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.
We have provided a brief overview of each new show and film below.
New Series
Imperfect Women
Based on Araminta Hall's novel of the same name, "Imperfect Women" is a psychological thriller that "examines a crime that shatters the lives of a decades-long friendship of three women." The series stars Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Kate Mara.
Margo's Got Money Troubles
"Margo's Got Money Troubles" is described as "a bold, heartwarming, and comedic family drama" that follows recent college dropout and aspiring writer, Margo (Elle Fanning), the daughter of an ex-Hooters waitress (Michelle Pfeiffer) and ex-pro wrestler (Nick Offerman). Margo has a new baby, mounting bills, and dwindling ways to pay for things.
Widow's Bay
Apple says "Widow's Bay" blends genuine horror with character-driven comedy.
Widow's Bay is "a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England," but "something lurks beneath the surface." Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) is desperate to revive his struggling community, but as tourists start arriving, it appears that local residents might have been right about the island being cursed after all.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Billed as a darkly comedic thriller, "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" follows newly divorced mom Paula (Tatiana Maslany).
"Convinced she witnessed a murder — while simultaneously struggling through a custody battle and an identity crisis — Paula begins her own investigation, one that could unravel a greater conspiracy while also holding the keys to rebuilding her family and sense of self."
Cape Fear
A mini-series, inspired by the 1991 remake directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Steven Spielberg: "A storm is coming for happily married attorneys Anna (Amy Adams) and Tom Bowden (Patrick Wilson) when Max Cady (Javier Bardem), the notorious killer they are responsible for putting behind bars, is let out of prison — and he wants vengeance."
Lucky
Based on Marissa Stapley's bestselling novel, "Lucky" centers on a young woman (Anya Taylor-Joy) who "left behind the life of crime she was raised in years ago, but must now embrace her darker, criminal side one final time in a desperate attempt to escape her past."
New Films
Outcome
"Outcome" is a dark comedy that centers on Reef Hawk (Keanu Reeves), a Hollywood star facing extortion. With the support of his lifelong friends Kyle (Cameron Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer), and his lawyer Ira (Jonah Hill), Reef tries to make amends with anyone he could have possibly wronged in hopes of identifying the blackmailer.
Eternity
"Eternity" is a rom-com: "In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with (Miles Teller) and her first love (Callum Turner), who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive."
The Dink
In this comedy movie, "washed up former tennis prodigy Dusty Boyd (Jake Johnson) has been reduced to coaching unruly children at his father Chuck's (Ed Harris) suburban country club. Desperate for his father's approval, Dusty blindly supports Chuck's vendetta against the new craze taking over the club: pickleball."
Mayday
Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up in "Mayday," a "genre-bending, action-packed buddy comedy movie that flips the spy thriller on its head."
"When hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy 'Assassin' Kelly (Reynolds) is sent on a top-secret mission into Russian territory at the height of the Cold War, the operation implodes, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent with a penchant for American culture, Troy thinks he's toast — but could an unlikely alliance between the two lead to Troy's rescue and a bond neither saw coming?"
Matchbox: The Movie
Inspired by the Mattel toys, "Matchbox: The Movie" is an "action-packed, globetrotting adventure about a group of friends since childhood who have their lives upended when undercover CIA agent Sean (John Cena), their long-absent former leader, returns to their small town and unwittingly gets them embroiled in a frantic international pursuit to save the world."
Way of the Warrior Kid
A drama film based on the 2017 children's novel of the same name by Jocko Willink: "Middle school has been a nightmare for Marc (Jude Hill), a good kid who's bullied by his classmates and feels like he's behind in everything, from academics to P.E. to just making friends. That changes when his injured Uncle Jake (Chris Pratt), a decorated Navy SEAL, comes to spend the summer and recuperate with Marc and his mom, Sarah (Linda Cardellini)."
Apple today provided the release candidate (RC) version of an upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after the launch of the third beta. The RC is the version of macOS Tahoe 26.3 that will be provided to the public as long as the final testing phase uncovers no major bugs.
Developers can download the macOS Tahoe 26.3 update by opening up the System Settings app, selecting the General category, and then choosing Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.
There's no word yet on what's included in macOS Tahoe 26.3, and no new features have been found during beta testing so far.
We'll likely see Apple release macOS Tahoe 26.3 next week.
Apple today seeded the release candidate (RC) versions of upcoming iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the release of the third betas. The RCs represent the final versions of iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 that will be provided to the public if no bugs are found in the updates.
Registered developers can download the updates from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting the Software Update option.
iOS 26.3 adds a tool for transitioning from an iPhone to an Android device. Transfers can be initiated during the device setup process, and moving data from one device to another can now be done without having to download a specific app.
Apple's transfer process supports moving photos, messages, notes, apps, passwords, phone number, and more.
The update also includes a Notification Forwarding setting for third-party wearables in the European Union, and there are some minor changes to the Weather wallpaper. More information on what's changed can be found in our iOS 26.3 beta feature list.
With the RC now available, Apple will likely release iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 next week.
Apple today provided developers with the release candidate versions of upcoming watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and visionOS 26.3 updates for testing purposes. The software comes a week after Apple provided the third betas. The release candidates are the final version of the updates that will be provided to the public as long as no bugs are found.
The software updates are available through the Settings app on each device, and because these are developer betas, a free developer account is required.
We don't know what new features might be added in watchOS 26.3, visionOS 26.3, and tvOS 26.3, and nothing new has been discovered so far. Apple doesn't typically provide release notes for betas, so we might not know what's new until the software updates see a public launch unless there are outward-facing changes.
The software updates will likely launch next week now that RCs are available.
In November 2024, an anonymous listener of the Relay FM tech podcast "Upgrade" claimed that Apple was developing 90Hz display technology that could be used for the next Studio Display, as well as future iPad Air and iMac models. A higher refresh rate can make videos and scrolling look smoother to the eye, but 90Hz would stop short of the 120Hz refresh rate that iPhone, iPad, and Mac models with ProMotion support can achieve.
Now, a MacRumors tipster has backed up that claim, based on alleged information from an internal build of iOS 26 that was leaked online. Indeed, they believe the next Studio Display is likely to max out at 90Hz rather than 120Hz.
Apple's existing devices typically have up to 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rates, so 90Hz would be unusual for Apple. However, while there is no explicit confirmation, the tipster claimed that multiple code strings and display controller references in the internal iOS 26 build suggest the next Studio Display will max out at 90Hz.
The tipster believes that a 90Hz refresh rate would make sense due to bandwidth considerations. Thunderbolt 5 can support 5K resolution at 120Hz without any compression, but they think Apple likely wants to ensure there will be plenty of remaining bandwidth for connecting other devices and peripherals to the new Studio Display.
The current Studio Display has a 60Hz refresh rate.
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.
This rumor still warrants some skepticism for now. In addition, the internal iOS 26 build is from early 2025, so Apple's plans may have changed since then.
Following today's update, Apple plans to add support for six new soccer leagues to the next version of the Sports app, MacRumors has discovered.
Earlier today, Apple released version 3.7 of the Sports app, introducing support for every PGA and LPGA tournament, with live leaderboards, round-by-round scorecards for every golfer, and real-time updates in the app, widgets, and Live Activities. The app already supported the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Premier League, NASCAR, F1, and more. The update also expanded the soccer lineup with support for Copa del Rey, Coppa Italia, Coupe de France, and DFB-Pokal. In addition, tennis coverage now supports real-time stats, making it easier to keep up with the action.
Backend code spotted by MacRumors reveals what's next for Apple Sports in version 3.8. Apple is planning to add support for six South American soccer leagues, including Brazil Serie A, Argentina Primera A, Colombia Primera Liga, Ecuador Serie A, Peru Primera Division, and Chile Primera Division.
The Apple Sports app launched in 2024, offering an easy way to see live scores and statistics. It is available on the iPhone in the U.S., the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and other select European countries.
Earlier this week, Anker debuted its new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station with a launch discount on Amazon. If ordered this week, you can clip the on-page coupon on Amazon to get the accessory for $119.99, down from $149.99.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The Prime 3-in-1 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. You can also simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and AirPods with the device.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
There are plenty of other Anker discounts happening on Amazon this week, including the Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock back at its all-time low price of $339.99, down from $399.99. You can find this accessory and more on sale in the lists below, and note that as of writing only the new Prime 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station requires an on-page coupon.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Apple's second-generation HomePod is now over three years old, with no sign of a refresh or third-generation model on the horizon.
The original HomePod was announced at WWDC in 2017 and launched in 2018 after a heavily delayed release. The device was met with mixed reviews; critics praised its outstanding sound quality but pointed out its high price, missing features, and limited functionality compared to rivals.
Apple dropped its price from $349 to $299 in April 2019 and, in March 2021, the company announced that it was discontinuing the first-generation HomePod, instead shifting its focus to the HomePod mini, which launched the previous year. The decision left a gap in Apple's product lineup for a full-sized smart speaker until the company introduced the second-generation model via a press release on January 18, 2023. It launched on February 3, 2023.
The second-generation HomePod looks virtually identical to the original, although it is 0.2 inches shorter and has a larger edge-to-edge LED touchscreen on top. It also boasts a range of upgrades and changes compared to its 2018 predecessor, including the S7 chip, a U1 ultra wideband chip, a removable power cable, a temperature and humidity sensor, and sound recognition. However, it features two fewer microphones and horn-loaded tweeters.
Apple is widely rumored to be planning a wave of new smart home devices, including a home security camera, over the next few years, but it is not clear if the HomePod is part of that. Apple appeared to be exploring a new HomePod with a touchscreen display at the top of the device around 2024, ostensibly proven by leaked prototype images, but there have been no further reports of such a device or any third-generation HomePod for over a year.
Rumors about Apple's plans for the smart home now center on an all-new smart home hub device, which has been described as a HomePod with a square iPad-like 7-inch screen and an A18 chip, with support for the next-generation version of Siri. It is expected to launch this year. A new HomePod mini is also rumored to be released this year.
Here were Apple's starting prices when the devices launched in September 2024:
iPhone 16: $799
iPhone 16 Plus: $899
iPhone 16 Pro: $999
iPhone 16 Pro Max: $1,199
Apple has since lowered its starting prices for new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models, which remain available as previous-generation options:
iPhone 16: $699
iPhone 16 Plus: $799
Finally, here are Apple's starting prices for the refurbished models:
iPhone 16: $619
iPhone 16 Plus: $699
iPhone 16 Pro: $759
iPhone 16 Pro Max: $929
The refurbished iPhone 16 lineup is also rolling out on Apple's online store in Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and select other countries, but not every model is available in every country yet.
Apple's refurbished iPhones are unlocked, and they come with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a plain box with a USB-C cable. The devices are also covered by Apple's one-year limited warranty, and they are eligible for extended AppleCare+ or AppleCare One coverage. Apple says its refurbished products are thoroughly cleaned and tested, and generally they are virtually indistinguishable from brand new devices.
iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, up from the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max. Other new features included a Camera Control button, an A18 Pro chip optimized for Apple Intelligence, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera, support for 4K at 120 FPS video recording, longer battery life, faster charging over MagSafe, and improved microphones.
The lower-end iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus also have a Camera Control and Apple Intelligence.
Samsung recently kicked off a sale across its most popular monitors and TVs, with notable markdowns on products like The Frame and the Smart Monitor series. These deals have all been applied automatically on Samsung's website, and many match all-time low prices on these products.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In regards to TVs, there are quite a few models of The Frame TV on sale, including all-time low prices on The Frame models from 2025. You can get the 2025 65-inch The Frame TV for $1,199.99 ($600 off), as well as the 75-inch Frame Pro for $1,999.99 ($1,200 off), a match of the all-time low price.
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.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
The Apple Sports app now supports men's and women's golf, along with improvements to soccer and tennis coverage.
Version 3.7 of the app introduces support for every PGA and LPGA tournament, with live leaderboards, round-by-round scorecards for every golfer, and real-time updates in the app, widgets, and Live Activities. The app already supported the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, F1, Premier League, and more.
Golf fans can follow along as each tournament unfolds with access to live scores for all official PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events, including the majors, starting this weekend with the PGA’s WM Phoenix Open.
Fans can track their favorite players through each event with hole-by-hole results and individual scorecards alongside live leaderboards, plus scores from every round during each tournament throughout the year.
Apple has also expanded the soccer lineup with support for Copa del Rey, Coppa Italia, Coupe de France, and DFB-Pokal. In addition, tennis coverage now supports real-time stats, making it easier to keep up with the action.
The Apple Sports app launched in 2024, offering a convenient way to glance at live scores and statistics. It is available on the iPhone in the U.S., the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and select other European countries.
Apple today announced a new Education Hub in Bengaluru as part of an expanded effort to provide technical training and skills development for employees across its supply chain in India.
Apple said the new Apple Education Hub in Bengaluru will serve as a centralized training and coordination facility for supplier employees in India, marking the company's first education hub of its kind in the country. The hub will begin offering courses in March and operates in collaboration with Manipal Academy of Higher Education, which will provide faculty and curriculum support focused initially on digital literacy and Swift programming.
In parallel with the Bengaluru hub, Apple is broadening its suite of development courses at more than 25 supplier facilities across the country. The updated curriculum will be introduced starting with Tata Electronics and is designed to cover digital literacy, Swift coding, robotics, automation technology, and smart manufacturing practices. Apple said these offerings are funded through its global $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund, which supports education and skills training initiatives across the company's supply chain.
The same spirit of innovation that drives our products also guides our commitment to supporting people across our global supply chain. We are thrilled to expand our technical training courses in India, giving thousands of employees the opportunity to learn valuable new skills and explore new paths for career growth.
The company said the new courses build on an existing portfolio of more than 75 programs currently available to supplier employees in India. The offerings span technical skills, professional development, health education, and rights awareness training, which Apple says are designed to ensure workers are informed about workplace standards and protections. Apple works with international organizations and local partners to deliver these programs.
Apple's expanded training effort also includes plans to scale its robotics education program, which launched in India in December 2024. The initiative focuses on training factory educators in dedicated robotics labs, after which those educators adapt the material and conduct hands-on sessions within their own facilities. Apple said it plans to extend the robotics program to additional supplier sites in India later this year.
Apple also announced plans to grow its Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities program in India. The program recently launched with Salcomp and seeks to provide employment and professional development opportunities for people with disabilities within Apple's supply chain, as well as improve safety, accessibility, and inclusivity practices at manufacturing facilities. To date, the program has supported more than 18,000 supplier employees around the world and builds on Apple's partnership with Enable India.
Apple could benefit from a new wave of NFC technology upgrades after the NFC Forum this week published a roadmap outlining faster data transfers, new security standards, and expanded capabilities.
The NFC Forum is the global standards body for Near Field Communication technology. Apple is a board member of the organization. The latest multi-year Technology Roadmap identifies six development priorities that will shape future NFC standards.
One of the most significant changes outlined is work toward substantially faster NFC data rates, up to eight times higher than current levels. The roadmap also places emphasis on improving NFC reader mode interoperability through end-to-end application testing.
The roadmap continues to highlight multipurpose tap functionality, which would allow a single NFC tap to support multiple actions depending on context. The NFC Forum says this would enable readers to request specific credentials needed for a given action.
The NFC Forum said it is beginning work on next-generation NFC wireless charging specifications, with goals that include higher power levels and support for devices with multiple charging receivers. While NFC charging is currently limited to low-power accessory use, expanded standards could influence future devices.
Security enhancements are another major focus, with plans to publish the first NFC Controllers Security Profile, establishing baseline security requirements for NFC hardware. The roadmap includes work toward future-proofing NFC protocols against post-quantum computing threats and strengthening protection against relay-based attacks.
Digital keys remain an active area of development as well, with plans to explore new digital key experiences to support a wider range of industry requirements.
The NFC Forum last published a technology roadmap in 2023, with several goals delivered as part of NFC Release 15 in June 2025.
Last year, Apple expanded its use of NFC notably by rolling out Tap to Pay on iPhone in many new countries, allowing merchants to accept contactless payments directly on an iPhone without additional hardware using the device's NFC capabilities. At the same time, under the European Union's regulatory regime, Apple continued to open broader third-party access to the iPhone's NFC chip so that third-party developers can use NFC for contactless transactions, enabling Apple Pay competitors such as Curve and PayPal to offer NFC-based payment options on iOS in Europe.
New M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in the near future, according to information shared with MacRumors by an Apple Premium Reseller.
The third-party Apple retailer said that MacBook Pro stock is very low currently because there is an imminent new product introduction. Apple typically coordinates supply with retail stores ahead of a new model launch to avoid leaving resellers with too many outdated machines.
Over the weekend, Bloomberg said that the new MacBook Pros are going to launch alongside macOS Tahoe 26.3 during the February/March timeframe, and we are getting closer to the software's release date. Today's Xcode 26.3 release candidate launch also suggests that a debut isn't far off.
It's atypical for Apple to introduce an Xcode release candidate without also providing iOS and macOS release candidates, and we haven't seen the iOS 26.3 or macOS 26.3 RCs yet. Holding back a macOS release candidate is sometimes an indication that the RC contains information that Apple doesn't want to leak. If the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are going to come out alongside macOS Tahoe 26.3, it's possible that the macOS Tahoe 26.3 RC includes new model identifiers that would give away the upcoming launch.
Apple has most commonly held macOS release candidates for a few days to a week. Prior to when new M3 Macs came out in October 2023, for example, Apple provided the iOS 17.1 and accompanying Xcode release candidate on October 17, but held the macOS 14.1 release candidate. New Macs were introduced on October 23, and then the macOS 14.1 RC came out on October 24. Apple followed the same pattern ahead of the first M1 Macs in November 2020, and the M2Mac mini in October 2022. In each case, Apple held the macOS RC while launching the iOS and Xcode RCs.
What's different in this situation is that we haven't seen the iOS 26.3 RC either, so the hold time is less clear. Apple could debut new MacBook Pro models as soon as tomorrow, then release both RCs. There's also a possibility we have to wait a week or two before new MacBook Pro models come out, especially if the RCs aren't quite ready to go and another beta update is planned.
It's not entirely clear why Apple released the Xcode 26.3 RC now instead of holding it, but it does include agentic coding tools that Apple worked with Anthropic and OpenAI to implement, so Apple may have committed to a specific schedule for the functionality.
All signs suggest that we're going to get the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models soon. Apple already released the standard 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro, but higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models have yet to be refreshed.
The reseller that spoke to MacRumors also said that HomePod mini supplies are drying up with many models sold out, but there is no official word on whether that's because of supply chain issues or because of an imminent update. HomePod mini stock has been dwindling since October 2025, so stock continuing to be low doesn't give us new information on the HomePod mini 2, unfortunately.
Apple is continuing to improve the AI Support Assistant that it is testing in the Apple Support app, introducing new functionality in the latest update.
In addition to answering questions about Apple devices and services and providing device-specific help, Apple says the Support Assistant is able to help run diagnostics to show details about a device's health and performance.
The Apple Support app now has a more informative interface for the Support Assistant, and the tab for accessing the feature has an updated "Ask" label with a new icon instead of a "Chat" label. Apple is no longer calling the Support Assistant an "Early Preview," suggesting it is now available in a more official capacity.
Despite the update, the Support Assistant remains limited, and it is not yet available to all users. It's possible that Apple has expanded the feature to a larger number of testers, but not everyone will see it yet.
Apple began testing the Support Assistant last August. The tool uses AI to answer questions related to Apple support, and it is able to walk users through step-by-step solutions for common problems.
If the Support Assistant is unable to solve a problem, users are able to escalate a request to Apple's support staff for further help.
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.
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