A new battle brews in the tech world as major app developers band together to challenge Apple and Google’s control over the mobile ecosystem, according to a new report. Meta, Match and Spotify join forces against Apple and Google, forming a lobbying coalition aimed at influencing policy around age verification requirements and addressing long-standing grievances about app store practices.

“Everything starts with a dream,” goes an old saying — and it even applies to computer setups. Today’s attractive and highly functional M4 Pro MacBook Pro, Mac mini and Studio Display setup amounts to a dream for its owner. But in expressing that dream on social media, its owner found commenters had plenty to say about their versions of “an Apple fan’s dream setup.”

The GameSir X5 Lite is the game controller for those who’ve hoped for a truly affordable way to add physical buttons and sticks to their iPhone. It costs a fraction of the price of its chief rival.

But don’t call it cheap. The accessory includes Hall Effect sticks plus a full set of the buttons and triggers needed for cloud gaming or on-device apps.

I enjoyed my time testing the GameSir X5 Lite — read the full review to find out why.

Want your videos to go viral ASAP? You need AI-generated captions. Joyspace is a powerful, easy-to-use solution that lets creators of all levels add stunning, brand-ready captions to videos and podcasts with just a few clicks.

And right now, you can get lifetime access to Joyspace for just $79.99 (regularly $379), with no recurring fees.

You can now access Meta AI through a dedicated iPhone app, bringing the Llama AI assistant right to your fingertips. Until now, you could only access Meta AI through WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.

Meta calls the app a first step toward creating a “more personal AI experience.”

Put a Satechi OntheGo 3-in-1 Charger on a hotel nightstand and it’s ready to juice up your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all at once. When it’s time to go, it folds up into a travel-friendly shape.

There’s also a 2-in-1 version, and both hit store shelves on Tuesday.

Apple’s redesigned Photos app in iOS 18 brings the biggest changes ever to how you browse your pictures, videos and memories on your iPhone. Gone are the separate tabs across the bottom. Now the Photos app delivers a single, scrollable view. Scroll up to see your library; scroll down to sort through albums, people and memories.

It takes some getting used to — and the big changes are driving some people absolutely insane. To get a grip on all the changes, you need to learn where to find your recently saved images, deleted photos and your album of hidden photos.

Here’s how it works.

With zero fanfare Apple launched a new website Tuesday called “Snapshot.” It appears they designed it as a discovery platform for fans to learn more about celebrities across Apple’s ecosystem of services, like Apple TV+, Apple Music and Apple Podcasts.

While the concept shows promise, the execution leaves much to be desired in its current form because it’s so limited.

The new Maono DM40 Pro Wireless Gaming Microphone brings professional-grade audio quality and cool features like AI voice effects, the company said Tuesday. Also sporting Apple-esque design sensibilities, the new mic looks like a great companion for your Mac gaming and streaming setup. And you can get 10% off right now, too.

The M4 Mac mini stands out as one of the best value-for-money Macs in Apple’s lineup. But it’s not perfect, with the lack of an SD card slot and USB-A ports being two major annoyances. Satechi’s Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure aims to address these flaws while offering a way to expand storage on the cheap.

That’s a bold pitch. So, does the accessory deliver? Here’s what I found.

Treblab’s X-Open wireless earbuds prove you don’t need to pay a high price for premium wireless audio. These open earbuds deliver all-day comfort, crystal-clear sound and a surprisingly impressive feature set for just $39.99 (regularly $99.97) with free shipping.

With one great Anker charger deal — or maybe two or three — you can cover most if not all of your device-charging needs. That’s because accessories powerhouse Anker offers an array of deals on charging combos like power banks bundled with cables or pairs of different chargers bundled together at up to 10% off through June 30. So with one purchase, you can save up to $55 and get two products at once. Whether you want to save even more with additional purchases is up to you. See the deals below.

You can manually add a workout to Apple Fitness+ if you need to log some exercise while you weren’t wearing your Apple Watch. Maybe your watch ran out of battery at the start of your run, or maybe you simply forgot to turn it on. By adding a missing workout, you can give yourself credit for the exercise you did.

This power could be used for evil as well as good. You could, hypothetically, say you ran a three-hour marathon every day last week. But you would only be fooling yourself.

To find out how to add a workout to Apple Fitness+, watch our short video or keep reading below.

The iPhone 17 Pro will reportedly miss out on a key display upgrade. Apple seems set to skip the planned anti-reflective coating on its next Pro iPhones.

Apple offers a similar nano-texture coating as an optional upgrade on the MacBook Pro lineup.

iPhones are, by definition, wireless devices, but a connection via Ethernet adapter brings speed, security and reliability. Fortunately, adding a wired internet connection to your iPhone is very easy.

Here’s how.

OK, today’s MacBook setup doesn’t actually live in a camera and Lego museum like the headline on this post suggests — but close enough. The user is clearly a collector. The sheer number of cameras on display is impressive, and the Lego Star Wars spaceships flying up high on a shelf in the photo inspire some awe, too. And it’s not every day we see a dual-MacBook setup with both mounted open on stands, either.

Celebrated Apple TV+ shows Slow Horses, Bad Sisters and The Velveteen Rabbit won BAFTA Television Craft Awards at a ceremony Sunday in London. Espionage thriller Slow Horses nabbed two while the others took home one apiece.

BAFTA’s craft awards are similar to technical Emmy and Oscars awards, bestowed separately from the main awards. The main BAFTA awards ceremony takes place May 11.

Confused about which Apple Watch to buy? With Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch SE currently vying for your wallet’s attention, it all depends on what you want out of a smartwatch — and how much you’re willing to pay.

This buying guide breaks down what each Apple Watch does best, helping you match your needs (and budget) with the right device, whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, an outdoor adventurer or simply looking for a reliable, everyday smartwatch.

Forget having to find a wall outlet to charge your phone, or even using a cable to connect an external battery pack. To charge your phone in real luxury is to enjoy fast charging, totally wire-free. And one of the best options we’ve found to enjoy just that is the Speedy Mag Wireless Charger for iPhone.

Usually $119.95, you can grab it right now for only $34.97. But this price drop won’t last forever.

Today’s featured computer setup pretty much has it all in terms of enviable gear, though it could use better lighting. Its M1 Max Mac Studio may not be the latest Apple M-series desktop, but it’s still formidable. And it drives a Pro Display XDR, perhaps the ultimate external monitor. And the setup even excels at the little things, including great audio gear and a pair of illuminated pegboard stands I’ve never seen before.

There are a few useful things you can do with an old Apple Watch after you upgrade to a new one. You might think of the Apple Watch as being a disposable product — because who would wear two watches? But there are actually quite a few surprising use cases for having a daily Apple Watch and a secondary watch.

Keep reading or watch our latest video.

Sitting all day is terrible for your long-term health, so break timer app Moova helps you sneak in exercise breaks. It offers more than 200 targeted exercises for battling stiffness, aches, RSI, bad posture and general low energy — without throwing off your daily routine.

Simple, effective and customizable, it’s an easy way to start feeling better ASAP. You don’t even need to set aside a ton of cash for monthly fees, either. You can grab a lifetime subscription for just $79.99 from Cult of Mac Deals (regularly $164.97).

Image Wand is a new feature in Apple Notes that turns rough sketches into full images — and creates images from scratch based on text prompts. Granted, it’s powered by Image Playground, so the imagery it creates isn’t exactly state of the art. Apple’s image-making tools still lag other AI systems. But if you’re a struggling artist, it may improve your squiggles.

Image Wand is part of Apple Intelligence, the growing set of AI features that work on the latest iPhones, Macs and iPads. It runs entirely on-device, so you don’t have to worry about usage limits, tokens or setting up accounts.

Check out how Image Wand works in the article below, or watch our quick video.

In a major supply chain shift, Apple plans to move the production of all iPhones sold in the United States to India by the end of 2026. This move should allow the company to avoid the extra tariffs the U.S. government imposed on China amid escalating trade tensions.

In another significant leadership reshuffle at Apple, a little-known robotics team will soon move from AI chief John Giannandrea’s oversight to John Ternus, Apple’s senior VP of Hardware Engineering, according to a new report Thursday.

This shift follows last month’s decision to remove Siri from Giannandrea’s responsibilities after concerns about execution on product development.