An upcoming Meta smartwatch probably won’t compete with the Apple Watch
A new report suggests that a Meta smartwatch will launch at some point this year, but it likely won’t compete with the Apple Watch. Based on previous comments by the company, it may serve as more of an accessory to a future Meta smart glasses product … more…

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Easy way to avoid the ultimate texting screwup [Pro Tip]
If you have a background a chat, you’ll never confuse it for another one. Learn how to set a background in Messages on iPhone. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple AirTag 4-pack hits insanely low price of $64 on Amazon
The popular 4-pack of Apple AirTag item trackers is currently selling for just $64.00, or 34% off its $99 list price… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple TV partners with IMAX to show Formula 1 races live in theaters
You’ll need an Apple TV subscription if you want to watch Formula 1 at home this season in the United States. But, Apple is taking its new broadcasting rights beyond the living room. In a partnership announced today with IMAX, Apple TV will also show select races from this season live in theaters. Five of the 2026 Grand Prix’s will be shown at IMAX screens across the country, including Silverstone, Miami, Monaco, Monza and Austin. more…

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Leaked email proves Ring intended to use surveillance feature for people
When Amazon announced a wider rollout of a surveillance feature to help Ring smart doorbells locate lost dogs, it was immediately seen as a precursor to using the feature to identify people. That the company did in fact plan to do this has now been confirmed by a leaked email which Ring has admitted is genuine … more…

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Apple iPhone 17e: Release date, specs, features & price – what to expect
Macworld Apple launched a new series of iPhones at the end of 2025: the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, as well as a brand new iPhone Air, but there was no new iPhone 17e for those hoping for an update to the budget iPhone. This wasn’t a surprise: Apple released the iPhone 16e in February 2025 to replace the iPhone SE, so an update to the iPhone “e” series phones wasn’t expected to arrive until early 2026. If you’re considering buying an iPhone 17e, this is the place to keep up to date on its development. We’ll keep track of the latest reports and provide our analysis to help you decide if the iPhone 17e is the right phone for you. What’s new since the last update to this article: It’s a year since the iPhone 16e launch on February 19 2025, will the iPhone 17e arrive today? Probably not, but it’s likely to arrive before, or on, March 4. At a glance: iPhone 17e vs iPhone 16e Specification / FeatureiPhone 16eiPhone 17eLaunch / ReleaseFebruary 2025March 4 (Possible)Starting Price$599$599 (expected)Design & Display6.1-inch OLED, 60 Hz  notch, black and white color options6.1-inch OLED, 60 Hz, Dynamic Island (rumored), black and white color optionsChip (CPU / Performance)A18 chipA19 chipModem / ConnectivityC1 modem (5G)C1X modem + N1 wireless chipMagSafe SupportNo MagSafe (Qi only)MagSafeBase StorageFrom 128GBFrom 256GB (rumored)RAM8GB8GBRear Camera48 MP single camera48 MP single cameraFront Camera12 MP18 MP square-sensor camera (rumored)Charging SpeedsStandard Qi wireless (~7.5 W)Faster MagSafe (~20-25 W) (probably) Like the iPhone 16e and the iPhone Air, the iPhone 17e will likely have a single back camera.Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd iPhone 17e: Release date March 4 launch – possible The iPhone 16e arrived on February 19, 2025, so there was some hope that Apple could introduce its replacement on February 19 a year later… With that date now here it’s looking unlikely. However, there is an “Apple Special Experience” coming up on March 4, 2026, with media being invited to meet Apple execs in at least three global locations. It’s generally thought these meetings will tie to new Apple product launches. There are a number of other new product launches expected including a refreshed iPad Air, new entry-level iPad, M5 MacBook Air, M5 Pro/MaxMacBook Pro, and a brand new low cost MacBook. An event on March 4 – even if Apple isn’t referring to it as an event – is good timing for Apple to launch the new iPhone 17e because it is right in the middle of the Mobile World Congress. According to various reports, the iPhone 17e has entered test production runs to prepare it for a spring 2026 release. A rumor in early January said the iPhone 17e will go into production following CES (which ended January 9). This is unsurprising, as it follows the same pattern as the iPhone 16e. iPhone 17e: Specs: What’s new for the iPhone 17e A19 with one fewer GPU than iPhone 17 – likely MagSafe support – likely C1X modem – possible 256GB SSD – possible Apple’s decision to introduce the iPhone 16e in February 2025 represented a significant shift in its product strategy, moving away from the sporadic release cycle of the iPhone SE toward a more predictable, annual “e-series” lineup. This transition was driven by several strategic imperatives, ranging from the necessity of supporting new AI technologies to the desire to test in-house hardware components in a lower-risk environment. To maintain a starting price of $599 while including the high-end A18 chip, Apple made several calculated omissions that differentiate the 16e from the standard iPhone 16. The iPhone 17e is expected to address some of the shortcomings of the iPhone 16e with a few key design refinements (a Dynamic Island is rumored), more storage at the entry-level, MagSafe support and an updated processor (the A19). Processor: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and others have reported that the iPhone 17e will have an A19 chip, which is no real surprise. If this is the case, it may be a slightly less powerful than the A19 chip used by the iPhone 17. Apple uses binned chips in the “e” series, so Tte A18 in the iPhone 16e has one fewer GPU core than the A18 in the standard iPhone 16; and the A19 in the iPhone 17e will likely have one fewer GPU core than the iPhone 17. MagSafe: A December 2025 report in The Information claimed that Apple will add MagSafe support to the iPhone 17e, one of the features that is notably missing from the 16e. When we reviewed the 16e, the lack of MagSafe was one of its major shortcomings. A Macworld source in February 2026 claimed that the iPhone 17e will feature 25W MagSafe wireless charging. Modem: Apple’s C1 modem first appeared in the iPhone 16e, and rumors suggest the iPhone 17e will use the same modem. However, it could take the newer C1X modem as found in the iPhone 17 series, which is apparently two times faster than the C1 while using 30% less energy. Storage: There are suggestions that the iPhone 17e could follow the iPhone 17 with 256GB at the starting point, up from 128GB. However, in February 2026 Apple leaker, John Prosser said he expects the baseline storage to stay at 128GB. iPhone 17e: How the iPhone 17e display will be different Dynamic Island instead of notch – possible Notch vs Dynamic Island.David Price / Foundry Screen size: The iPhone 17 has a 6.3-inch screen, which is larger than that of the iPhone 16 (6.1-inch). The iPhone 17e is not expected to get a bigger screen. It will likely sport a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, the same as the iPhone 16e. Dynamic Island: Digital Chat Station reported in August 2025 that the display will have a Dynamic Island – a change from the notch on the iPhone 16e. OLED: In December 2025, Korean website, The Elec reported that BOE will provide OLED displays to Apple for the iPhone 17e. BOE also provided OLEDs for the iPhone 16e. Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to also provide 17e displays. Bezels: The display, according to The Elec, will have thinner bezels than the 16e. iPhone 17e: Cameras 18MP front camera with square sensor – likely The iPhone 17e will likely continue to have a single 48MP camera on the back but the 12MP camera on the front (as seen on the iPhone 16e) could get an update in line with the iPhone 17 series). The front-facing cameras across the iPhone 17 range have all been updated to 18MP, so it is possible that the iPhone 17e will see the same update to the selfie camera. If so, it will also include a square sensor capable of taking photos in any orientation without requiring the user to rotate the phone. The notch may be replaced by the Dynamic Island in the iPhone 17e.Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd iPhone 17e: Design & Colors Digital Island likely to be only visible external change Colors: There have been no reports relating to the iPhone 17e’s colors. The iPhone 16e is available in black or white, and we expect the same for the iPhone 17e. Design: No changes are expected for the design, although, as mentioned above, the new iPhone 17e could have a Digital Island instead of the notch at the top of the screen. There is a possibility that the there could be thinner bezels than the 16e, according to The Elec. iPhone 17e: Price Starting at $599 A January 2026 report on Wccftech suggests that Apple has been able to reduce costs for the new iPhone 17e, so that the price won’t increase. This is thanks to lower costs for the OLED panels Apple is using. The iPhone 16e starts at $599/£599, and Apple is expected to price the iPhone 17e at $599 as well, though no reports have been made so far. Tariffs and production cost increases may affect the price, but since the “e” series is considered Apple’s lowest-priced iPhone, the price would not exceed that of the iPhone 17, which starts at $799, and the iPhone 16, whose price has been reduced to start at $699.

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Why Distinguishing Trade Secrets From Public Knowledge Matters
A dispute over a predictive analytics platform shows how technology companies risk losing trade secret protection when proprietary workflows, documentation, and data processes aren’t clearly defined as non-public and non-obvious. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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Speculation that Apple’s March event could include immersive F1 on Vision Pro
Apple commenter John Gruber is spitballing again. After suggesting that the special event on March 4 may be preceded by a series of new product announcements through press releases, he now has another idea. Based on a reader drawing his attention to the timing, he suggests that another announcement could be immersive F1 viewing on Vision Pro … more…

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Buck-passing Zuckerberg ropes Apple into his defense in social media safety trial
In a court case concerning the mental health effects of social media, Mark Zuckerberg's defense includes that he tried to discuss the issue with Tim Cook, who, obviously, doesn't run a social media platform.Meta CEO Mark ZuckerbergThe trial concerns in part the issue of age verification, which Meta has previously tried to dodge by saying Apple and Google should deal with it rather than any application. The case is a specific one brought to a Los Angeles court by a 19-year-old who claims social media led her to self-harm and suicidal thoughts.It's being seen, though, as a test case with much wider implications. The unnamed teenager and her mother originally sued Meta, YouTube, Snap and TikTok, although the latter two have settled out of court. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Millions of passwords and Social Security numbers exposed as old hacks remain a threat
An unsecured database that likely contains tens of millions of unique Social Security numbers, alongside email addresses and passwords, has been discovered by security researchers. While the database appears to have been collated from a number of separate data breaches over approximately a decade, the researchers explain why even very old personal data remains a live threat … more…

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ChatGPT is your iPhone’s secret superpower
Macworld AI is rapidly being integrated into the hardware and services we depend on, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. While Apple’s in-house AI models remain relatively limited for now, Apple users have other options: most appealingly, the company has natively baked OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT into its systems. This enables you to easily fetch up-to-date information, polish text, generate images, and much more. If you’re not already using AI to accelerate your everyday workflows, it’s time to get with the program. Try these 10 ChatGPT features on your Apple devices of choice, and watch your productivity skyrocket. Applets OpenAI recently launched ChatGPT apps as a way to access your favorite services using text prompts. The feature is available in the latest ChatGPT app across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and the web. To get started, you can visit the Apps section in ChatGPT settings and connect the accounts you’re interested in. For example, the Apple Music applet lets you find songs, generate playlists, and add them to your library right from ChatGPT. Similarly, the Adobe Acrobat offering enables you to upload a PDF document and make certain tweaks using the chatbot’s interface. As you’d probably expect, the functionality of these apps is somewhat limited. They’re cut-down versions of the full app, a little like Apple’s App Clips, and more advanced workflows will still require the use of the real thing. But they’re solid for performing specific, quick tasks using natural language. There wasn’t much AI in the 90s, but we made up for it with our indie music. Mahmoud Itani / Foundry macOS assistance ChatGPT’s integration with apps isn’t confined to the limited range of applets available on the platform itself. If you’ve installed the official client on your Mac, you’ll be able to link it to active macOS app sessions and ask relevant questions. Simply tap on the App Store icon in the ChatGPT app’s text box to view a list of compatible, installed apps. If you pick Terminal, for instance, it will read the commands you’re entering and help you type the correct ones to achieve a certain aim. Likewise, it can view the notes you’re typing and suggest edits based on your prompt. Quick access Locate the ChatGPT app on your Home Screen can be inefficient when performing time-sensitive tasks. Fortunately, ChatGPT offers a ton of shortcuts to quickly summon it on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. On iOS and iPadOS, you can add ChatGPT controls to the Control Center and Lock Screen, letting you quickly initiate a new session from different parts of the system; on newer iPhones, you can also have the Action button launch a ChatGPT instance. On the Mac, you can hit Option and Space to reveal a miniature ChatGPT text box to enter your prompts, connect apps, upload files, and so on. You can also add ChatGPT to shortcuts you create in the Apple Shortcuts app and have it analyze input or fetch requested data. Siri fallback Siri often fails to answer basic questions and instead redirects users to web results. If you’ve enabled Apple Intelligence, however, the voice assistant can now tap into ChatGPT’s intellect instead. To turn this on, open the Settings app, go to Apple Intelligence and Siri > ChatGPT, and enable the Use ChatGPT toggle. (You can also turn off the Confirm Requests option if you’d rather not have Siri ask for your permission every time it needs to share a text prompt with ChatGPT’s servers.) Now, you can command Siri to ask ChatGPT any question, and it’ll read aloud the response it receives. Writing Tools This neat text editing suite allows you to natively proofread, rewrite, summarize, and change the tone of selected text. Thanks to ChatGPT, the feature also lets you apply custom edits or generate text from scratch. Just select the text you’d like to edit, then hit Writing Tools, followed by Compose. You can then describe the changes you’d like to make and ChatGPT will handle the rest. ChatGPT offers a range of preset styles when generating images.Mahmoud Itani / Foundry Image Playground Image Playground is Apple’s own AI image generator, featuring multiple illustration styles, doodle polishing support, offline access, and more. To elevate the quality of outputted images, you can rely on ChatGPT’s superior image generation models without leaving the app. Click the Styles dropdown menu in the Playground app on iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, then select ChatGPT. You can then pick a more specific style, such as Anime, Vector, or Oil Painting. Now you can type your prompt or add some of the suggested ones and wait for the result to appear. Paid perks and data sync Using ChatGPT integration on your Apple devices comes with daily limits that, when exceeded, prevent you from uploading files, generating images, and accessing advanced models. If you’re subscribed to ChatGPT Go, Plus, or Pro, you can link your paid account to extend or remove said limits. In Settings, go to Apple Intelligence & Siri > ChatGPT, and sign in with your OpenAI account. This will also sync the conversations you have with ChatGPT via Siri and show them in your chat history. Group chats Lastly, if you’re planning an event or working on a project with others, you can create a group chat in the ChatGPT app. To get started, tap on the dedicated button in the top-right corner of a ChatGPT conversation and share the link with your friends or coworkers. This lets you all brainstorm together and have ChatGPT share its knowledge whenever needed. ChatGPT can contribute to group chats.Mahmoud Itani / Foundry Shopping advice Picking the right model when upgrading your Apple device can be confusing for tech newbies. Obviously, Macworld should be your first stop when seeking iPhone, iPad, or Mac buying advice, but ChatGPT is keen to join the party with its Shopping Research feature. Select the relevant mode in the ChatGPT app and describe the product you’re looking to buy. ChatGPT will ask follow-up questions related to budget and performance expectations to narrow down your options, then display results comparing the prices, specs, images, and other relevant aspects of the matching devices. You can then choose one of them and buy it through your favorite online retailer. Understanding your iDevices ChatGPT can also help tech newbies learn more about their Apple devices and the latest OS features. Again, Macworld has long been happy to help in this regard, but who are we to stand in the way of progress? It’s far better, clearly, to ask a chatbot. ChatGPT can, for example, check the latest available OS version for your device and briefly list the top features it introduces using simple language. This helps you familiarize yourself with what’s new, without having to read complex changelogs. Similarly, if you encounter errors when using your Apple devices, you can upload screenshots to ChatGPT or use the video calling mode to show it what’s going on in real time. The chatbot will then suggest solutions or workarounds based on similar issues discussed on online forums. Or beloved Apple-focused websites.

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The Mac you’ve always wanted is coming soon
Macworld According to rumors, 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for the Mac, starting in just a couple of weeks with Apple’s first event (or “experience”) of the year. Along with the usual faster chips, Apple reportedly has new tricks up its sleeve in 2026, with several new features that will have Mac users everywhere saying, “Finally!” Here are four major overdue announcements we expect to arrive this year. A budget MacBook iPhone fans have long pined for a truly affordable MacBook priced below the $999 MacBook Air that isn’t just an older model with a cut-rate price. That dream machine may finally arrive in just two short weeks. On March 4, Apple will hold a series of “experiences” in New York, London, and Shanghai, and the star is expected to be the first-ever low-cost MacBook. After tackling the mid-range market with the MacBook Air, Apple reportedly wants to compete with Chromebooks and Windows laptops, with a new laptop that could be as cheap as $599. Apple will reportedly use an A18 Pro or A19 Pro iPhone chip, and it will likely have a smaller screen than the Air and possibly fewer USB ports. But it will be powerful enough for everyday tasks and light work. For a lot of users, that’s all that’s needed. MacBooks with OLED displays When Apple unveiled the M1 Pro/M1 Max MacBook Pro in 2021, it was the first Mac to get the Liquid Retina XDR display, which was introduced in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro a few months earlier. The new mini-LED display was a huge upgrade over the previous model, bringing extreme dynamic range HDR, 120Hz ProMotion refresh, and up to 1,000 nits of sustained, full-screen brightness. it’s an excellent display, but it’s no longer the best. Apple is expected to upgrade the MacBook Pro’s display again in 2026 by taking another page from the iPad Pro. The M4 iPad Pro, released in 2024, introduced the Ultra Retina XDR display with tandem OLED technology to deliver high brightness, wide color support, and impressive color accuracy. Mac users have wanted it ever since, and it looks like Ultra Retina XDR will finally come with the M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro later this year. By the end of 2026, the MacBook Pro will be a very different laptop.Foundry A touchscreen MacBook Pro One of the most frequent barbs I get from Windows users who want to needle me about my Mac devotion is, “When are MacBooks going to get touchscreens?” We may finally have an answer in 2026, when rumors say Apple will launch the first-ever MacBook with a touchscreen display in the fall. There’s a chance it could slip into the early part of 2027, but signs suggest Apple really wants to make it happen in 2026. The MacBook Pro’s 20th anniversary is this year, and Apple reportedly wants to mark the occasion by introducing the new model. Along with a touchscreen, the redesign will also bring a thinner profile and speedier M6 Pro and Max chips. We expect the laptop to retain its trackpad, but for users who’ve been wanting to reach up and place their fingers on the screen, they’ll finally get their wish. The replacement for the C1X modem could make its way into the M6 Pro and Max MacBook Pro.Apple MacBooks with 5G For many longtime Mac users, it’s a head-scratcher why Apple hasn’t put a modem inside a MacBook, especially when the entire iPad line has one. Of course, you can always tether to an iPhone when there’s no Wi-Fi around (depending on your wireless plan), but it’s not ideal if you need to move a lot of large files around. And of course, you’re also draining your iPhone and MacBook batteries. Last year, Apple released its first homegrown cellular modems, the C1 in the iPhone 16e and the C1X in the iPhone Air and iPad Pro. With the C2 in 2026, which will likely support mmWave, Apple is expected to expand the modem to more devices, starting with the M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro. With an Apple modem in a MacBook Pro, you can stop worrying about staying connected and draining the life out of your tethered iPhone.

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Refresh the PC side of your Mac with Windows 11 Pro For $12.97
Macworld TL;DR: Update the Windows side of your Mac with Windows 11 Pro for $12.97 (reg. $199) and modernize your setup without replacing your hardware. If you rely on Windows inside your Mac for certain apps, work software, or games, you don’t need a second computer. You just need to refresh the PC side of your setup. Right now, Windows 11 Pro is $12.97 (reg. $199), making it an easy upgrade for Parallels, VMware, or Boot Camp users. Running an older version of Windows in a virtual machine can create slowdowns and compatibility issues. Windows 11 Pro helps modernize that environment with: A cleaner interface and Snap Layouts for better multitasking Stronger built-in security, like BitLocker, and enhanced malware protection Improved performance optimization for newer processors DirectX 12 Ultimate support for better gaming visuals on compatible systems Even inside a virtual machine, security and efficiency matter, especially if you’re accessing business tools or handling sensitive files. Upgrading the Windows side of your Mac helps your hardware work smarter without changing the Mac you already love. For $12.97, Windows 11 Pro is a simple way to extend the life of your current setup and keep both macOS and Windows running smoothly. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Macworld Podcast: MacBooks are coming! Cheap MacBooks are coming!
Macworld Apple has something cooking for March 4, and the signs indicate we are getting the laptop we’ve been waiting for. We’re talking about the upcoming event and new developments in Apple AI hardware on this episode of the Macworld Podcast.  This is episode 971 with Michael Simon, Jason Cross,  and Roman Loyola.  Watch episode 971 on YouTube Listen to episode 971 on Apple Podcasts

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Google launches Snapseed camera for iPhone with pro manual controls, retro film
After soft-launching in December, Snapseed for iOS is now officially rolling out its new camera that makes the app more than just an image editor. more…

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Apple stock is Big Tech’s ‘safe haven’
Apple's shares outperformed every other Magnificent Seven stock on Tuesday, underscoring investors' growing preference for the… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Another AirPods Pro 3 model is coming, with one rumored upgrade
AirPods Pro 3 launched just a few months ago, but rumors indicate there’s a second model coming this year with one key upgrade: IR cameras. Here are the details. more…

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9to5Mac Daily: February 18, 2026 – iOS 27 expectations, AI products
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year. more…

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Apple’s March 4 launch event: New products and what to expect
Apple is holding a special event for press on Wednesday, March 4 in three locations around the world, and rumors indicate there are lots of new products that could launch. Here’s everything to expect, including hardware launches, format, and more. more…

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AI agents are coming to CarPlay, but they're not getting the keys
Apple is formally making room for AI agents in the car, adding a new voice-based conversational app category to CarPlay in iOS 26.4.CarPlayApple's February 9, 2026 update to the CarPlay Developer Guide introduces a new CarPlay entitlement category for voice-driven conversational apps. The move creates an official path for third-party AI assistants to operate inside CarPlay rather than relying solely on Siri.The change arrives as generative AI becomes more embedded across Apple platforms. CarPlay is next, but Apple is setting clear boundaries. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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