Apple’s trailblazing years without Steve Jobs: 1986 to 1995
Macworld With Apple turning 50 years old, there’s been plenty of reminiscing about all the great things people are doing with Apple products around the world. But the times haven’t always been so rosy at Apple. Just 10 years after the company’s founding, in fact, founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were out of the picture as the company struggled and nearly slipped into bankruptcy. Yet despite its troubles, Apple still launched some incredible products that had a lasting impact on the company and the PC landscape. Take a look at some of the innovative new products Apple launched between 1986 and 1995. January 1986: Macintosh Plus Apple The original Macintosh changed the face of computing when it touched down in 1984, and Apple knew it had its work cut out to follow it up. But before a true successor arrived, the company rolled out the Macintosh Plus in early 1986. It wasn’t as flashy as the original Macintosh, but the Macintosh Plus left a lasting legacy of innovation. It was the first Mac to come with wide range of features that later became mainstays among Apple’s computers: a SCSI port that paved the way for CD drives and hard disks; a double-sided 800KB 3.5-inch floppy drive and user-upgradeable SIMM memory; and an expanded keyboard with a number pad and directional arrows. It was such a consequential Mac that it stuck around unchanged until October 1990, a total of 1,734 days, one of the longest-running Macs ever. Combined with frequent discounts, it remained a favorite of Mac users for years. March 1987: Macintosh II Apple While the Macintosh Plus was something of a stopgap product, the Macintosh II was the true heir to 1984’s Macintosh. It marked a radical departure from its predecessor, both in form and function, and was intended to address key complaints with the first-gen model. While the original Macintosh was a compact all-in-one, the Macintosh II separated its computer and display into modular elements, the first Mac to do this, in fact. That modular design allowed users to supply their own screen, but to entice users to stick with Apple, the Macintosh II offered a color display, as well as internal slots for extra hard drives, a feature originally opposed by Jobs. But with him out of the picture, Apple was free to take new risks. January 1988: LaserWriter II Apple In the mid-1980s, printing documents at home was well out of reach of most people. Apple’s LaserWriter helped kickstart the desktop publishing revolution. The original LaserWriter launched in 1985 and was an immediate success. The LaserWriter II followed in 1988, and it was intended to expand upon its predecessor and cement Apple’s advantage in this area. It did just that by offering more models at a variety of price points, helping to expand desktop publishing to a wider audience. The LaserWriter IISC, for example, saved on costs by omitting PostScript compatibility, meaning Apple didn’t have to pay a license fee to Adobe. The premium LaserWriter IINTX, meanwhile, added a SCSI controller for users who wanted to store printer fonts. These products ensured Apple could continue to ride the printer wave and closely link itself to creative individuals and companies – an association that continues today. September 1989: Macintosh Portable RR Auctions These days, Apple excels at packing high-end power into thin and light laptops, but that wasn’t always the case. After all, back in the late 1980s, the technology simply didn’t exist to make desktop computers truly portable, but that didn’t mean Apple wasn’t willing to try. The result was the Macintosh Portable, and it proudly took its place as one of the industry’s first-ever laptops. Its name might have been a little misleading, though, at least by modern standards – this “portable” product tipped the scales at 16lbs, almost six times the weight of the latest M5 MacBook Air. As the first battery-powered Mac, Apple claimed it would last about 10 hours before needing to be charged, but it drew so much power, it needed the battery to start up even when plugged in. Still, it was an undeniably ambitious machine. The Macintosh Portable came with a built-in trackball for mouse usage on the go, a high-end active-matrix fold-down display, and a low-power hard drive in an attempt to save battery life. Yet its big, bulky, heavy battery – coupled with its eye-watering price tag that topped $7,000 – doomed it to poor sales and ignominy. October 1991: PowerBook 100 series Apple The failure of the Macintosh Portable only proved that there was a market for on-the-go Macs. Really, the company was just getting started, and it followed up with the PowerBook 100 series in October 1991. Comprising entry-level, mid-range and high-end models, the PowerBook 100 learned the lessons of the Macintosh Portable and got Apple’s laptop range on the right track. Indeed, the PowerBook range was everything the Macintosh Portable was not. The PowerBook came in a sleek new dark gray color scheme and clocked in at around a third of the weight of the Macintosh Portable. It also sweated the small stuff: one of its well-received innovations was the fact that it included a built-in palm rest below the keyboard, something that’s standard on almost every laptop today. The initial selection of PowerBooks was an incredible success for Apple and reportedly captured around 40 percent of the laptop market in its first year. The PowerBook 100 was innovative and groundbreaking, and is still hailed as one of its most influential PC laptops ever. May 1992: Newton MessagePad 100 RR Auctions The Newton MessagePad doesn’t have the greatest reputation. However, while Apple’s first PDA was far from perfect, it paved the road for many of Apple’s iconic products. For instance, it was considered one of the most exciting products on show at Apple’s August 1993 Macworld Expo and sold 50,000 units in its first three months of availability. In the burgeoning world of PDA devices, the Newton MessagePad 100 was a visionary product that introduced many of the tools we use today, including handwriting recognition, screen rotation, and adaptive virtual keyboards. Still, Newton’s initial handwriting system drew criticism for its inaccurate interpretations of users’ words (although later updates vastly improved its abilities), while the MessagePad 100’s use of AAA batteries was also sub-optimal. But it remains that it had a sizable impact on the tech landscape. February 1994: QuickTake 100 Apple During the 1980s and 1990s, Apple was more than just a Mac maker, as evidenced bt the LaserWriter II and Newton MessagePad 100. Another product to take Apple’s interests outside the Mac was the QuickTake 100, one of the first consumer-oriented digital cameras and a trailblazer in the field. As is still typical for Apple products today, the QuickTake 100 was focused on ease of use as a key selling point, and early reviewers commended its strides in this area. By today’s standards, though, the QuickTake 100 feels somewhat primitive. It could store up to eight photos at 640×480 resolution, had no focus or zoom controls, and didn’t even offer a way to preview or delete individual images after capture. Despite its early promise and positive reception, the QuickTake range was discontinued – along with other product lines such as the LaserWriter and Newton ranges – when Steve Jobs returned to the company in 1997. However, its brief outing showed what was possible when Apple ventured into the world of portable consumer gadgets. March 1994: Power Macintosh 6100 Apple Since its inception, Apple had long collaborated with Motorola as its main chip supplier for Apple’s computing lineup. But by the early 1990s, however, Apple was getting frustrated at Motorola’s inability to keep up with Intel. To address the situation, the Apple-Motorola pairing enlisted the help of IBM, with the resulting AIM partnership birthing the PowerPC processor and the first Mac to feature these chips: the Power Macintosh 6100. Named for its 60MHz PowerPC 601 CPU, it dramatically boosted performance over the Quadra. As Macworld wrote at the time: “Not only has Apple finally regained the performance lead it lost about eight years ago when PCs appeared using Intel’s 80386 CPU, but it has pushed far ahead.” A year after launching, the Power Macintosh line had almost completely replaced all other Mac offerings, while the market for add-in “accelerator” cards was made redundant due to the reasonable pricing of Apple’s own booster card. It was, in other words, a revelatory product. The Power Macintosh’s success underlined Apple’s confidence in its decision to shift to PowerPC processors. It was just the first of several major architecture shakeups to come, but the Power Macintosh and its PowerPC chips showed that change—and chip transitions—didn’t have to be painful.

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Apple @ Work Podcast: Meeting Owl Pro 5 is built for IT
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. In this episode of Apple @ Work, Frank Weishaupt joins the show to talk all about the new Meeting Owl Pro 5 and its IT focused features. more…

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Best MagSafe and magnetic wireless chargers for iPhone
Macworld We’ve rounded up the best MagSafe, Qi2, Qi2.2 25W, and MagSafe-compatible magnetic chargers, from the plain pad to multi-functional stands (up to six devices charged), and even the most colorful—from snap-on chargers and modular stands to foldable power banks and full charging desk mats. Apple’s MagSafe technology, supported by all models of iPhone since the iPhone 12 (except the iPhone SE and 16e), presents a more efficient way of wirelessly charging compatible iPhones. MagSafe is the ring of magnets around the iPhone’s internal charging coil that senses compatible accessories and magnetically snaps securely into the most efficient charging position with the right accessories. With MagSafe, you’re less likely to wake up to find your phone wasn’t correctly placed on the wireless charger so didn’t charge at all! Testing the best for you We have tested a lot of magnetic chargers—MagSafe, Qi2 and Compatible—and here inform you which one will work best for you. There are simple magnetic wireless chargers, multi-device chargers for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, travel chargers, car chargers and more. Best simple MagSafe chargers Best 2-in-1 MagSafe chargers Best 3-in-1 MagSafe chargers Best 4-in-1 MagSafe Chargers Best travel MagSafe chargers Best MagSafe charging stands with power banks Best MagSafe car charger Best wireless charging desk mat Best wireless charging sleeve Offering up to 25W power output in the right configuration, MagSafe charging is much faster than basic 7.5W magnetic wireless charging. The similar magentic Qi2 standard, supported by the iPhone 13-17 families (and unofficially the iPhone 12 but strangely not the latest 16e) offers similar 15W speed charging. Qi 2.2, also known as Qi2 25W, meets MagSafe at 25W for iPhone 16/17 series. MagSafe or Qi2 certification Apple certifies MagSafe accessories to ensures that the output charging is 15W for most iPhones, and up to 25W for iPhone 16 and 17 (with Apple’s latest MagSafe charger or chargers certified for Qi2 25W). Non-certified magnetic but “MagSafe-compatible” chargers are usually just 7.5W with a ring of magnets to hold your phone in place. Certified MagSafe chargers also have a single-wire NFC antenna that allows the iPhone to identify the device and a built-in magnetometer to prevent compass interference while you are using your iPhone while it’s charging. In our tests, 15W MagSafe and Qi2 chargers are evenly matched for charging speeds. 7.5W MagSafe compatible chargers, as you might expect, take around twice as long—certainly in the early stages of charging. But don’t rule out 7.5W chargers as they are often high quality, nearly always noticeably cheaper and just take a while longer to fully charge an iPhone. The king of the hill is Apple’s new MagSafe charger and chargers based on the new Qi2 25W technology that are definitely faster at 25W, but only with iPhone 16 or later. Foundry Simple vs multi-device magnetic chargers The most basic form of MagSafe or magnetic charger is the simple pad that latches on to the compatible iPhone. Some pads feature a pop-out arm so the iPhone can be propped up while charging. There are also products that can simultaneously charge an iPhone plus other Apple devices, such as an Apple Watch or wireless AirPods charging case. Note that the AirPods case must be of the wireless variety, and the original AirPods case lacked this functionality. The base of a multi-charger could also be used to charge a second iPhone but mostly not magnetically and at 5W rather than 7.5W, 15W, or 25W. Also see our round up of the Best Apple Watch chargers and stands. Best simple MagSafe chargers A simple MagSafe charging pad is the cheapest route to wireless iPhone charging. If you are going to the bother of connecting this product to a wall charger, why not just use a Lightning (iPhone 14 or earlier) or USB-C (iPhone 15 and up) cable direct to the iPhone? You can fast-charge an iPhone to 50% battery in under 30 minutes using a cable and just over that using a 25W charger, while it takes around 50 minutes to wirelessly charge iPhone from 0 to 50% using even 15W MagSafe. That said, there are interesting options to choose from. After these we’ll look at more multi-functional MagSafe chargers. Apple MagSafe Charger – Best simple MagSafe charger for fastest wireless Pros Fast 25W for iPhone 16 and up 15W for Qi2 and most iPhones Cons Expensive, especially at 2m 25W only for iPhone 16 and 17 series Price When Reviewed: $39 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $32.99 View Deal $32.99 View Deal $39 View Deal $39 View Deal $39.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Output charging: 25W (MagSafe), 15W (Qi2) Cable: 1m (3.3ft), 2m (6.6ft) Wall charger: Not included Colors: White The most obvious MagSafe Charger to buy for your Apple iPhone is, of course, the Apple MagSafe Charger. It’s the charger that Apple would have shipped with the iPhone if it did such things anymore. It’s as minimalist a design as you’d expect from Apple–it looks a lot like a giant Apple Watch Charger. You can also use it to charge your AirPods. Apple’s latest version of this charger offers 15W Qi2 support and, more importantly, a faster 25W charging speed with iPhone 16 and later. It also added a 2-meter length option for $10/£10 more, which is very welcome. At least a 30W USB-C power adapter is required for 25W charging. In our tests using the Apple MagSafe Charger we wirelessly powered up an iPhone 16 Pro from 0% to 50% in just over 30 minutes. It can also charge your AirPods case (AirPods 2 or AirPods Pro), although not at the same time as the iPhone—for that, you’ll need at least a 2-in-1 wireless charger. The standard 1m cable is too short to comfortably charge and use your iPhone at the same time, or maybe stretch from a power socket to a nearby table, so we recommend the 2m upgrade. Don’t forget that this Apple charger still requires a USB-C power adapter—at least 20W if you want 15W charging and at least 30W to enable 25W charging.

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Your iPhone storage is a mess—this $20 fix is a huge win
Macworld TL;DR: Cleaner Kit uses AI to clean up photos, videos, contacts, and more—grab lifetime access for $19.97 through April 12. iPhones don’t usually slow down overnight—it happens gradually. A few duplicate photos here, a handful of large videos there, and suddenly you’re staring at that dreaded “Storage Almost Full” notification. Cleaner Kit is designed to fix exactly that, without turning cleanup into a time-sucking job. Instead of manually scrolling through thousands of photos or digging through contacts, the app uses AI to identify what’s actually taking up space. Duplicate images, blurry shots, and oversized videos are flagged automatically, so you can clean things up in just a few taps. There’s even a swipe feature that makes the process feel more like organizing than deleting. It goes beyond photos, too. Cleaner Kit can merge duplicate contacts, tidy up your inbox, and even store sensitive files in a secure vault. Everything runs locally on your device, which also means your data stays private. Rather than doing one big cleanup every few months, you can keep your phone running smoothly all the time with minimal effort. Keep your iPhone organized, fast, and frustration-free. Get lifetime access to the iOS Cleaner Kit for just $19.97 (MSRP $104.97) through April 12. Cleaner Kit for iOS Premium Plan: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Opera Neon doubles down on agentic browsing with MCP support
Opera’s agentic browser now lets users connect AI tools directly to their live browsing session, enabling them to access tabs, interact with pages, and take actions in real time. Here are the details. more…

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iOS 26.5 beta 1: All the new features and changes
With Apple shifting its attention to iOS 27, iOS 26.5 beta 1 only brings a handful of minor changes to your iPhone. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple introduces privacy rules for third-party access to notifications and Live Activities
Apple has updated its Developer Program License Agreement with new rules on how third-party accessories must handle forwarded notifications and Live Activities. Here are the details. more…

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How to back up your iPhone & iPad to your Mac before something goes wrong
Backing up your iPhone or iPad to your Mac is the fastest and most reliable way to protect your data, and is especially useful before updates, repairs, or device replacement.How to back up your iPhone and iPad to MacBacking up your iPhone or iPad to your Mac remains the fastest and most complete way to protect your data before updates, repairs, or hardware changes. Apple built local backup support directly into macOS through Finder, allowing full-device backups without relying on an internet connection.Local backups are like full system snapshots, saving your device settings, messages, app data, and media stored on your device. Backing up to iCloud does save your data, but restoring from a Mac is also faster than from because the data transfers directly over USB. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Ninth Circuit unanimously denies Apple’s rehearing requests in Epic Games case
Apple suffered a significant setback in its case against Epic Games today, as the Ninth Circuit denied both of its rehearing petitions. Here are the details. more…

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Apple stopped selling 14 products in March, including 3 with no replacements
Apple introduced a ton of new hardware this month. New iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more made for a March to remember. Apple also discontinued a lot of products this month — and not just to make room for new hardware. more…

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Apple subsidiary fined in the UK for breaching Russia sanctions rules
The UK has fined an Apple subsidiary more than half a million dollars for breaching Russia sanctions, following the invasion of Ukraine. Here are the details. more…

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iOS 26.5 beta 1: Here are all the new features
Apple released iOS 26.5 beta 1 for developers today. The update doesn’t include any of the highly-anticipated new Siri features, but there are a few changes worth noting. Head below for the full roundup of everything new in iOS 26.5 beta 1. more…

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WhatsApp is working on a dedicated CarPlay app, available now for beta testers
The latest WhatsApp beta build on TestFlight introduces a native CarPlay app, extending the app’s utility beyond the current voice-based interface. Here are the details. more…

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The Epic vs. Apple case won't get a rehearing for App Store fees
Apple's request for a rehearing in its lawsuit with Epic Games over App Store fees has been denied, which means no changes will be made to how external purchases are handled for now.Apple's request for a rehearing has been denied.The battle between Apple and Epic continues, but at least one of Apple's paths to victory may finally be closed for good. Apple hoped to undo a December 2025 decision with an appeal, but that was denied.Apple's request for a rehearing was denied on Monday according to a court filing. It states: "The panel unanimously votes to deny the petition for panel rehearing." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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MagSafe Monday: Is the ESR 5-card wallet better than Apple’s FineWoven wallet?
I have tried many MagSafe wallets over the years, and I have yet to find the perfect one. After spending a few weeks with the Apple FineWoven wallet, I decided to swap to ESR’s five-card MagSafe wallet (in black). While the ESR option supports five cards, compared to the three you get with the FineWoven version, it is definitely much thicker. Even with the extra bulk, it has quickly become my current daily carry thanks to its separate ID slots and the ability to hold multiple cards. more…

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Apple steps up crackdown on vibe coding apps, pulls ‘Anything’ from the App Store
As reported by The Information, Apple pulled vibe coding app ‘Anything’ from the App Store last week, citing a self-containment rule from its App Review Guidelines. Here are the details. more…

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BusyCal 2026.1.3 and BusyContacts 2026.1.3
Adds support for AI-powered scheduling via the Claude Desktop Extension to BusyCal. ($49.99 new for each, free update, various sizes, macOS 11.5+)

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Zoom Workplace 7.0
Updates the videoconferencing/communication app with a variety of additions and enhancements. (Free, 186.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)

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Affinity 3.1
Brings some long-requested improvements to the creative suite. (Free, 983 MB, macOS 10.15+)

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Mellel 6.6.5
Introduces a new licensing system to the eponymous word processor. ($69.99 new, free update, 105.3 MB, macOS 10.13+)

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