解:(2)$PC = PA + PB.$证明如下:在$PC$上截取$PD = PA,$连接$DA.$因为$\angle APC = 60^{\circ},$所以$\triangle APD$为等边三角形,所以$DA = PA = PD,$$\angle ADP = 60^{\circ},$所以$\angle ADC = 180^{\circ}-\angle ADP = 120^{\circ}.$因为$\angle APB=\angle APC +\angle CPB = 120^{\circ},$所以$\angle APB = \angle ADC.$在$\triangle APB$和$\triangle ADC$中,$\begin{cases}\angle ABP = \angle ACD,\\\angle APB = \angle ADC,\\PA = DA,\end{cases}$所以$\triangle APB\cong\triangle ADC,$所以$PB = DC,$所以$PC = PD + DC = PA + PB.$
(3)因为$\triangle ABC$是$\odot O$的内接等边三角形,所以$\triangle ABC$的面积为定值.因为$S_{四边形APBC}=S_{\triangle ABP}+S_{\triangle ABC},$所以当四边形$APBC$的面积最大时,$\triangle ABP$的面积最大.由题图可知,当$P$为劣弧$AB$的中点时,点$P$到直线$AB$的距离最大,即$\triangle ABP$的面积最大.因为$C$为优弧$AB$的中点,所以$PC$为$\odot O$的直径且$PC\perp AB.$设$PC$交$AB$于点$E,$连接$OA,$$OB,$则$AE=\frac{1}{2}AB,$$\angle OEA = 90^{\circ}.$因为$\odot O$的半径为$1,$所以$OA = 1,$$PC = 2.$因为$\angle ACB = 60^{\circ},$所以$\angle AOB = 2\angle ACB = 120^{\circ},$所以$\angle OAB=\angle OBA=\frac{1}{2}(180^{\circ}-\angle AOB)=30^{\circ},$所以$OE=\frac{1}{2}OA=\frac{1}{2},$所以$AE=\sqrt{OA^{2}-OE^{2}}=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2},$所以$AB = 2AE=\sqrt{3},$所以$S_{四边形APBC}=\frac{1}{2}AB\cdot PC=\sqrt{3}.$故当$P$为劣弧$AB$的中点时,四边形$APBC$的面积最大,最大面积为$\sqrt{3}.$