The iTunes Music Store revolutionized the music industry. Photo: Apple
April 28, 2003: Apple opens the iTunes Music Store, revolutionizing the music industry and digital distribution of content.
At a time when getting music online mostly means illegal downloads from pirate services like Napster, iTunes quickly proves that customers will pay for songs — provided the service is good enough.
After a battle with Apple over Mac clones, this T-shirt is all Psystar will be selling. Image: Psystar
April 27, 2008: Psystar’s first Mac clones ship to customers. The company’s new Open Computer means that, for the first time since the mid-1990s, there’s no need to assemble a “hackintosh” to run OS X on a non-Apple computer.
Unlike previous clone Macs, however, Psystar’s low-priced computers don’t come with Cupertino’s blessing. Naturally, a fight ensues.
Never worry about running out of storage (or money) again. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you want a reliable place to keep your photos, videos and other files, try Internxt Cloud Storage’s 10TB cloud storage plan. Instead of paying Apple or Google every month for a little extra space, you can get 10TB of secure cloud storage for life for a one-time payment of $280 with code STORAGE20.
Yeah, it costs more than any single month of Google Drive or iCloud+, but you only pay once. Take a look at what makes this cloud storage a solid investment.
Copland never saw the light of day. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
April 26, 1996: Mac OS Copland, Apple’s eagerly anticipated but much-delayed operating system for the Macintosh, suffers a fatal blow when the senior VP in charge of the project leaves the company.
David C. Nagel, Apple’s chief technologist, previously promised Mac OS Copland would ship to users by mid-1996 at the latest. With meeting that deadline no longer possible, he leaves Apple for a job running AT&T Laboratories.
It’s yet another sign that Apple’s top-to-bottom Mac operating system upgrade is in major trouble.
See which Apple Watch makes the most sense for your lifestyle. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
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.
Apple fans love this speedy wireless iPhone charger, now on sale for just $35.97. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
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.
Pretty much every piece of this setup is enviable. Photo: [email protected]
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.
Here are six useful things you should consider before you chuck it in a drawer. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
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.
The powerful Pixar Image Computer II simply cost too much to thrive. Photo: Wikipedia CC
April 25, 1990: Steve Jobs shuts down Pixar’s hardware division (yes, it used to have one!), ending production of the pricey Pixar Image Computer immediately.
Jobs sells the company’s hardware unit to Fremont, California-based imaging company Vicom Systems for a paltry $2 million.
Get up and get moving with a lifetime sub to Moova. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
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).
The quotation marks around “art” are doing a lot of heavy lifting there. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
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.
Made in India iPhones could become common in the United States next year. Photo: Cult of Mac
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.
This fanciful AI image may or may not approximate future Apple robotic products. AI image: Grok
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.
Fast connectivity serves uses like gaming especially well. Photo: Anker
The new Anker Prime TB5 Docking Station with Thunderbolt 5 cable offers blazing-fast and broad connectivity for Mac users, the company said Wednesday. The dock is part of a wave of incredible new docks and hubs based on the technological advance.
What if your iPhone could become a mini Mac? AI concept: ChatGPT
An iPhone running iOS 19 will be able to display applications running in windows on an external screen, according to a Thursday report from a noted tipster.
If true, it’ll enable iOS to act much more Mac-like than ever before. If Apple continues developing in this direction, an iPhone could eventually be someone’s only computer .
Apple Watch has helped save plenty of lives. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
The Apple Watch repeatedly saves lives around the world, thanks to its health monitoring features and emergency functions.
Here’s a comprehensive roundup of some of the most notable ways Apple Watch has saved people’s lives. From fit teenagers with undiagnosed health problems to car crash victims in danger of drowning, Apple’s smartwatch helps people cheat death in remarkable ways.
Even the rumored super-slim iPhone 17 "Air" may get 12GB RAM to handle AI tasks. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Most of Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 lineup may receive a significant memory upgrade that will power the next generation of Apple Intelligence features, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Thursday. The iPhone Series 17 RAM boost will even come to the rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17 “Air.”
iPadOS 19 might get a home screen menu bar similar to the one in macOS. Photo: Majin Bu
iPadOS 19 will include a menu bar at the top of the screen like the one in macOS, according to a noted tipster on Thursday. If true, it’ll be a major step toward making iPads act more like Macs.
In addition, the system for managing floating application windows is supposedly in for an upgrade in iPadOS 19.
In 1920, Italian immigrant Charles Ponzi defrauded investors in the Boston area and across the nation of what would today be a quarter of a billion dollars, going from penniless to the high life in no time and giving the classic “Ponzi scheme” its name, Apple TV+ said Thursday. It plans to tell the story of Ponzi’s mercurial rise and devastating fall in Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story, an eight-episode docudrama set to premiere on Apple Podcasts June 23.
And to listen, you can hook up your Apple TV+ account to Apple Podcasts to gain full access to the series. I’m betting it’s worth the investment of your time (but keep your money safe).
The Apple Watch is the first major new product launch of the post-Steve Jobs era. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
April 24, 2015: The original Apple Watch launch means consumers, who endured a seven-month wait after the device’s unveiling at a keynote the previous September, can finally strap an Apple wearable onto their wrists.
Apple CEO Tim Cook describes the smartwatch as the “next chapter in Apple history.” Behind the scenes, however, the first Apple Watch launch is a moment long in the making.
These $$69.99 binoculars connect to your iPhone or Android device. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
When you head outside to watch wildlife, you’d better bring a good pair of iPhone binoculars. These HD binoculars from Gllysion offer powerful magnification (up to 12x) and also let you bring home evidence of what you spotted.
Cult of Mac Deals has a small stash of these refurbished iPhone binoculars on sale for $69.99 (regularly $149.99). Don’t miss your chance to see more of the great outdoors.
Technically it was announced in 2014, so it’s a little over ten years. Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
For the 10th anniversary of its launch, we compiled over a decade of Apple Watch history into a quick timeline. Starting with the original three collections — including models in solid 18 karat gold — all the way to today’s far more advanced (and sensible) Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2.
The Apple Watch was the first major product introduction of Tim Cook’s reign as Apple CEO. There was immense pressure on Apple to prove that it could still innovate without Steve Jobs. While the Apple Watch wasn’t as flashy as the iPhone and iPad, it’s grown into an incredible business rife with breakthrough technology, in one of the most physically constrained form factors yet.
Apple Watch users who close their Activity rings on April 24 can earn a special Global Close Your Rings Day limited-edition award. Photo: Apple
With Global Close Your Rings Day upon us, Apple Watch owners around the world showed off the pins they earned Thursday by participating in Apple’s fitness-oriented special event. The day marks a decade of Apple Watch Activity rings helping keep users active for their health.
“Apple Watch has changed the way people think about, monitor and engage with their fitness and health,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, in a press release Monday announcing the event. “A decade ago, we introduced Activity rings — and since then, Apple Watch has grown to offer an extensive set of features designed to empower every user. People write to us almost every day sharing how Apple Watch has made a difference in their life, from motivating them to move more throughout the day, to changing the trajectory of their health.”
iPhone 16e inadvertently ate into the sales of its Pro sibling. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 16e already seems to be a winner for Apple. US sales data analyzed by CIRP show the new budget iPhone accounting for 7% of sales in Q1 2025.
This is with the device only launching at the end of February. So, it spent just one month on sale during the entire quarter.
And you thought your backyard shenanigans already annoyed the neighbors. Photo: Nebula
The advanced new Nebula X1 4K smart projector features triple-laser light projection and the first liquid-cooling system in the industry, Nebula said Wednesday. Calling it “the ultimate backyard projector,” the Anker subsidiary hopes the device will revolutionize backyard entertainment with innovative features and easy setup.