked inside a backpack, and placed out of line of sight.

The original ‌AirTag‌ had a hard time with walls and objects, and required us to be closer to the backpack to get a connection. The ‌AirTag‌ 2 picked up signal from much further away, and kept the signal as we walked toward the backpack. It even worked with the ‌AirTag‌ 2 on a different floor, and kept its connection in a large office building.

Apple also updated the internals of the ‌AirTag‌ 2 to upgrade the sound, and it is noticeably louder. It is a pretty big improvement in audibility, and you will notice the difference between the two. The sound is sharper and easier to pinpoint, and it is much less likely to blend into background noise. It makes it easier to find items, but it also improves the ‌AirTag‌ 2's anti-stalking capabilities. It's harder to tuck an ‌AirTag‌ away and mute its sound, and Apple also made the speaker module more difficult to remove with additional adhesive.

The ‌AirTag‌ 2 is still priced at $29, with Apple offering a pack of four for $99, so it's a solid deal, especially with the tracking improvements. For most people, it's probably not worth upgrading to an ‌AirTag‌ 2 if you already have an original ‌AirTag‌, but if you're someone that heavily relies on AirTags on a regular basis, it could be a good idea to pick up a couple of the second-generation versions.

Anker today launched its latest charger for the iPhone, the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station. It's a 3-in-1 charger that can charge an ‌iPhone‌ at up to 25W, fast charge an ‌iPhone‌, and charge AirPods, too.

The Prime Wireless Charging Station features Qi2.2 support, which lets a compatible MagSafe ‌iPhone‌ charge at up to 25W. It's the same speed as Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and it is 10W faster than the standard Qi2 ‌MagSafe‌ chargers.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 models are able to fast charge with the Prime Wireless Charging Station, and can get up to a 50 percent charge within 30 minutes. We were able to test the Prime Wireless Charging Station ahead of launch, and it did indeed charge an iPhone 17 Pro Max from dead to 46 percent in a 30-minute period as promised. Wireless charging speeds can vary based on charge level, temperature, and other factors, but the Prime Wireless Charging Station is able to match Apple's native ‌iPhone 17‌ ‌MagSafe‌ charging options.

Charging speeds are steady thanks to an active "AirCool" feature that keeps the ‌iPhone‌ cool while it's charging. It's meant to ensure the ‌iPhone‌ is below 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit while it's on the charger, and the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max did feel slightly cooler than when charging with a standard ‌MagSafe‌ charger. The included cooling system is close to inaudible with a tiny fan embedded at the back and a vent at the top, so it's suitable for use on a nightstand or desktop.

It's not clear if the active cooling makes a major difference in all circumstances since we have also been able to get a similar charge in a similar time period with Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ charger, but it could be a useful feature in hotter conditions. The room we tested in was around 68F, while Anker's testing conditions were at 77F. Anker's site suggests the active cooling allows an ‌iPhone 17‌ to charge 24 percent faster with 30 percent less heat buildup. Anker says the cooling option is also meant to preserve battery health and maintain safety, which is worth considering.

Apple Watches that support fast charging are able to charge at maximum speed, and there is enough power for the AirPods or AirPods Pro. There is a tappable LED for controlling the AirCool feature, which you can tap to turn it on or off. The LED turns blue when the AirCool feature is on, or white when it's off. It'll also turn orange if you connect an incompatible adapter that's below 45W, which is helpful. If you're wanting to use the Prime Wireless Charging Station on your nightstand, you'll be glad to hear that the LEDs turn off after a few seconds so there is no annoying light at night.

The Prime Wireless Charging Station takes up minimal space, thanks to a folding design. The ‌iPhone‌ charges in an upright position with support for StandBy mode, while the pop-up Apple Watch charger is positioned behind with the AirPods charging platform underneath. The Apple Watch charger folds down into the ‌iPhone‌ charger with a hinge that feels durable, and you can press to pop it out. For charging the AirPods, there is an anti-slip pad that has a little AirPods icon for ideal alignment.

The whole thing folds down into a small, palm-sized package that's ideal for travel, measuring in at 3.8 inches by 2.4 inches by 1.2 inches. It's surprisingly light for what it is, similar in weight to the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max that we tested it with. You can use the ‌iPhone‌ charger with the Charging Station folded up, but you'll need to open it all the way to get to the Apple Watch and AirPods chargers.

The ‌iPhone‌ charging portion works as a stand, and you can change the angle from 0 to 60 degrees without the weight of the ‌iPhone‌ collapsing it down. It works well for watching videos or for FaceTime calls.

Anker includes a 45W power adapter that's needed to get the maximum charging speeds, along with a standard 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable, which means the charger is ready to go out of the box. It would have been nice to have an integrated cable of some kind to really boost the travel-friendly design, but it's still a compact design that's easy to tuck into a backpack or suitcase. It also looks slick with a gray aluminum design, black magnetic charging surface for the ‌iPhone‌ and AirPods, and matching stabilizing feet at the bottom. The Apple Watch charger is a Made for Apple Watch design, so it's in white.

Anker's charger is designed for the latest ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 17‌ models, but it is backwards compatible with all ‌iPhone‌ models, and it also works with all Apple Watch models and all AirPods models. As with all magnetic chargers, if you want to use the charging station with an ‌iPhone‌ case, you'll need a MagSafe-compatible case.

The Prime Wireless Charging Station can be purchased from Amazon or from the Anker website for $120 thanks to a 20 percent launch discount. The price will go up to $150 after the launch promotion.

Apple's impressive Passeig de Gràcia store in the heart of Barcelona, Spain will be temporarily closed for unspecified improvements starting Saturday, February 14 at 8 p.m. local time, according to the store's official page.

The extent of renovations that will be completed remains to be seen, and Apple has not indicated when the store will reopen to the public.

Apple Passeig de Gràcia first opened in 2012, and it is one of the company's flagship retail locations. The store is on one of the most popular avenues in Barcelona, inside a historic former bank building with a stunning stone facade.

Apple has another store in Barcelona at the Westfield La Maquinista shopping mall.

Thanks, Filip Chudzinski!

Apple today released iOS 16.7.14 to address an iOS 16.7.13 issue that caused some older iPhones in Australia to be unable to connect to emergency services.

The update is available for the iPhone 8, ‌iPhone‌ 8 Plus, and ‌iPhone‌ X models, and it will allow these devices to place calls to emergency services in Australia. Apple's release notes say that iOS 16.7.14 fixes a mobile network problem that prevented emergency calls.

After Apple released iOS 16.7.13 last week, it became clear that the software interfered with the emergency call situation in Australia, which has been a problem since December. Apple pulled the update, but not until some people had already downloaded it.

Last Thursday, Apple released a carrier settings update for Telstra customers in Australia that temporarily fixed the issue by adjusting network-related settings.

Australian mobile network operators have been improving support for emergency calling on their networks, which has led to some older iPhones being unable to connect to emergency services in some situations. Apple has been pushing new software to address the issue, including the recent iOS 26.2.1 update.

iOS 16.7.4 can be downloaded by opening up the Settings app on the ‌iPhone‌ and going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is also an iPadOS 16.7.14 update available for older iPads.

Apple today released macOS 11.7.11, watchOS 10.6.2, and watchOS 9.6.4 for older Macs and Apple Watches that are not able to run the current watchOS and macOS 26.

According to Apple's release notes, the updates extend the certificate that features like device activation, iMessage, and FaceTime use. The certificate update ensures that these functions will continue to work after January 2027.

On the Mac, the update can be installed through the Settings app, while on the Apple Watch, the updates can be installed through the Apple Watch app on iPhone.

watchOS 9.6.4 and the update that preceded it are the final versions of watchOS that support devices like the ‌iPhone‌ 8, ‌iPhone‌ 8 Plus, and ‌iPhone‌ X, which are limited to iOS 16 and cannot be updated to iOS 17. watchOS 10.6.2 is available for the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5, and the original Apple Watch SE.

Update: Apple has also released macOS Catalina Security Update 2026-001 and watchOS 6.3.1 for older devices.