Cult of Mac

Apple’s new line of TechWoven, silicone and clear polycarbonate cases for iPhone 17 series models, showcased at the Awe Dropping even Tuesday, mark a significant departure from the company’s previous materials and design approach.

In addition to the silicon and clear polycarbonate cases with lanyard support for the new Crossbody Strap, the new TechWoven cases feature a synthetic fabric designed to replace the widely criticized FineWoven cases that Apple quickly abandoned after their problematic launch in 2023. Plus plenty of third-party cases are already available.

Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at its Awe Dropping event Tuesday, showcasing a bigger display, a faster chip and satellite connectivity.

“Apple Watch Ultra is our most advanced Apple Watch, designed to take users from sports and adventure to the rest of their life, and help them stay active, healthy, connected, and safe, wherever they are,” said Eugene Kim, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch hardware engineering.

Apple gave a hearty update to its highest-end wireless earbuds, launching AirPods Pro 3. The new buds improve noise cancellation, battery life and add heart rate monitoring and live translation.

“With breakthrough audio performance and entirely new capabilities, I think AirPods Pro are truly incredible,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “These are my favorite AirPods ever,” said Kate Bergeron, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering.

This announcement comes at Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event. The new third-generation AirPods Pro cost $249 and will be available starting September 19. Preorders will open today.

September 9, 2009: Apple CEO Steve Jobs makes his public return to the company after successful liver-transplant surgery.

Appearing onstage at Apple’s fall event, Jobs receives a standing ovation that lasts almost a minute. He then opens the keynote on an unusually personal note by discussing his health.

“I wouldn’t be here without such generosity,” Jobs tells the audience, referring to the organ donor whose liver he received. “I hope all of us can be as generous and elect to become organ donors.”

Before revealing Apple’s new iPad nano line, Jobs says, “I’m vertical, I’m back at Apple, and I’m loving every day of it.”

Apple TV+ dominated the first night of the 77th Creative Arts Emmy Awards over the weekend, securing a record-breaking 15 wins led by breakout performances from comedy The Studio and psychological drama Severance. Overall, the streamer’s staggering 81 nominations covered 14 original titles.

Many website hosting options look affordable up front, then hit you with steep monthly fees, confusing interfaces and/or unreliable uptime. That’s where PawnHoster sets itself apart.

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September 8, 2003: Apple reveals that the iTunes Music Store recently sold its 10 millionth song download. The tune in question? Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated.”

Come to think of it, “You fall and you crawl and you break and you take what you get and you turn it into [success]” describes Apple pretty well in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

How can you watch Apple’s iPhone event? You can stream the keynote on YouTube, on the apple.com website or on your smart TV. It starts at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, September 9.

At the September event, Apple unveils new iPhones, Apple Watches and other accessories. The iPhone 17 series will be the highlight — with the iPhone 17 Air being a standout new model. Rumors point to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 getting a faster processor, satellite messaging and (possibly) blood pressure monitoring. Some of these features might make it to the Apple Watch Series 11. A couple of other new devices might put in an appearance at Apple’s September event, too. We’ve heard rumors of AirPods Pro 3, an updated Apple TV 4K and AirTag 2.

Here’s how you can watch it all live, whether you’re watching at home or secretly at work.

Apple’s biggest day of the year is almost here! September 9 brings the Awe Dropping event that’ll be jam-packed with product launches. We’re definitely expecting multiple redesigned iPhones and upgraded Apple Watches, plus there could be a few more products on the agenda.

Here’s the full list of Apple products rumored to be coming on Tuesday.

The alleged battery capacity of the iPhone 17 lineup has surfaced online. It points to Apple using significantly bigger batteries on its upcoming iPhone.

And for the first time since adding eSIM support with the 2017 iPhone X, Apple may equip the eSIM-only models with a larger battery.

A new rumor suggests AirPods Pro 3 will debut this year, but won’t bring any breakthrough hardware upgrades. The rumored IR-equipped cameras, which supposedly will enable air gestures for interacting with the earbuds, might not arrive until 2026.

Apple could unveil its new flagship AirPods Pro 3 earbuds at Tuesday’s Awe Dropping event.

However, the earbuds won’t pack any breakthrough hardware upgrades, including IR-equipped cameras for air gesture support. That feature supposedly must wait until 2026.

September 7, 2016: Apple unveils the first-gen AirPods during a special event in San Francisco. The blindingly white wireless earbuds look undeniably strange at first glance, with their long, slender stems and a charging case that looks like a dental floss container.

However, after their December release, AirPods will quickly become the most popular earbuds in the world.

The remarkable demo of the first-gen AirPods comes exactly 11 years after Apple showcased its first phone, a doomed collaboration with Motorola called the Rokr E1.

The just-launched Satechi OntheGo Bluetooth Keyboard with Stand is for those who need a travel keyboard for their iPad and don’t want to limit the accessory to just one tablet.

Plus, Satechi launched a new OntheGo Bluetooth Mouse at the same time.

Apple is reportedly preparing a new HomePod mini version, the first upgrade to the affordable smart speaker in five years. HomePod mini 2 rumors suggest a considerable jump in features, including support for Apple Intelligence.

Here’s what the rumors say about HomePod mini 2, which is supposedly coming soon.

If your inbox feels like a game of Whac-A-Mole, it might be time to level up with a smarter email solution like Mailbird. This sleek, intuitive unified email client lets you manage all your accounts (yes, even that old Yahoo one) from one beautifully designed app.

Right now, you can get it for a one-time price of $69.99 with a lifetime Premium Plan subscription (regularly $399). Available for Mac and Windows.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With Apple’s Awe Dropping event bearing down on us, it’s time to once again put our professional reputations (and our personal dignity) on the line with our traditional predictions game!

Who will win this time? And will a CultCast listener steal the glory once again?!?

Also on The CultCast:

• A stripped-down version of the Vision Pro, possibly called the Vision Air, could reduce the strain on users’ necks (and wallets).
• A proposed iMac Lego set is gaining supporters online. Let’s take it over the top!
• Apple wins one in court — and it’s a big one. A judge rules that the $20 billion payments that Google forks over to Apple each year can continue.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video version on YouTube.

Foundation season 3 is a huge hit for Apple TV+ with the series continuing to draw viewers as the season progresses. Fresh episodes of the sci-fi epic hit streaming  in July, and it’s one of the most popular shows available with the season finale drawing close.

Speaking of sci-fi, the Apple TV+ thriller Invasion also found a large audience last week.

KeySmart’s SmartCard Lite is a Bluetooth tracker that’s thin enough to slip into your wallet or ID badge holder.

It integrates seamlessly with Apple’s Find My app and, at just under 2mm thick (about the size of two credit cards), it slides easily into any wallet, badge holder or lanyard clip. That means no pocket bulge and no awkward fit.

Right now, you can get one of these slim wallet trackers for just $19.99 (MSRP $24.99).

September 6, 1995: The newly launched Windows 95 operating system dominates software sales, sending virtually every other company scurrying for cover — Apple included.

After launching Windows 95 at the end of August, Microsoft sells a massive 1.63 million copies of the $85 PC operating system by early September, according to excited analysts. It represents a massive triumph for Apple’s biggest rival of the 1990s.

Everyone eager to get their hands on iOS 26 should mark September 15 on their calendar as the launch day. Based on years of previous Apple OS releases, that’s almost certainly when the new Liquid Glass user interface, plus all the other enhancements in the new iPhone operating system, will debut.

The same goes for iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26. All of these should go out on September 15.

But macOS Tahoe 26 might be different. There’s evidence to suggest Apple might wait an additional week or even more for that upgrade.

If you’re planning to get a new iPhone 17 and are already making a list of must-have accessories, an iPhone 17 Ultra Thin Case from Case Luxury should be near the top. They measure just 0.02 inches thin, and they perfectly show off Apple’s renowned industrial design.

There is an Ultra Thin Case that fits each iPhone 17 model like it was built alongside it. There’s no excess bulk, no chunky edges, just a smooth, satin matte finish that keeps fingerprints away and feels grippy enough without being tacky. Plus, the cases come in multiple colors, so you can find one that’s right for you.

Need a tablet for the new school year? You can take advantage of a sweet deal on the new iPad 11 that takes $50 off the tablet’s usual price of $349. That drops the entry-level tablet with an A16 processor back to just $299, in any color you’d like.

The budget iPad, which launched in March, offers solid performance for tasks like surfing the web, streaming videos and handling email. Plus, it comes with a welcome boost over the iPad 10’s base level of storage.

Legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low gets a modern music industry twist in Highest 2 Lowest, a new Apple TV+ film from director Spike Lee that started streaming Friday. In the new Highest 2 Lowest trailer, below, we get a taste of Denzel Washington’s portrayal of a powerful New York City record exec whose son is kidnapped.

The new movie hit theaters on August 15, but now you can watch it on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer below to see what Lee and Washington have in store. Reviews so far suggest the tense drama is another great New York City film from Lee, with Washington shining in lead role.

The JBL Charge 6 portable speaker gives you quality sound, long battery life and fun extra features. It’s an easy way to take music, podcasts and calls anywhere you go.

Right now, you can grab an open-box JBL Charge 6 for just $139.99 (regularly $199.95) with free shipping.

September 5, 2007: Apple introduces its first new iPods after the release of the iPhone. The lineup includes the third-gen iPod nano, the newly renamed iPod Classic and — most significantly — the debut of the iPod touch.

In doing so, Apple sets out to demonstrate that there is still plenty of life left in its iconic portable music player.