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Deals Worth Checking Out Before Amazon’s Big Spring Sale Ends

Sonos Ace Headphones, The Aqara Hub G5 Pro, and MOFT's Magnetic Wallet Stand.

Sonos Ace Headphones, The Aqara Hub G5 Pro, and MOFT’s Magnetic Wallet Stand.

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is wrapping up tomorrow, but there is still time to take advantage of some great deals. There are deals across every category, but the smart home and headphones dominate this year’s sale, including some favorites from the MacStories Setups page such as the Aqara Hub G5 Pro outdoor camera that I reviewed last year.

Other great smart home gear on sale includes:

AirPods Pro 3 and Beats Studio Buds+.

AirPods Pro 3 and Beats Studio Buds+.

Headphones, especially Beats, are well-represented, too:

Insta360 Link 2C and WITHINGS Body Smart Scale.

Insta360 Link 2C and WITHINGS Body Smart Scale.

Finally, I wanted to highlight a few other gadgets and accessories I love that are on sale:

That’s it for another Amazon sale season. For hand-picked deals throughout the year, be sure to follow MacStories Deals on Bluesky or Mastodon.

Podcast Rewind: Folding Phones, a Big Switch 2 Update, Discovering New Mac Apps, and Setups Changes

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico shares his experiences with foldable Android phones and what Apple might do for its first foldable hardware and its software.

On AppStories+, Federico shares his experience using Samsung DeX.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Nintendo dropped a big Switch 2 software surprise, Anbernic got back to being weird, Federico went large with his PC streaming setup, and more.

Comfort Zone

Matt poisons the show with Android, Niléane brings us back with Forkflift, and everyone finds a really great Mac app they’ve never used before.

On Cozy Zone, we discover who has a good backup system, who has a robust backup system, and who basically doesn’t care about their data.

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico and John share the highlights of their recent MacStories Setups update. Plus, John has an offbeat movie pick, and Federico is revisiting a game that’s an old favorite.

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Apple Overhauls App Store Connect

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

Overnight, Apple rolled out a big update to App Store Connect with new sales and analytics tools for developers. App Store Connect is the online portal that developers use to manage everything related to selling apps from TestFlight betas, to managing their App Store listings and tracking sales data and analytics.

It’s that last piece that was overhauled with this release. In fact, Apple’s post on its developer site says there are over 100 new metrics developers can use to measure the performance of their apps, all of which have been designed in a privacy-first way to protect users.

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

The granularity is impressive. For example, developers can track where their sales are coming from, including search, App Store browsing, web sources, and more. Conversion rates are a big part of the analytics, allowing developers to see how many people have seen their apps on the Store and downloaded them, breaking down first-time downloads and re-downloads. Analytics also tie into App Store features like In-App Events, custom product pages, and developer marketing efforts across a multitude of channels using campaign links. There’s a lot more, including metrics that track app pre-orders, user engagement and retention, and good old-fashioned sales data sliced and diced to allow developers to better understand the sources of their income.

And that’s really just the tip of the iceberg of what has changed in App Store Connect. So if you’re a developer, it’s worth spending some time with your app data and reading the new guide Apple published that covers it all.

Some data reported in App Store Connect is being deprecated later this year and next.

Some data reported in App Store Connect is being deprecated later this year and next.

Since the changes rolled out, a couple of concerns I’ve seen expressed online are that there will no longer be a single place to view the aggregate performance of multiple apps and that the new default reporting period is three months. Those concerns are well founded. The changes are organized on an app-by-app basis, and as Apple says in a banner on App Store Connect, the Dashboards in the Trends section of Connect and related reports where that data was available are being deprecated later this year and next. So, while the data Apple offers is deep for each app, the aggregate data falls short by not providing a birds-eye view of a developer’s entire app catalog.

For what it’s worth, Apple is aware of the feedback regarding cross-app reporting. Also, the shorter sales reporting periods, such as the past 24 hours and seven days, are still available, but they’re less visible because three months is the new default.

This is a big update to App Store Connect that will take developers time to get used to, but it’s also a welcome change that provides meaningful new insights into App Store performance. I expect that there will be more areas where the changes fall short of developers’ expectations. However, it’s also clear to me that Apple has heard the early feedback, so I wouldn’t be surprised if adjustments are made in the future. On balance, though, I think the changes give developers valuable new ways to think about and manage their businesses across the increasingly competitive app landscape, which is welcome.

Apple Announces Apple Business, a New Platform for Device Management and Ads on Maps

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

Today, Apple announced Apple Business, a combination of mobile device management services, Apple Maps-based advertising, and other features that will be available beginning April 14.

On the device management side, Apple Business lets companies manage employee onboarding and devices, centralizing control over email, calendar, iCloud backups and sync, support, and other company information, while separating company and employee data. The platform also allows companies to distribute apps to employees.

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

As for ads on Maps, they will:

appear when users search in Maps, and can appear at the top of a user’s search results based on relevance, as well as at the top of a new Suggested Places experience in Maps, which will display recommendations based on what’s trending nearby, the user’s recent searches, and more. Ads will be clearly marked to ensure transparency for Maps users.

Apple also notes that the ads on Maps protects user privacy, preventing advertisers from seeing their location or tracking the ads they see.

It will be interesting to see how this works in practice. Apple’s track record with ads isn’t great. Based on the screenshots in Apple’s press release, it’s clear that ads will be shown when a user is searching a broad category like “Restaurants,” which I think is fine and could even be helpful. However, I hope ads aren’t shown when I enter a specific address or name of a business, where they’d feel more intrusive. There’s an appropriate balance to be struck here, and as a user, I hope Apple nails it.

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

Finally, Apple has consolidated other branding services it already offers as part of Apple Business, making it easier for businesses to present a uniform experience across Apple’s apps and services. Wallet, email communications, and Tap to Pay are all part of the new centralized management UI, along with place cards in Maps, Safari, and Spotlight.

Apple Schedules WWDC 2026 for June 8–12 Along with a Special Event at Apple Park

WWDC26 will be held from June 8–12 this year and include both an online and in-person event that will provide a limited number of developers the opportunity to watch the keynote at Apple Park, meet with Apple engineers, and take part in other activities. Details on eligibility and how to apply to attend WWDC can be found on the Apple Developer site and app.

In a press release issued by Apple today, Susan Prescott, the company’s Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations and Enterprise and Education Marketing, said:

“WWDC is one of the most exciting times for us at Apple because it’s a chance for our incredible global developer community to come together for an electrifying week that celebrates technology, innovation, and collaboration,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “We can’t wait to see many of you online and in person for what is sure to be one of our best WWDC events yet.”

Although Apple hasn’t said so specifically, those not attending in person will undoubtedly be able to stream the WWDC keynote and Platforms State of the Union, watch dozens of videos explaining the new technologies being introduced later in the year, and meet with Apple engineers for online Q&A sessions.

As always, I’m excited for WWDC. I haven’t missed one since I first started attending in 2013, and I’m not going to start this year. It’s a time to catch up with family in the area, get together with developers and media people I rarely see in person, and meet new people, too. Despite the event being smaller than when it was held in San Francisco and San Jose, it’s still energizing to get together with others who are as excited as I am for what Apple has in store for its OSes in the fall.

Of course, MacStories readers can expect the same kind of comprehensive WWDC coverage we deliver every year. We’ll have extensive coverage on MacStories, AppStories, and MacStories Unwind that will extend to Club MacStories too.

Podcast Rewind: AI Fragmentation, Joy-Con Alternatives, Pitching Vivaldi, and an Interview with Riley Testut

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John look at the confusing array of tools and naming conventions used by Anthropic and OpenAI.

On AppStories+, John explains how he automated two unautomatable Mac apps.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, the confusing state of Switch 2 Joy-Con replacements, more on emulating PC games on Android, and we place our bets on the future of Valve’s Steam Machine.

This week on NPC XL, we follow up on last week’s discussion of the death of Xbox with its reincarnation as Project Helix.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by Riley Testut, an iOS developer best known for building the Delta game emulator and AltStore, expanding how apps can be distributed and enjoyed outside of Apple’s App Store.

Comfort Zone

A budget laptop is the hot tech product of 2026, and the whole gang has thoughts. Then, everyone evangelizes Vivaldi with varying levels of success.

On Cozy Zone, Chris and Matt teach Niléane the real rules of the road right before her driver’s test. They’re pretty sure it was a lot of help.

MacStories Unwind

This week, John argues that it’s time to bring Xcode to the iPad and iPhone before he and Federico share a hardware and TV pick for the weekend. Plus, a quirky movie pick for your weekend unwind.

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Comet Is the First Agentic Browser for iOS Worth Trying

Comet for iOS.

Comet for iOS.

[Update: Perplexity has released an iPad version of Comet alongside the iPhone version, which you can install using the same App Store links below. However, because it wasn’t part of the TestFlight version of the app that we tested, we were unaware that it was launching with the iPhone version.]

For the past three weeks, I’ve been testing Comet, Perplexity’s cross-platform agentic web browser, on my iPhone Air. The iOS version of Comet, launching today on the App Store and (sadly) lacking an iPad counterpart, follows the expansion of Comet from macOS to Windows and Android devices, and it carries the inherent limitations of Apple’s platform. Comet for iOS is based on Safari’s WebKit engine; you cannot install third-party browser extensions due to iOS sandboxing restrictions; you can make Comet your default iOS browser, but in-app web views in third-party apps will still open with Safari View Controller, not Comet. By and large, Comet on iOS is a skin of Safari, but for the first time since the debut of Arc Search on iPhone two years ago (R.I.P.), I’m actually excited about an alternative to Safari on iOS once again.

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In a Surprise Move, Apple Announces AirPods Max 2

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

Apple kicked off the week with a bit of a surprise: the AirPods Max 2. The updated over-the-ear headphones feature the H2 chip, better adaptive noise cancellation, improved audio, and other improvements.

According to director of Audio Product Marketing Eric Treski:

With the incredible performance of H2, AirPods Max are upgraded with up to 1.5x more effective ANC for the ultimate all-day listening experience. The sound quality is remarkably clean, rich, and acoustically detailed — and when combined with capabilities like Personalized Spatial Audio, AirPods Max 2 deliver a profoundly immersive experience.

Apple says that the AirPods Max 2 improve ANC 1.5x over the original AirPods Max thanks to the H2 chip and new audio algorithms and feature improved Spatial Audio. The company also claims that a new DSP algorithm built for the H2 makes Transparency Mode sound more natural.

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

The new headphones are packed with intelligent features, too, including conversational awareness, adaptive audio to adjust ANC and Transparency based on environmental sound levels, Live Translation, and Voice Isolation. The update enables the AirPods Max 2 to add other features we’ve seen on the AirPods Pro line, like:

  • Using the digital crown to take a photo or start and stop video recording in the Camera and third-party camera apps
  • Loud sound reduction
  • Personalized volume that adapts to user volume preferences
  • Interacting with Siri by nodding or shaking your head
  • Game Mode

The new AirPods Max 2 come in midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue and can be pre-ordered beginning March 25 for $549. Deliveries and in-store availability are slated for early April.

Podcast Rewind: Federico’s MacBook Neo, the Sony PC Withdrawal, iPod Touch Nostalgia, Complimenting Password Managers, and More

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John discuss Apple’s latest hardware announcements.

Then on AppStories+, Federico explains Notion Agents and Workers and how he’s using them.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, more bad memory and storage news, followed by a conversation about Bloomberg’s report that Sony is withdrawing from the PC gaming market and a wild Lenovo handheld.

Then on NPC XL, John asks the question: did handhelds kill the Xbox?

First, Last, Everything

This time, Jonathan is joined by Becca Farsace. Becca is an Emmy and Webby award-winning tech creator. She was formerly the senior video producer at The Verge before going solo in 2024, primarily via her self-titled YouTube channel, where she aims to “take tech outside.”

Comfort Zone

Niléane is replacing Discord with Slack, Chris has the new iPad Air in hand, and everyone found something nice to say about password managers.

On Cozy Zone, we tier-list app icons, and opinions are stronger than anticipated. (Probably should have seen it coming.)

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico shares his hands-on impressions of the MacBook Neo, John whips up an iPhone app when Shortcuts fails, and they both have media picks and an Unwind deal to start the weekend off right.

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