Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, which means this year marks the company’s 50th anniversary. In a recent all-hands meeting with employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased that Apple is planning a celebration for this historic milestone.

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Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works.


We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this year, a massive refresh is coming. Rumors suggest that there won't be just one ‌MacBook Pro‌ refresh in 2026, but two.

After launching M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models in the spring, Apple will do another update in late 2026, introducing the first OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. The OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ is expected to feature a design refresh, faster M6 chips, all new display technology, and, in a first for the Mac, touch screen capabilities.

It's going to be the biggest update to the Mac lineup since Apple silicon chips came out in 2020. iPhones have used OLED for years, and Apple brought it to the iPad Pro in 2024, but Macs don't use OLED yet.

Apple said for years and years that the Mac wouldn't get a touch screen, but times change. Multiple rumors suggest that touch capabilities are coming, making the Mac more like an iPad. Touch-based controls will be available right alongside traditional mouse and keyboard input options.

The OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will be the first to use Apple's 2-nanometer chip technology, and they could even be the first Macs with cellular capabilities. With so many changes in store, it doesn't make much sense to buy an M5 Pro or an M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ with much better options coming just months later.

OLED touch displays will be limited to the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models because of the cost, so the warning isn't applicable to the standard M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ that came out last fall. The entry-level ‌MacBook Pro‌ isn't expected to get the same upgrades, though it is likely to get an M6 chip.

It's also possible OLED will be so expensive that it's limited to a single, super expensive high-end model, but we're still probably looking at M6 chip upgrades and a design refresh across the lineup.

Two Mac refreshes in a single year is unusual, but not unheard of. Apple refreshed the ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M2 Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips in January 2023, and then updated the machines again with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in October 2023.

Normally a Mac refresh results in a Buy Now recommendation from us, but this year, with rumors of two updates in 2026 and so much expected from the later models, those interested in a high-end, premium ‌MacBook Pro‌ should plan to wait.
This article, "Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Gaming computer company Razer today started accepting pre-orders for the Razer Boomslang mouse, which is being released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original peripheral.


The original Razer Boomslang was one of the first gaming mice, providing a wheel that boasted more precise mouse tracking than other mic on the market. The new model features a 45,000 DPI Razer Pro second-generation optical sensor, 4th-generation Razer optical mouse switches that prevent double-clicking and debounce delays, 8,000Hz hyperpolling wireless technology for lower latency, and an ambidextrous build with PU leather buttons for enhanced grip.

Razer is including a Mouse Dock Pro for magnetic wireless charging, plus the mouse supports 9-zone Razer Chroma RGB lighting that can react to more than 300 Chroma-integrated games. There are eight customizable buttons that can be used for shortcuts and macros.

Each Boomslang comes with a collector's LED display frame that features every element of the internal design.

The newly revamped Razer Boomslang is limited edition, and it is priced at $1,337. Razer is making just 1,337 units in total, each one with a unique serial number. U.S. preorders went live on February 10 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time and have sold out. Preorders in Europe will begin on February 11 at 8:00 a.m. CET, and in Asia on February 11 at 8:00 a.m. SGT, and are also likely to sell out.
This article, "Razer Launches Limited-Edition Boomslang Gaming Mouse for $1,337" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amid rumors that Apple is scaling back its AI health plans, Google today expanded its subscription-based Fitbit AI personal health coach service to more users worldwide, including those who are on iOS. Prior to now, the Fitbit service was limited to Android users.


The Gemini-powered Fitbit personal health coach is described as a 24/7 digital advisor that’s meant to work as a virtual fitness trainer, sleep coach, and health and wellness advisor. Users start with a 5 to 10 minute conversation with the coach to outline their motivations and goals, with the Fitbit app then providing health insights in the morning after the user wakes up, after workouts, and before bed.

The app is able to generate a personalized workout plan that tracks core fitness metrics, and it offers up sleep analysis and suggestions for improving sleep. It tracks vitals such as heart rate, temperature, and blood oxygen, plus there is a built-in chatbot for asking all kinds of health-related questions.

Apple was supposedly working on a similar AI health coach feature, which was going to be part of a Health+ service planned for launch in iOS 27. Earlier this month, Bloomberg said that Apple is scaling back its AI health plans.

Apple is no longer planning to launch an Apple Health+ service that will give users AI health recommendations based on personal health data, but some of the components that Apple developed for the health coach could be repurposed and rolled out as other features as soon as this year.

Google’s Fitbit AI health coach is now available to Fitbit Premium subscribers in the United States, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Both iOS and Android users can take advantage of the feature.

Google sells several Fitbit health devices, including the Charge 6, Inspire 3, Versa 4, and Sense 2. Google’s Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4 also work with Fitbit Premium and the AI health coach feature. Fitbit Premium is priced starting at $9.99 per month.
This article, "Google Brings Fitbit AI Health Coach to iPhone as Apple Pulls Back on iOS 27 Health Plans" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Following a recent change to multiple App Store rules in Japan, a coalition representing more than 600 local companies is calling for further regulatory action. Here are the details.

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Yesterday Discord announced that users would soon be required to have their age verified or be restricted to teen-level access on the service. Today, there’s a follow-up post from Discord that backtracks some on the expected impact of its new policy.

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Apple will soon do away with iTunes Wish Lists featuring movie and TV shows, according to emails going out to customers as of today. Apple says that people who still have wish lists should migrate items to their Apple TV watchlist before the feature is removed.


Each email that Apple is sending out includes a PDF with TV shows and movies that are on the individual's iTunes Wish List. Apple says that users can tap on each link and then tap on the "+" button to get items to appear in the ‌Apple TV‌ watchlist.

Apple began phasing out TV show and movie wish lists with the launch of iOS 17.2. In fact, the iOS 17.2 update removed wish lists entirely, without giving customers a heads-up. People with extensive wish lists were understandably upset, and a slew of complaints led Apple to reintroduce iTunes wish lists in iOS 17.3.


Apple wanted to remove wish lists because it migrated iTunes TV show and movie purchase options from the iTunes app to the TV app, and since iOS 17.2, the ‌Apple TV‌ app has been the sole place to purchase TV shows and movies on iOS devices.

Apple kept wish lists around after reintroducing them in iOS 17.3, but now the feature will be going away. This time around, Apple is notifying customers, so anyone who wants to keep their wish list should make sure to migrate it to the ‌Apple TV‌ watchlist by following Apple's emailed instructions.

Apple did not provide a specific date for the wish list removal.
This article, "Apple is Getting Rid of iTunes Wish Lists, Here's How to Save Yours" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The updated pack emulates classic analog film stocks, including Kodak, Fuji, and Ilford, and now supports modern cameras. Here’s how to install it.

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Update, 8:06 p.m. ET: Apple’s online system status page now lists all issues and outages as solved. The original post follows below.

Apple’s system status page has confirmed ongoing issues with a variety of web services, including iCloud, Photos, Find My, and more.

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While the MacBook Pro is stealing headlines, Apple’s most popular laptop is also set to get an upgrade soon. Here’s everything we know about the next-generation MacBook Air.

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Apple's Find My feature, photos, and some iCloud services are experiencing service interruptions at the current time, so if you've run into problems, it's because of network issues.


According to Apple's System Status page, there is a ‌Find My‌ outage that is causing the service to be slow or unavailable for some users.

There are also issues with ‌iCloud‌ Account and Sign In, ‌iCloud‌ Calendar, ‌iCloud‌ Contacts, ‌iCloud‌ Mail, ‌iCloud‌ Web Apps, and Photos. Apple says that some users may be experiencing issues with these services, though not everyone is affected.

‌Find My‌ has been down since 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, while the other services have been having problems since 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. We'll update this article when the outages have resolved.

Update: Apple says all of the issues were resolved between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
This article, "Find My, Photos and Some iCloud Services Experiencing Issues" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The legacy iTunes Wish List feature for saving movies and TV shows to buy or rent later is “going away soon,” according to Apple. For customers with items still saved to an iTunes Wish List, Apple is providing one last chance to migrate to the modern equivalent.

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Meta today announced several new AI features for popular social network Facebook. The capabilities will be available for profile pictures, photos, posts, stories, and more.


Meta AI's image editing tools can be used to animate a profile picture, adding motion to a still image. Meta says there are several preset animations like confetti, headphones, wave, and heart to choose from, with more to be added throughout the year. There does not appear to be an option for creating custom animations.

Text-based AI prompts can be used for creating images for Facebook Stories and Memories. After uploading a photo to Stories or viewing a memory to share, the Meta AI-powered Restyle option can be used to describe changes that you want to make to the image. Meta will also offer presets with different style options, moods, lighting, colors, and backdrops.

Finally, Facebook is getting an option for adding an animated backdrop to Feed text posts to make them "more fun and expressive." When creating a text post on Facebook, tapping on the rainbow-colored "A" icon will provide multiple still and animated backgrounds to choose from. Meta plans to introduce seasonal backgrounds in the future to make posts feel "timely, festive, and a little more fun."

Meta has been heavily pushing its AI products in Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Conversations with Meta's generative AI are used for ad targeting and personalization purposes, with no way to opt out. Meta AI is also used for several image editing and generation features in Facebook and Instagram, plus Meta has adopted it for search across Meta apps.
This article, "Facebook Adding AI Profile Picture Animations and Story Editing Tools" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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A new Counterpoint Research report breaks down the global active smartphone installed base in 2025, with the iPhone leading the way. Here are the details.

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iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will launch this fall, and alongside packing a handful of new features, there are three design changes reportedly coming. Here’s what the latest rumors say.

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Apple is inviting Apple Watch users to celebrate Valentine’s Day this Saturday with an aptly heart-themed challenge. Here are the details.

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To recognize Heart Month, Apple is launching a new February Apple Watch activity challenge. Apple Watch owners can earn a special award by completing a workout to fill their Exercise ring on Saturday, February 14, which is Valentine's Day.

Close your exercise ring on Valentine's Day, February 14, to earn this award. Your heart will love you for it.

Like all Apple Watch Activity Challenges, the Heart Month challenge will be accompanied by an award that can be viewed in the Fitness app as well as a series of animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app.








Apple often also debuts themed Heart Month content in the App Store, Apple TV app, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books during the month of February.
This article, "Heart Month Apple Watch Activity Challenge Launching on Valentine's Day" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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We’re still over half a year away from the iPhone 18 line being unveiled, but the latest analyst expectations for pricing are surprisingly good news.

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Nomad is updating one of my favorite and most clutch tech accessories they make. They are expanding their ChargeKey lineup with a new Stellar Orange color to perfectly match the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. ChargeKey has been one of Nomad’s longest-running products and is still one of the simplest solutions for carrying a reliable cable on your keychain that can do it all, from ultra-high speed charging to professional-level data transfer speeds. Here is what you should know.

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Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are starting with some serious price drops on iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models – these Amazon offers are drastically undercutting the Apple refurb units that recently appeared with iPhone 16 models at up to $420 off and 16 Pro at $630 off the original prices. We also have a particularly notable offer on 32GB M4 MacBook Air models at up to $300 off and M4 Pro MacBook Pro configs at $400 off. Apple’s 11-inch 1TB M5 iPad Pro has hit the Amazon all-time low, you can land Powerbeats Pro 2 at up to $122 off, and Anker’s new orange model Smart Display Nano Charger now live on Amazon at $30. Head below for a closer look at everything. 

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Apple is aiming for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to have the same starting prices as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to Jeff Pu, an equity analyst with investment firm GF Securities.


In a research note today, obtained by MacRumors, Pu said his firm's recent "supply chain research" indicates that Apple is focused on "cost management," in an attempt to keep the starting prices of the iPhone 18 Pro models either "unchanged" or at a "similar level" compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models.

In the U.S., the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199.

For example, Pu believes that Apple has been negotiating with Samsung and SK Hynix to achieve relatively "favorable" memory chip deals, amid skyrocketing prices for DRAM and NAND storage. He also expects Apple to find ways to lower the costs of some other core iPhone components, including the display and cameras.

Another analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, also said that Apple's plan for the iPhone 18 Pro models was to "avoid raising prices as much as possible." He predicted that Apple would at least keep starting prices "flat" compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max Prices: Here's What Rumors Say" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Google Photos is bringing its new “Create with AI” templates over to iPhone and iPad, a few months after they arrived on Android.

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Thanks to Apple's Sound Recognition feature, the HomePod mini and second-generation HomePod can send you notifications when they recognize smoke or carbon monoxide alarm sounds. Keep reading to learn how it works.


With Sound Recognition, HomePod can detect the sound of a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm in your home, and alert you by sending a notification to your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.

It's a neat addition if you don't own a smart detector, although Apple warns that the feature should not be relied upon "in circumstances where users may be harmed or injured," or in "high-risk or emergency situations."

The Sound Recognition feature is accessible in the Home app. If your Home system is connected to a smart camera, it will also display live video of your home, so you can see what's happening in real time.

Here's how to enable the feature. Note that Sound Recognition on HomePods requires Apple's updated Home app architecture that was introduced in 2022 as part of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4.

1. In the Home app, tap the ellipsis button (three dots) in the top-right corner of the screen.


2. Tap Home Settings.
   
   
3. Tap Safety & Security ➝ Sound Recognition.


4. Under "Sounds," make sure the Smoke & CO Alarm toggle is in the green ON position.


5. Toggle on the switches next to the HomePod devices that you want to enable Sound Recognition for.
   

That's all there is to it. Note that you can also access the Sound Recognition menu via the Home app's menu cards for individual HomePods.

Sound Recognition was first introduced on the iPhone in 2020 and can detect a wide variety of sounds on that device, including a doorbell, running water, a baby crying, a car horn, a door knock, a cat meowing or dog barking, and more.
This article, "Make HomePod Alert You to Smoke Alarms" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple offers an Apple TV Remote app on iPhone, iPad, and even Apple Watch—but not the Mac. So one developer created his own solution: Itsytv, a new macOS app for controlling your Apple TV.

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