Apple on Monday introduced a new iPad Air powered by its M4 chip, upgrading the silicon in its midrange tablet to narrow the performance gap with the iPad Pro. In addition, the device comes with more RAM that’s also faster, plus new wireless networking chips that support Wi-Fi 7.

“iPad Air gives users more ways than ever to be creative and productive, offering powerful performance and incredible versatility to help them turn their ideas into reality,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of worldwide product marketing, in a press release. “With its blazing performance thanks to M4, incredible AI capabilities, and game-changing iPadOS 26 features, there’s never been a better time to choose or upgrade to iPad Air.”

Apple launched the iPhone 17e on Monday, offering a new option for those who want a premium smartphone that won’t empty their bank account. The base version offers twice as much storage capacity as its predecessor, makes the jump to the latest Apple A19 processor and adds full support for MagSafe accessories.

“iPhone 17e combines powerful performance and features our users love at an exceptional value, making it a compelling option for customers looking to upgrade to the iPhone 17 family,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of worldwide iPhone product marketing, in a press release. “We know our customers want a product that will last, and iPhone 17e delivers just that. With A19 for incredible performance, double the entry storage, a smarter camera system, and enhanced durability, iPhone 17e is designed to stay fast, secure, and valuable for years to come.”

March 1, 1991: Apple introduces the Apple IIe Card, a $199 peripheral that lets users turn Macs into fully functioning Apple IIe computers.

The ability to emulate the popular Apple IIe on a Mac brings Apple’s two operating systems side by side for the first time. While not quite the equivalent of Apple letting you run iOS on a Mac today, it’s not a world away.

Soundcore unveiled its new Space 2 over-ear headphones at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Sunday. Aimed squarely at travelers and commuters, Space 2 combines advanced noise cancellation, extended battery life and personalized sound tuning — all at a price point that undercuts many competitors — $129.99.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s prepping to launch something Monday, but who knows what? We put our professional reputations on the line once again with predictions about what’s coming next week, including the “special Apple Experience” set for March 4.

Writer, developer and Accidental Tech Podcast host Casey Liss joins us for our fun Apple predictions game — and you can play along, too!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• The cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro became a big hit, so Apple might deliver more bold colors in this year’s model. Still, the reporting on this so far is a little weird.
• Apple’s plan to tweak macOS for the first touchscreen MacBook Pros sounds like typical Cupertino cleverness.
• Griffin goes over the new features in the latest iOS 26.4 beta.
• Casey gives us an overview of Callsheet, his app for movie and TV fans that “aims to be a not-crappy version of the IMDb app.”
• We discuss another ortholinear keyboard in yet another interesting setup.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 live stream, embedded below.

CareerSprinter Pro gives you lifetime access to AI-powered resume, interview and salary tools that help you job hunt smarter and move your career forward with confidence — for a one-time payment of $49.99.

February 28, 2006: Apple introduces an upgraded Mac mini, an affordable computer powered by an Intel processor.

A “headless” Mac for entry-level users, it’s the third Apple computer to switch to Intel chips. Oh, and it makes one heckuva media player when plugged into a television set.

If you’re tired of your kids’ or partner’s music polluting your music recommendations and history, there’s a solution. While Apple Music does not offer a built-in private mode, you can make your own using a Focus mode.

Turn on a special Focus mode, and Apple Music will ignore all the songs, artists and albums that play next.

It’s even possible to enable your private mode when you connect to a specific Bluetooth speaker, like a living room sound system. Or when you enter a specific location, like work. Here’s how to set it up — keep reading or watch our quick video.

UPDATED: As expected, Apple launched the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro or M5 Max processors on Tuesday. Learn all about it:

• MacBook Pros with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips deliver major performance leap

The whole point of upgrading the MacBook Pro with the new M5 Pro or M5 Max processors is to boost performance. Although Apple has yet to announce the new high-speed chip variants, we can still make solid estimates of the increase to be expected. Spoiler alert: WOW.

Here’s the hefty CPU and GPU performance jumps to expect from the upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max processors.

Ever wondered how closed-back and open-back headphones differ? Is one or the other better for your uses in your computer setup and elsewhere? What the heck is “impedance?”

I recently experimented with both open- and closed-back cans in my evolving setup. I’ve laid out all the considerations and key differences for you below. And you can find my gear in the links list at the bottom of this article.

The giant monster action of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters returned on Friday with season two stomping onto Apple TV. The series is set in the MonsterVerse that includes Godzilla and other kaiju, with Kong taking a giant-size role in the season that just premiered. Plus there’s a new Titan X to battle with.

Watch the new season two now on Apple TV, or get caught up with season one.

The new Aliro 1.0 communication protocol and credential standard could fundamentally change how iPhone users interact with smart locks, the Connectivity Standards Alliance said Thursday upon release of the specification. And it will affect usage not just at home, but in places like offices, hotels, colleges and apartment buildings. 

UPDATED: As expected, Apple launched the MacBook Neo on Wednesday. Learn all about it:

• A18 Pro-powered MacBook Neo brings power at lowest price ever

There’s huge anticipation for the budget MacBook that’s rumored to launch soon. But a critical question about the laptop has yet to be answered: Just how much will it cost? We already know it’ll be the most affordable macOS notebook ever, and there’s plenty of speculation about the exact cost.

There’s definitely a level that the price cannot go above if Apple wants the low-cost MacBook to succeed. Trouble is, the ongoing AI boom might force Apple to increase the cost of the device above its original plan. That raises questions about how successful the budget laptop will be.

February 27, 1998: Apple discontinues work on the Newton MessagePad product line, the series of personal digital assistants the company launched five years earlier. It also stops development work on Newton OS, the operating system that the devices run upon.

“This decision is consistent with our strategy to focus all our software development resources on extending the Macintosh operating system,” Apple’s interim CEO Steve Jobs says in a press release. “To realize our ambitious plans we must focus all of our efforts in one direction.”

The iPhone and iPad are the first consumer devices to meet the information assurance standards set by NATO member nations. As a result, the devices can be used to handle classified information up to the NATO Restricted level without the need for specialized software or additional configuration, the company said Thursday.

“Apple has built the most secure devices in the world for all its users, and those same protections are now uniquely certified under assurance requirements for NATO nations — unlike any other device in the industry,” said Ivan Krstić, Apple’s vice president of security engineering and architecture, in a press release.

Apple is in advanced talks with major banks and global card networks to bring Apple Pay to India, potentially by mid 2026 — a move that could significantly expand the iPhone maker’s footprint in the world’s most populous country.

Adding storage space to your iPhone is easy — you just need the right SSD. I’ve tested ones that work with Apple’s handset and found three standout options for holding gigabytes of images, video and more without massively bulking up the handset.

So here are the best SSDs for your iPhone. All you need to do now is decide whether you want the tiny drive to emphasize speed, security or affordability.

Star City is an ambitious new Apple TV drama set in the Soviet space program. It expands the alternate-history universe established by the streamer’s acclaimed series For All Mankind. And the new show got the “first-look” treatment Thursday, when Apple sent out a new photo to get fans excited about the premiere of Star City season one.

 The eight-episode series debuts May 29 with two episodes, followed by one new episode each Friday through July 10.

Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed Thursday what had previously been rumored: The company will launch new products starting Monday, March 2.

The graphic he posted on X hints at the new MacBooks that are expected to be among the announcements. Beyond notebooks, the iPhone 17e, revamped iPads and possibly more could all be unveiled in just a few days.

February 26, 2008: Less than five years after launching, the iTunes Music Store becomes the No. 2 music retailer in the United States, second only to Walmart.

In that relatively short period, iTunes sells more than 4 billion songs to more than 50 million customers. The rapid rise to prominence stands as a massive achievement for Apple — and for the revolutionary digital distribution model Cupertino helped pioneer.

It’s easy to lose track of your projects when all your ideas and notes are scattered across different apps. If you want a simpler way to get organized, try Hive AI. This browser-based workspace pulls documents, visual boards and structured data into one place — and adds AI tools to help you clean things up faster.

It’s part workspace, part AI-integrated project manager, and it’s great for working alone or collaborating with others. Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to Hive AI for just $79 (regularly $619).

Never shy about making keyboards that look as good as they perform, Keychron just pushed that idea into genuinely unexpected territory. Launched Tuesday, the K2 HE Special Edition comes in two versions — one with a body made entirely of concrete, and one cast in resin. Both cost $199.99.

“Mechanical keyboards have advanced significantly in switch engineering, but enclosure materials have remained largely unchanged,” said Keychron co-founder Paul Tan. “With K2 HE Special Edition, we applied magnetic switch performance to a material-driven redesign, expanding how a keyboard can look and feel.”

AI writing tools work wonders, but AI detectors can flag your content if it leans too heavily on robo-prose. If you want your AI writing to be undetectable, you must edit all that content yourself, but it takes time to add the human touch. Sometimes, there just isn’t room in the schedule, but that’s OK. There’s a robot for that, too. You can use an AI humanizer like Undetectable Humanizer.

The Undetectable Humanizer transforms your AI-generated text into natural, human-like prose to help it bypass AI detection systems. This tool is a great get for writers, content creators and business owners who need to save as much time as they can when creating engaging content. A lifetime subscription to this effective AI humanizer’s pro plan is on sale now for $139.99 (regularly $2,880).

The Anker Nano Charger (45W, Smart Display, 180° Foldable) — that’s its actual name — is the smartest wall charger I’ve ever used. It recognizes my iPhone and iPad when I plug them in and even displays the device’s current battery level.

I can set it to quickly or slowly juice up my device, helping to protect its battery. Or order it to slow charge my handset overnight.

Here’s why I love Anker’s tiny new charger after testing it for several weeks.

February 25, 1981: Original Apple CEO Michael Scott oversees a mass firing of employees, then holds a massive party. The Apple layoffs follow a hiring boom that led to what Scott called a “bozo explosion” at the company. They also stand as an early sign that the fun startup culture of Apple’s early days are gone forever.

“I used to say that when being CEO at Apple wasn’t fun anymore, I’d quit,” he tells a crowd of Apple staffers. “But now I’ve changed my mind — when being CEO isn’t fun anymore, I’ll just fire people until it is fun again.”

For many people at Apple, the day is the worst in the company’s history.