August 15, 1998: The original iMac — Apple’s brightly colored, translucent Macintosh relaunch — goes on sale to a rabid audience. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs‘ first major new product since returning to Cupertino, the internet-ready iMac G3 line will cement his legacy as a forward-thinking tech visionary.

The all-in-one computer also introduces the world to the design talents of Jony Ive — and pretty much saves Apple in the process.

Just another day at the office, eh?

The Winmaxle Mobdel B1 can be a physical keyboard for typing on your iPhone, harking back to the days of the BlackBerry. And because it’s also a motion-sensitive mouse, you can use it with your iPad, too. Either way, it’s a handy little gizmo.

I found multiple uses for the wireless keyboard while I was testing it. But I also ran into a limitation that made it not as useful with my iPad as I hoped.

BabyPNG is an image compressor that lets you shrink file sizes without degrading the quality of your images. This tool expertly handles JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, TIFF and SVG formats with batch compression (up to 50 images per day), with support for modern browsers across macOS, iOS and iPadOS.

It’s perfect for creators and online publishers who want leaner files, faster loading and smoother scrolling for their sites. And right now, the BabyPNG Solo Plan — once priced at a jaw-dropping $300 — is on sale for only $19.99. That one-time payment lands you lifelong access to this easy-to-use image compressor.

A big trend in recent years in Cult of Mac‘s setups coverage has been ever-increasing displays — either bigger ones, more of them or both. Sometimes it seems like an arms race to create the most NASA-Mission-Control wall of screens ever. But sometimes it’s not about size, but variety and convenience, including portable monitors and device screens. Take a look at our best-multi-monitor-setup workstations below, along with top displays and other gear that makes them tick.

Streaming Friday (or really Thursday night, per typical Apple TV+ practice), Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical — the first Peanuts musical in more than three decades — sees Charlie Brown and the gang trying to save their beloved summer camp from going bust. And the music part is no joke here, featuring songs from singer-songwriter Ben Folds and other award-winning composers. Watch the recent trailer below.

Reviews so far seem quite positive. The New York Times talked about the show’s “new direction,” depicting Charlie Brown’s triumph while celebrating Charles M. Schulz’s legacy 25 years after his death and 75 years after the birth of his iconic comic strip. Nerds that Geek calls the musical numbers “a real treat.” The San Francisco Chronicle said it “charms with heart and songs” and “hits the right notes.”

Apple released new system software for iPhone and Apple Watch on Thursday to return blood oxygen sensing to all Apple Watch users, removing a limitation that irritated many in the United States. Americans missing the feature can install iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 now.

There’s also an iPadOS 18.6.1 update, but there are no fresh updates to macOS, tvOS or visionOS.

If you have a family, odds are you share a house, furniture, car and more. But you might not give as much attention to what you share in your digital lives, even if your digital pictures and purchases are equally valuable. Luckily, Apple Family Sharing makes it easy to share photos, movies, apps and more.

It just takes a little bit of setup to share iCloud’s fantastic Family Sharing feature. Here are the top six benefits of using it.

August 14, 1991: As Apple and Microsoft head to court to battle each other, the tide begins to turn against Cupertino and its claims that Windows unlawfully copies the look and feel of Mac OS. A judge’s ruling calls into question the basic tenet of Apple’s copyright lawsuit against Microsoft over Windows 2.03.

The case concerns whether key elements of Apple’s operating system are original enough for copyright protection. The decision turns out to be a major blow against Apple — and the start of the company’s 1990s decline.

A redesigned blood oxygen measurement capability will arrive Thursday for Apple Watch models that lost access to the feature due to a patent dispute.

Apple found a workaround that involves the Apple Watch testing the user’s blood oxygenation level, then displaying the reading on a paired iPhone.

Update: Apple released iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 with the promised workaround.

Apple plans an ambitious return to artificial intelligence hardware with a slate of new devices, headlined by a tabletop robot designed to serve as an interactive AI companion, according to a new report. Cult of Mac reported on the “Pixar Lamp” robot and its physical motions before, but new information indicates a new version of Siri could make it surprisingly human-like in its interactions with people.

This iPhone 15 Pro Max refurbished deal puts one of the most advanced devices Apple has ever built into your hands for just $769.99. Crafted from aerospace-grade titanium, this like-new iPhone is incredibly durable yet remarkably lightweight — a combination you’ll appreciate every time you pick it up.

Apple utilized the same alloy used in spacecraft to build this killer phone. So, whether you’re commuting, traveling or just juggling a busy day, you’ve got a phone built for the long haul. Grab a refurbished iPhone 15 Pro Max for just $769.99 before our inventory runs out.

Apple will reportedly expand the use of custom chips in its future devices. This will start with the upcoming iPhone 17 Air using its in-house modem.

The M5 MacBook Air will allegedly then follow, using a new in-house wireless chip, likely combining Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality into one.

The 2026 version of the budget iPad will be able to use Apple Intelligence thanks to an A18 processor, according to information leaking out of Apple. And the next Apple TV 4K refresh could feature Apple’s A17 Pro chip. The company is working on an iPad mini update with an A19 Pro chip, too.

Internal code accidentally shared by Apple revealed key details about these upcoming devices and their processor upgrades.

This sale drops the price of a massive 20TB of Internxt cloud storage to less than $500 — for life! Just pay once, and you’ll never need to worry about juggling files between devices.

It’s a simple solution to a modern problem, without the usual monthly fee. Jump on this deal now to secure a 20TB lifetime subscription, which usually costs $4,900, for just $499.99.

As Apple seeks to establish a stronger foothold in the connected-home market, it works on an ambitious lineup of home security devices that include smart cameras and a facial-recognition doorbell that can unlock doors, according to new report Wednesday.

There’s skepticism about the low-cost MacBook that’s reportedly launching soon because it reportedly will run on an Apple A18 processor — the same one in current iPhones. But this chip is more powerful than you might realize.

I compared the performance of the A18 to Apple’s M-series Mac chips, and I think you’ll be surprised by how well the iPhone processor performed.

Quartiles is a daily word-building game for Apple News+ subscribers. It’s fun, with a clean interface and no ads. If you want to score maximum points each day, you’ll need to know how to play Quartiles and all the tips and tricks you need to succeed.

Here’s how to play Quartiles — keep reading below or watch our instructional video.

One of the better pairs of on-ear headphones you can get is now half off at Amazon — Beats Solo 4. The current $99.95 price doesn’t beat what I paid during Prime Day in July, but my miracle deal was only $2 cheaper! And I have zero regrets.

Seriously, these little cans for less than $100 makes for a great deal anytime.

August 13, 2002: Apple unveils the final face-lift for its Power Mac G4, the Mirrored Drive Doors model.

The distinctive-looking computer borrows visually from the previous QuickSilver G4, released a year earlier. However, it adds a different front panel, with a mirrorlike finish for the media drive doors. It’s the last visual redesign of Apple’s Power Mac G4.

You can be excused if you don’t know off the top of your head how many external monitors your MacBook supports. The number varies by model, processor version, and even whether the laptop is open or closed. Still, there’s a good chance it’s more than you think.

Now that notebooks with the new M4 family of processors are available, here’s an updated guide to how many external screens you can attach to your MacBook.

Apple may charge an extra $50 for the iPhone 17 Pro. But it could also finally increase the 128GB base storage in favor of a roomier option.

A $50 price bump means the iPhone 17 Pro will cost $1,050 in the U.S. before taxes.

Don’t set your heart on a MacBook Pro with a speedy new Apple M5 processor under the Christmas tree this year. A growing body of evidence indicates the next version of Apple’s premier laptop won’t arrive until 2026.

But the M5 processor should be available before then.

Plugable created the TBT-UDM Thunderbolt 4 dock with Apple users in mind. It offers more than a dozen ports — including dual 4K HDMI — in an aluminum chassis intended to blend into Mac setups.

Just as importantly, it launched Tuesday at a price lower than usual for a Thunderbolt dock.

You might only use the Mac’s built-in Preview app when you need to read a PDF or zoom in on a picture, but there’s much more to the software than meets the eye. It’s a pretty handy image editor for Mac, too.

In this how-to, I’ll go over six features that will let you make the most of Preview, a handy tool that’s an overlooked benefit to using a Mac. I have three tips for working with documents and three for editing pictures.

August 12, 1981: The launch of the IBM Personal Computer ignites a long-running Apple-versus-PC rivalry.

Secure in the Apple II’s technical superiority over the new PC, Apple welcomes International Business Machines to the personal computing party in a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal. Things won’t stay positive for long, though.