September 30, 2002: Apple introduces iSync, a tool that lets Mac users synchronize their address books and calendars with their cellphones, iPods and Palm OS-compatible handheld organizers via Bluetooth.

“iSync is the beginning of something really big,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs says in a press release announcing the iSync public beta. “With the push of a button, iSync synchronizes the address book and calendar on your Mac with those on your mobile phone.”

It represents a big leap forward in the ability of computers and mobile devices to talk with one another. And it hints at some of Apple’s later advances.

North Dakota became the latest state to let residents add a digital version of their driver’s license to their iPhone and Apple Watch. After recent additions, a total of 12 states or territories now support digital IDs.

Currently, digital IDs are most useful for travelers, as they’re widely accepted at Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints.

Beats launched Powerbeats Fit earbuds on Tuesday, bringing a new design to the company’s sports-oriented audio devices. The new earbuds are the successors to the popular Beats Fit Pro earbuds.

The redesigned model brings enhanced comfort, improved durability and a more compact design while maintaining its predecessor’s $199.99 price point, Beats said. 

“Reintroducing Beats Fit Pro as Powerbeats Fit — alongside Powerbeats Pro 2 — unifies our lineup under a name synonymous with athletic performance and gives customers a clearer choice between two distinct, fitness-first form factors,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports and Beats. “Powerbeats Fit combines the best of Beats Fit Pro with next-level comfort, durability, and portability — making it a worthy addition to the Powerbeats family.”

With the Anker Nano Power Bank (5K, MagGo, Slim), thin is definitely in. Measuring just 0.34 inches deep, the Qi2 power bank attaches magnetically to MagSafe iPhones and delivers enough juice to get you through a frantic afternoon on the go.

At just 5,000 mAh, it won’t take modern iPhone batteries all the way to 100%. But it will power up a dead iPhone from zero to 20% in a little over 20 minutes. And it does so while attached comfortably to the phone, without the excessive heat generated by some competing power banks.

The new Logitech MX Master 4 wireless mouse upgrades what many consider to be the best productivity mouse on the market, the popular Logitech MX Master 3/3S. At $119.99, the latest iteration introduces haptic feedback and an innovative Actions Ring overlay designed to streamline workflows for creative professionals, developers and power users across the Mac ecosystem.

If you’ve ever tried to gather feedback on a creative project, you already know the nightmare of image collaboration: endless email threads, vague “move this thing over there” notes, and half-baked screenshots that raise more questions than answers. It wastes time, slows down projects, and makes you want to throw your MacBook out the window.

Vimageo can help. This powerful yet easy-to-use platform is built specifically for giving and receiving clear, actionable feedback on videos and images. Instead of piecing together comments from random tools or chasing down clarifications, Vimageo keeps everything in one clean, organized space. And right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription to Vimageo for just $39.99.

Adobe Premiere, the powerful video editing suite used for years on Macs, just arrived on the iPhone. Now you can cut together your next video using Premiere’s professional tools, right from your phone.

The Adobe Premiere iPhone app, released Tuesday, offers precision editing, automatic captions, stock music and more.

It doesn’t come with the big price tag of the desktop Adobe suite — in fact, it’s free. You only have to pay if you want access to its Firefly AI features, like its generative sound effects and Image Expand tool.

Premiere is available today for iPhone and iPad from the App Store.

Bring back the iPod! Apple should start manufacturing its dedicated music player again. With iPhones increasingly banned from schools, a simple entertainment device could fill the gap.

That said, creating a new iPod for the streaming era would not be as simple as bringing previous models back to life.

WhatsApp now supports sharing Live Photos. The feature began rolling out a few days ago, and Meta officially confirmed its release in an announcement on September 29.

With this improvement, you can directly share Live Photos with your friends over WhatsApp without converting them into GIFs or videos first.

You can scan a QR code directly from your iPhone — you don’t need to download a third-party app to get the information you need. Apple even gives you three ways to do it. You can scan a QR code using your iPhone’s camera, using a shortcut in Control Center, or directly from an image in your Photos library

As QR codes become increasingly prevalent, it’s good to know these methods. If you’re in a restaurant and you want to open the digital menu or join the Wi-Fi network, you don’t want to fiddle with installing a third-party app.

To learn three ways you can scan a QR code using your iPhone, keep reading or watch our short video.

iOS 26.0.1 and macOS Tahoe 26.0.1 launched on Monday, bringing a range of bug fixes to the major operating system upgrades introduced earlier this month. That includes taking care of multiple issues in the new iPhone 17 series — some quite serious. 

In addition, iPadOS 26.0.1, watchOS 26.0.2, tvOS 26.0.1 and visionOS 26.0.1 all went to users on Monday.

Apple released its Foundation Models framework to developers with iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26. It enables third-party apps to tap into the same on-device large language model that powers Apple Intelligence, the iPhone giant said Monday. 

“We’re excited to see developers around the world already bringing privacy-protected intelligence features into their apps,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “The in-app experiences they’re creating are expansive and creative, showing just how much opportunity the Foundation Models framework opens up.”

September 29, 2004: Apple launches Logic Pro 7, its professional music creation and audio production software. The update brings new tools and a streamlined interface in line with other Apple software.

“From beginners to pros, Apple is broadening the market with a complete line of music creation and production tools,” says Rob Schoeben, Apple’s VP of applications marketing, in a press release. “With Logic Pro 7, we’re taking professional music creation to the next level with the industry’s most advanced feature set for pro audio.”

The Federal Communications Commission appeared to inadvertently expose detailed electrical schematics for Apple’s iPhone 16e, despite the company’s explicit request to keep the documents confidential. The leak, discovered Monday, looks like a breach of the regulatory agency’s confidentiality protocols and could potentially benefit Apple’s competitors.

Three-time Grammy Award winner Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. The game will air on NBC, bringing the Puerto Rican superstar to one of the world’s biggest entertainment stages.

“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a press released issued by the NFL  on Sunday. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown. This is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”

The game will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026.

iOS 26 includes an anti-spam feature that can protect you from getting bombarded with text message spam on your iPhone. You just have to activate it.
It’s easy. Here’s what to do to save yourself from the hassle and potential cost of spam texts.

Apple’s new external monitors for Mac inch closer to release, with their mass production set to begin soon. They should debut alongside the M5-powered MacBooks within the next six months.

In addition to the above, Apple will also refresh the Vision Pro and iPad Pro with faster chips.

If you ever wished your iPhone had real buttons, you need to meet Clicks — the premium iPhone keyboard case that blends nostalgia with next-gen design. On sale for just $99, this premium accessory frees up your iPhone screen and lets you type on physical keys like a BlackBerry.

Remember those?!?

September 28, 1997: Apple debuts its iconic “Think Different” ad campaign. The television commercial aligns the troubled computer company with some of history’s most celebrated freethinking rebels.

The most famous tagline in Apple history, “Think Different” doesn’t just articulate how Cupertino differs from its competitors. It also highlights how Apple, under the leadership of CEO Steve Jobs, will forge a future far different from its floundering, money-losing days of the early 1990s.

The Studio relentlessly mocks Hollywood and the film industry. It stayed popular during its first season, but that wrapped up months ago. This didn’t stop plenty of viewers from tuning back in after the show garnered an amazing 13 Emmy awards earlier this month to once again make it one of the most popular series on streaming, according to a company that track ratings.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dish out our reviews of the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air and AirPods Pro 3.

How’s the battery life? How’s the cosmic orange? How badly does the iPhone 17 Pro scratch? How good is AirPods’ new Live Translation feature?

In this extra-long edition, we go deep on our first impressions of Apple’s latest gear.

Also on The CultCast:

• We know Scratchgate is real. And an expert offers an explanation for the iPhone 17 Pro’s problem.
• Apple’s new iPhone cases are pretty great — and they’re already on sale.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

If you want to stay productive in these chaotic times, you need more than a super-clean setup — you require a task-management app for your Mac (or PC). And Pagico 10 is one of the best task manager apps around.

This multifaceted organizer offers lots of functionality, all in the service of helping you keep your eyes on the prize. Now, new users can get the latest version of this productivity software for Mac and PC for only $39.99 (regularly $137).

September 27, 1979: Years before the Macintosh will ship, Steve Jobs and Jef Raskin clash for the first time over the direction of the R&D project to produce Apple’s revolutionary computer. Raskin, the founder of the Macintosh project, wants to produce a machine that’s affordable for everyone. Apple co-founder Jobs wants a computer that’s going to be the best, regardless of price.

Guess who won?

Ever been stranded with a dead iPhone in a crucial moment? Finding the best power banks for Apple devices can be the difference between staying connected and watching your screen go black. Thankfully, the market is loaded with great portable power banks that can keep your iPhone and other Apple devices powered up on the go. We rounded up the top 10 power banks for Apple users, including two of the fastest Qi2.2 models available so far. 

This carabiner keychain with Apple Find My integration is a simple but seriously smart accessory that saves you time, stress and a lot of frantic couch cushion digging.

If you’ve ever been late because your keys vanished into the mysterious void of your home, you know the frustration. And for just $17.99, you can stop the madness.