Apple sometimes mixes up connector types among devices, and that might confuse people even more over the differences between USB-C and Thunderbolt. The connectors look alike, work similarly and accept the same cables. Yet they’re not the same.

Let’s look at the key differences, how the ascendant Thunderbolt 5 improves on Thunderbolt 4, and which kind of port and cable best suits your tasks like charging and data transfer.

July 20, 2007: Just a month after the original iPhone goes on sale, the first third-party app gets compiled and launched for the new platform. The Hello World app serves more as a proof of concept than a serious tool. However, it clearly demonstrates that third-party apps will become a cornerstone of the new iPhone economy.

It’s a shame Apple doesn’t get the memo.

Apple’s 2025 iPad Pro will reportedly sport dual front-facing cameras and Face ID scanners to address a major limitation in the previous version of the tablet: its struggles to work in portrait mode.

Last year, the company repositioned the front camera on the M4 iPad Pro to a landscape orientation, which solved some problems but caused others. Apple allegedly has a solution, though.

With a foldable iPhone widely rumored for 2026, the next version of iOS will concentrate on a user interface revamp needed for the new type of device, according to a noted tipster. iOS 27 will apparently need to handle two screens with different resolutions, for example.

July 19, 2004: The fourth-generation iPod brings neat innovations to the popular audio device, including the Click Wheel interface recently introduced on the iPod mini.

“The best digital music player just got better,” says Steve Jobs in a press release on the day the product launches. And yet some people feel disappointed by the upgraded music player.

Tech travel accessories have become essential companions for modern travelers who rely on their Apple and other devices for everything from navigation to entertainment. Ever found yourself with a dead iPhone in a foreign country or frantically searching for your AirPods before boarding a flight? These scenarios can quickly stress-bomb an exciting trip. Peruse our guide to learn about the best tech gifts for travelers (whether that’s you or someone else in your life!)

You can get a temporary debit card number to pay with Apple Cash online in case you want to pay with your balance on a site that doesn’t accept Apple Pay. If you have a lot of money sitting in your Apple Cash account, this can be a convenient way to pay without using your other cards. (It’s also handy if you don’t have any credit or debit cards from other banks.)

In case it’s unclear, Apple Cash is what you receive when someone sends you money via iMessage. It’s not to be confused with the other products with similar names. Apple Card is a highly rated credit card you can apply for. (It’s a physical card, made of titanium.) Apple Card Savings is a high-interest savings account for people with a physical Apple Card. And Apple Pay is a payment method (secured by Face ID, Touch ID or your device’s passcode) that lets you pay with credit/debit cards from other banks.

Previously, you could only pay with your Apple Cash via Apple Pay (or transfer it to your bank). Now, you can tie your Apple Cash to a virtual card number to pay using your Apple Cash balance online. Here’s how to set it up.

It’s annoying getting notifications that you’re almost out of storage on your phone or computer. But you can quit playing that ridiculous game with one of the cheapest cloud storage deals around. With this lifetime Koofr plan, you can free up space on your iPhone, Mac or iPad with cloud storage accessible from an unlimited number of devices.

Koofr offers this discounted 1TB cloud storage plan with a lifetime subscription you can’t beat. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to Koofr cloud storage for just $119.97 with code KOOFR.

Guess what, it’s time for another installment of Dave’s Setup Upgrades. Only about six weeks after I last wrote about my own computer setup instead of everybody else’s, here I go again. An M4 Pro MacBook Pro driving a pair of 5K touchscreen displays remains the core of my rig. But I’ve gone a little nuts lately with computer input devices as I strive for a more ergonomic workstation. I’m up to four, with backups for most, and that’s got to be some kind of record.

And I added a webcam because my current external displays don’t pack one. And my laptop, with its only-pretty-good webcam, sits hidden away on a vertical stand. I don’t want to have to pull it out for video calls.

Those needing to keep track of something living a tough life should consider the Rolling Square AirNotch Pro. It does the same thing as an Apple AirTag, but beats Apple’s tracker tag with sheer volume and a few other tricks, too.

It’s rugged, and connects to Apple’s Find My network so no additional app is needed to locate the tag with an iPhone.

I tested AirNotch Pro for months. Here’s what I found.

July 18, 1994: Apple launches the Quadra, LC and Performa 630 Macintoshes, three similar computers with slight differences tailored for the professional, educational and home markets. Aimed at multimedia use, the new 630 series Macs bring innovative hardware and software at a much more affordable price than previous Apple computers.

Apple sued notorious leaker Jon Prosser and an associate Thursday, alleging that they concocted a “scheme to break into an Apple development iPhone, steal Apple’s trade secrets, and profit from the theft.”

Prosser published several renders showcasing iOS 26’s rumored visionOS-inspired glassy redesign months before WWDC25. While not completely accurate, his leaks proved pretty much on point regarding the look of the Liquid Glass design language of Apple’s upcoming operating systems.

The AAA game Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition hit Mac on Thursday. The graphically intensive action role-playing game earned a lengthy list of awards since its original debut on other platforms in 2020.

CD Projekt Red committed itself to the release last fall, saying at the time the game would be out in early 2025. The wait was longer than expected, but is finally over.

On World Emoji Day, it’s time to give some respect to the little digital images used to express emotion. A new study shows that people who use emojis in their text messages come across as more responsive and likable.

So if you always just 🙄 at emojis, you should think seriously about using them instead.

Struggling trying to figure out the best way to edit PDFs? Thanks to the PDF Editor ,PDF Book Reader ® app for Mac, iPhone and other Apple devices, editing and managing PDF documents doesn’t need to break the bank — or frazzle your mind.

It’s a great all-in-one PDF app — and Cult of Mac readers can get a free one-year subscription.

Apple Arcade subscribers can now enjoy special SpongeBob SquarePants content across multiple games on the platform — if they’re into that fishy sort of thing. The gaming service continues its strategy of bringing beloved characters to its exclusive titles. The latest crossover events feature the iconic Nickelodeon character in Snake.io+, Crossy Road Castle and an updated SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit game.

Said Phil Schiller, Apple fellow and former SVP for worldwide product marketing, in a post on Mastodon Social: “Jumping Jellyfish!”

Apple gave its News+ subscribers an unexpected treat Thursday. It rolled out the new Emoji Game on Apple News+ ahead of schedule to celebrate World Emoji Day. Originally slated to debut with iOS 26 this September, the puzzle game is now available for users running iOS 18.4 and later versions.

“Emoji Game is the perfect addition to the Apple News+ suite of word and number puzzles, turning the emoji we use every day into a brainteaser that’s approachable and fun,” said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News.

July 17, 2002: Apple ships a new super-sized iMac G4 with a 17-inch widescreen LCD display that becomes the envy of most computer users at the time.

“The best consumer desktop just got even better,” says Apple CEO Steve Jobs of the company’s new all-in-one computer in a press release. “Having this gorgeous 17-inch flat screen floating in mid-air right in front of you is simply breathtaking. There’s nothing like it in the PC world.”

He wasn’t wrong!

World Emoji Day happens on July 17 every year — but why? The holiday’s story takes a circuitous path through Apple history, tying together Mac OS X Jaguar, calendar software, Japanese cellphone carriers, Macworld Expo and Emojipedia creator Jeremy Burge.

ChatGPT for Mac can now record and transcribe your meetings. The feature, which went live in early June, is now rolling out to the Mac app.

Besides meetings, you can use ChatGPT’s record mode for transcribing voice notes and brainstorming sessions.

Contrary to previous rumors, a new report says Apple will equip the iPhone 17 Pro with a new antireflective display. The coating will help cut down on glare and unwanted reflections, making the device easier to use — especially outside on sunny days.

Apple suppliers seemingly improved their yields enough to allow mass production of the antireflective displays for use in the upcoming iPhones.

The new Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock Chroma promises to transform how Mac users connect their devices while delivering blazing-fast data speeds, support for massive SSD storage expansion, expanded display capabilities and RGB lighting, the gaming peripherals giant said Wednesday. Priced at $399.99, the dock stands in the first wave of major accessories to fully embrace Intel’s latest Thunderbolt 5 standard.

“The Razer Thunderbolt 5 Dock is designed to meet the growing need for faster data transfer and robust multi-display support,” said Travis Furst, notebooks and accessories chief at Razer.

July 16, 2014: Apple agrees to pay $450 million to resolve the Department of Justice’s antitrust case against the company over e-book pricing in the iBooks Store. In the e-books lawsuit, Apple stood accused of conspiring with five major book publishers to fix prices on digital books.

After all five publishers settled their claims outside of court, Apple became the only one to go to trial. The e-books lawsuit settlement closes the book on a bad chapter in Apple history.

I love the “before” and “after” setups posts with photos on social media. Today’s is on the basic side, but it’s always fun to see clear visuals of what people do. In this one, an iMac toiling away for eight years gets judged into well-deserved retirement by Apple’s hot little M4 desktop machine on a Satechi Mac mini hub that greatly expands connectivity and storage. With the iMac’s lovely screen gone, the new rig is a Dell-4K-display-Mac-mini combo.

Multiple iPhone models might be blocked from import into the United States. The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that one of the companies that makes displays for iOS handsets infringes on the patents of another, and products that use the infringing displays face an import ban.

President Donald Trump has the option to veto the ban, however.