The ear hooks keep them secure no matter how hard you push your workout. Photo: Beats
The sleek new Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds designed to stay on during workouts of any intensity only came out in February 2025. But you can already get a 20% discount. That brings down the list price from $249.99 to $199.99, a savings of $50. And that applies to all four color choices!
So maybe you buy these and that becomes your motivation to get back to the gym. Everybody wins.
The iMac G3 looked different from any other computer. Photo: Apple
May 6, 1998: Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveils the original iMac, a brightly colored, translucent computer that will help save the company. Coming just 10 months after Jobs’ new management team takes over, the iMac G3 loudly announces that the days of Apple quietly fading into the background are over.
The colorful computer marks the start of a very successful run for Cupertino.
Get four of these rugged USB-C cables for one low price. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Statik’s TsumoCharge is a durable USB-C cable that’s built to stand up to rough use. Unlike other cables, it won’t fray, get tangled beyond recognition or suddenly stop working for no reason. And right now, this tough 100W silicone charging cable costs just $39.99 for a four-pack (regularly $59.99).
What makes these durable USB-C cables different? Let’s break it down.
You can get an early-bird deal on EarFun Tune Pro headphones through May 19. Photo: EarFun
EarFun looks set to make some waves in the premium headphones market with its new Tune Pro cans. They could make devotees of AirPods Max and other fancy headphones sit up and take notice. The wireless noise-canceling Tune Pro headphones, scheduled for official release May 20, launch Tuesday with an early-bird deal bringing the already-low list price of $70 down to a stunning $49 for a limited time.
My review of these new headphones is coming soon. I’m already testing them. And I’ll just say this for now: Getting these great cans for under $50 seems like a miracle deal.
Let your computer handle sending emails. It’s what they’re good at. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You can save time — and make sure your messages always go out when they’re supposed to — when you schedule email from the Apple Mail app. You can set your mail to deliver at any date or time in the future, whether it’s next Monday at 9 a.m. sharp, in two weeks’ time or even years from now.
If you work with someone in a different time zone, you can schedule messages to arrive just when they start their workday, which is especially helpful if the allotted time is in the middle of the night for you. You can schedule a series of reminders for that one irritatingly forgetful client of yours. Or, if you work remotely, you can try (and risk) prewriting messages to your boss to maintain the illusion of regular work. You can even schedule emails to remind you of an important anniversary, years down the line.
Make music in moments with this AI music generator. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
The Supermusic AI app gives you two ways to make music. If you have a basic idea for a song, you can describe it to the AI music generator. Then just answer a few questions about the type of track you want to create, and Supermusic will craft an original song for you.
If you already have complete lyrics, even better. You can feed them into Supermusic AI to create a song around them. Keep in mind that this isn’t just a little tune. Supermusic AI generates lifelike vocals singing the lyrics you give it. Whichever way you create your songs, it only takes a moment before you can listen and share. And you can get a lifetime to Supermusic’s AI music-generating magic for just $39.97.
Switch to a free DNS server to protect your privacy. Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
You use Domain Name System (DNS) servers many times every day, even if you don’t know what they are. You can’t avoid it, and whichever one you use can track where you go on the internet. That’s why you might consider switching to the free DNS servers Surfshark just launched that promise not to track you.
Here’s how to set your iPhone, iPad and Mac to use the Surfshark DNS server. It’s free!
In addition to a Studio Display, a whole lot of small screens are mounted on stands in this MacBook Pro setup. Photo: [email protected]
Careful mounting of devices is a hallmark of light and clean computer setups because it lifts most of the gear up off the desk, making room for other gear or simply creating clean, open space. In today’s setup, the MacBook Pro sitting open on a stand is just one of three small screens, including a portable monitor, that nicely complement and expand the Studio Display.
May 5, 2003: Just a week after launching the iTunes Music Store, Apple reaches an incredible milestone with more than 1 million songs sold.
Particularly notable is the fact that more than half the songs purchased are albums. This quickly dispels fears that selling tracks individually will kill the record industry’s dominant format. In addition, more than half of the 200,000 songs initially available on iTunes get downloaded at least once.
“In less than one week we’ve broken every record and become the largest online music company in the world,” says Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a press release. “Apple has created the first complete solution for the digital music age — you can purchase your favorite music online at the iTunes Music Store, mix your favorite tracks into playlists with iTunes, and take your entire music collection with you everywhere with the super-slim new iPods.”
It’s a roaring success for Apple’s newest venture!
Replace that bulky HDMI cable with this wireless video transmitter and receiver. Photo: Nyrius
With the Nyrius Orion Prime Wireless USB-C to HDMI Video Transmitter & Receiver, you don’t need a cable to connect your MacBook, iPad or iPhone to your TV. It can send video up to 150 feet, offers HD resolution, and doesn’t require a Wi-Fi network.
Check out the Apple's latest Pride Collection wallpapers for devices. Photo: Apple
Apple showed off its 2025 Pride Collection Monday ahead of Pride Month, featuring a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band alongside matching watch faces and wallpapers for iPhone and iPad. The collection celebrates the “strength and beauty of LGBTQ+ communities around the world” with vibrant, rainbow-themed designs.
The new lineup includes three Bluetooth speakers and a set of wireless earbuds. Photo: LG
In a move that could interest Apple users looking to expand their audio options, LG Electronics unveiled its new “xboom by will.i.am” lineup of Bluetooth speakers and earbuds recently. When a big electronics maker puts out four new products at once — complete with celebrity sound engineer in the mix — it tends to grab out attention.
Slim isn’t enough for the iPhone 17 Air. Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Apple seems set to give the iPhone lineup its biggest refresh in years with a new, slender model. Possibly called the iPhone 17 Air, the rumored model reportedly will focus on slimness, like other “Air” devices in Apple’s lineup.
In my opinion, a thinner body alone won’t be enough to make it a hit. If Apple truly wants the iPhone 17 Air to stand out, it needs more than just sleek looks. Here’s what I hope to see.
Apple may follow a yearly release cycle for its foldable iPhone. AI concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Apple supposedly will switch to a two-pronged iPhone release strategy due to intense competition, especially in China. The move will give more media attention to newer models, like the upcoming iPhone Air and foldable iPhone.
In a note Monday, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted Apple will launch its second-gen foldable and the “iPhone 19 Slim” with a bigger display in H2 2027.
iPhone 18 release timeframe could have one big change. Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
Apple might rejig its iPhone release cycle in a big way in 2026, releasing high-end models in the fall and less-expensive models in the spring. If the rumor proves true, Apple would change things up to make room in its lineup for the first foldable iPhone.
Over-the-air iOS updates took iTunes out of the equation (and leveled the playing field with Android). Photo: Apple
May 4, 2011: Reports circulate that Apple is negotiating with carriers to bring over-the-air updates to iOS, beginning with iOS 5.
Such a move would free iPhone owners from using iTunes to get updates for their devices. That means no more plugging an iPhone into a computer via USB to download the latest version of iOS.
The iPhone 17 Air's thin design will come with a battery life compromise. Photo: Cult of Mac/Jon Prosser
Apple might rely on one of its old accessories to compensate for the iPhone 17 Air’s short battery life. The company reportedly will launch an iPhone 17 Air Smart Battery Case to extend the device’s runtime.
In Apple’s internal testing, the iPhone 17 Air reportedly does not last as long as other members of the iPhone 17 family. Given its focus on an ultra-slim design, this comes as no surprise.
And with Writing Tools, it can reply to your emails for you, too. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
With the new automatic mail categorization in Apple Mail, you can organize your emails and keep your personal inbox less cluttered. It’ll intelligently put all your newsletters, receipts and promotions into separate folders.
If you struggle keeping up with your inbox, this feature is a great way to make your email easier to understand at a glance.
The original Mac was a smash hit. Sort of. Photo: iFixit
May 3, 1984: Apple marks the all-important first 100 days of Mac sales, signaling whether the product launch is a hit with customers.
The results outstrip even Steve Jobs’ most optimistic targets. Unfortunately, not everything is as positive as it seems following the successful Mac launch.
Apple will use Anthropic's expertise for its vibe-coding platform. Graphics: Anthropic/Apple
Apple is using Anthropic’s AI models to build a “vibe-coding” software platform for programming. However, it may limit this platform for internal use, never releasing it publicly.
The Cupertino giant will partner with the young AI startup on this project.
Apple makes moving images and video from iPhone to iPad via a cable quick and easy. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Now that both iPhone and iPad have USB-C ports, transferring video and images between them can be easily done by connecting them with a cable, without mucking about with wireless transfers.
It’s easy, and brings some advantages over AirDrop. Most notably, iPhone Pro 15/16 users get a big speed boost.
Genmoji can fit every occasion. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Using Apple’s Genmoji, you can create custom emoji when you can’t find the exact right one to express yourself nonverbally. The Apple Intelligence feature generates emoji on the fly based on your descriptions.
Finally, you can enhance your conversations about ostriches or shovels or tissue boxes with your own custom emoji. Or make an emoji that matches your pet, like a white cat or a Pomeranian dog. You can even make emoji versions of people you know.
The iPhone App Store won’t be quite the same. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple changed its App Store rules late Thursday to allow third-party iPhone application developers to steer customers toward their own websites to make purchases. The move comes after a years-long delay in complying with a court order.
The alteration in the rules should result in many iPhone apps allowing customers to pay for services and subscriptions without giving Apple a cut. Streaming music service Spotify became one of the first to take advantage of this major change to the App Store. The modification gives customers more buying options, and the hope is that this will save them money.
Apple's first watch was ... well, just a watch, actually. Photo: Jonathan Morrison
May 2, 1995: Apple enters the wearables space with its first watch. However, the first Apple watch is a timepiece with no fitness-tracking tech, no on-screen notifications and a whole lot of 1990s styling.
The device comes two decades before wearables actually will become a thing. A regular wristwatch, the freebie gadget is available via a special mail-in offer to Mac OS upgraders.