Apple introduced iCloud back in June 2011, and since then, the free tier of iCloud has remained at 5GB. However, I’m not here to talk about that today. While 5GB of free iCloud is definitely too little for our needs nearly a decade and a half later, I think Apple has a bigger issue to address with iCloud: its paid tiers.

Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.

Univershuffle is a new music discovery app that shuffles all of the songs on Apple Music, completely at random – no AI or algorithms involved. It offers the ultimate experience for finding new music, so long as you’re willing to sort through a ton of songs.

The app is available for free in a limited capacity, though you’ll need to link an Apple Music account to listen to songs in their entirety. It launched on the App Store this week.

I’ve been seeing people give their Mac Minis a serious style upgrade by housing them in enclosures that make them look like mini Mac Pros—and I had to try it out for myself. Enter the Zeera MacForge Gen2, a CNC aluminum case that turns your Mac Mini M4 into a desktop workstation that looks like a shrunken version of Apple’s iconic Mac Pro. And let me tell you, I love the look.

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Apple has spent years carving out a space in the enterprise as a great PC alternative. With IT teams increasingly managing more iPhones, iPads, and Macs, Apple’s role as an enterprise endpoint has never been more critical. However, as Apple continues to grow, I question why its certifications for IT professionals aren’t free. If the company wants enterprises to use Apple, why are they charging to become certified in managing them?

If you’ve been eyeing Apple’s top-tier iPhones, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro are looking more appealing than ever — especially if you’re shopping in the renewed or refurbished market. With cutting-edge features, robust build quality, and long-term software support, these Pro models offer incredible value at their current price points.

Apple last year introduced Apple Intelligence, its own set of AI tools. Since they are all processed on-device, Apple Intelligence requires the latest hardware such as the . Even so, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the requirements of Apple Intelligence haven’t helped Apple boost iPhone sales.

VLC is one of the most popular multiplatform media players, and VideoLAN – the company behind the app – has been working on a major update. Soon, users will have access to AI-generated subtitles in multiple languages, even offline.

Apple filed its annual proxy report for shareholders today ahead of its annual shareholders meeting next month. The report reveals new information on Tim Cook’s compensation for 2024 and calls on shareholders to vote against a proposal to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Apple’s biggest upcoming AI features will arrive in iOS 18.4, with a heavy focus on Siri upgrades. But it’s the Vision Pro that I’m most excited to use those capabilities on. Here’s why.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg joined the Joe Rogan Experience podcast today for a wide-ranging interview on content moderation, the Trump administration, and Apple’s apparent lack of innovation.

At CES 2025, unveiled a couple new charging products for Apple users. They have a new 140W charge brick with a built in display, perfect for 16-inch MacBook Pro users, as well as a with support for fast charging. Both of these products are available for purchase now.

Following the abrupt discontinuation of Apple Pay Later over the summer, Apple has been rolling out support for multiple third-party ‘pay over time’ alternatives. The latest Apple Pay addition: Synchrony.

Update: Aaron Perris, who first noticed Synchrony had been added by Apple, now notes that all references to the provider have been removed from Apple’s support document. As Perris notes, “Looks like someone published the support document too early.”

TikTok’s US saga is almost at an end, and its last major source of hope—a Supreme Court intervention—now looks unlikely to pan out. Thus, a January 19 ban in the US is looking more realistic than ever. Here’s the latest.

When it comes to smart home lighting, you have two main options: smart lightbulbs or smart outlet adapters paired with traditional lamps. Both have their place, but for me, smart bulbs offer more flexibility and control. Unlike outlet adapters, which toggle power on and off, smart bulbs give you control over brightness, color, and even dynamic scenes. If you want to take the next step in building your smart home in 2025, a set of Matter-compatible lightbulbs might be the perfect place to start. This week, I am looking at the .

A new Apple Store is opening at Miami Worldcenter this month, and Apple has shared wallpaper downloads to celebrate the occasion. Here are the details.

After the significant releases of iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, Apple’s latest developer beta release – iOS 18.3 beta 2 – is shaping up to be significantly less eventful in terms of user-facing features and changes. However, there are things under the hood that may hint to what to expect from future iOS software and hardware. In this first episode of iOS Decoded, we take a deeper dive into iOS 18.3. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for future installments.

At CES 2025, MacPaw unveiled a new version of CleanMyMac for small and medium businesses. You interact with it differently than traditional CleanMyMac, but you still get the same suite of tools to help maintain your Mac. CleanMyMac Business focuses on affordability, ease, and transparency.

Alongside ongoing deals on M3 MacBook Air with hundreds in savings, we are now ready to cap off this week’s best Apple deals with first sizable price drop on AirPods Pro 2 of 2025. Apple’s flagship buds are now at the best price we have tracked since early December at $180, down from the regular $249. That offer joins the return of wild pricing on the official Apple Watch braided and silicone Solo Loops starting from just $20 with up to 70% off the original prices, not to mention a series of MacBook covers, Find My accessories, and much more. Head below for a closer look. 

Now that a new year has kicked off, rumors for the upcoming iPhone 17 line are in full swing. Today, Ming-Chi Kuo has shared a new detail on the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air that reveals how surprisingly thin it may be.

Apple’s kicking off a new Home products strategy this year, and an Apple Television is reportedly being evaluated as a future product. Recent trends in the TV space reveal how much opportunity there is for Apple to disrupt the market with a new product and better direction.