When Apple released iOS 5 back in 2011, it heralded a new "PC-Free" era for iOS devices. You could at last "cut the cord" between your Mac and iOS devices; you could activate, sync, and back up an iOS device without ever connecting it to a computer.Related StoriesApple working on Retina MacBook Air?Fixing a Safari-to-Mail disconnectMac malware: New Gatekeeper bypassing Mac OS X virus discovered