Technologies

Apple’s iOS 15 update arrives on Monday, but here’s why you might wait to install it

Waiting a week to download Apple’s new iOS 15 operating system might save you some headaches.

This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple.

The next version of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 15, will arrive on Monday, Sept. 20. (Here’s how you’ll download and install iOS 15 when it appears.) Apple revealed the date during a launch event earlier this week, at which the tech giant also unveiled the iPhone 13, new iPads and the Apple Watch Series 7.

While the new software for iPhones (and iPadOS for iPads) is full of brand-new features like the ability to FaceTime Android owners, store your driver’s license in your digital wallet and some major Apple Maps upgrades, you might want to consider waiting an extra week or two before installing iOS 15.

Sure, you can run headlong into the new operating system and play with all the new features as soon as they’re available. That’s the fun of it, right? But there are some good reasons that might stay your hand from clicking the Update button when it pops up.

Why iOS 15 won’t be perfect at launch

The beta release of any version of iOS is intended to help developers identify and squash bugs before the operating system becomes widely available. However, some bugs are likely to slip through to the launch version. Just look at last year’s general release of iOS 14, which reverted users’ default browsers and mail apps every time they restarted their devices, among other glitches.

Bugs and issues just like that have cropped up in the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 betas, and could still be a problem in the initial general release. And even if these issues don’t completely stop you from using your iPhone or iPad, the bugs will still likely be annoying and disruptive.

Based on our experiences testing the iOS 15 beta, the third build was worse than the ones that came before it. Apps constantly crashed for no reason, and the keyboard would randomly stop working on the iPad Pro. Again, Apple’s development team likely caught and addressed most of those bugs. But if you download on Day 1, you’re setting yourself up to be the live version of a beta tester.

How long should I wait before downloading iOS 15?

Going back to the iOS 14 example, the issue with default apps was taken care of a week later. That’s the window you should look for: Wait a week, maybe two if you want to be super cautious, and then download the new iOS. By that point, most of the early bugs in the overall OS and individual apps should be worked out.

Don’t wait too long, though

While a certain amount of caution can help you avoid headaches, you shouldn’t be overcautious. Delaying updates to your operating system for too long can also leave you vulnerable to security flaws. Any operating system updates that are related to security issues — like the iOS 14.8 update released earlier this week — are important to install as soon as possible to keep your device secure.

The launch of a new operating system like iOS 15 rarely falls into that category, but it’s an important distinction to make. Whenever you decide to update to iOS 15, make sure your device is ready first. It’s difficult to revert back to the previous operating system, but it is possible.

For more coverage of the iPhone 13 event, check out everything Apple announced and why the biggest iPhone 13 feature is its trade-in offers.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 5, #908

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Dec. 5, No. 908.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a little easier than usual, I thought. I spotted the blue group connection right away. If you need help solving it, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Not easy.

Green group hint: How things are.

Blue group hint: Monopoly is another one.

Purple group hint: Gab.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Tricky.

Green group: State of affairs.

Blue group: Classic board games.

Purple group: ____ talk.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is tricky. The four answers are complex, delicate, sticky and tough.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is state of affairs. The four answers are deal, situation, status and story.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is classic board games. The four answers are Mastermind, Mouse Trap, Operation and Sorry.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ talk. The four answers are baby, pillow, small and sweet.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

A New Era of Foldables: Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold Is Coming to the US Early Next Year

This triple-display foldable will first arrive in Korea later this month.

After months of teasing a triple-display foldable phone, Samsung is gearing up to launch what it’s calling the Galaxy Z TriFold — because foldables with just one hinge are so last year.

The phone is slated to become available first in Korea on Dec. 12, and will then launch in other locations including China, Taiwan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. It’ll arrive in the US in the first quarter of 2026. Samsung hasn’t shared a US price for the trifold, but Reuters notes it’ll cost 3.59 million won in Korea, which converts to around $2,440.

To get this caveat out of the way: A trifold phone doesn’t actually fold three times. Rather, devices like the Z TriFold have a main screen with two hinges, allowing the phone to fold into three sections. They appear to be more of a hybrid between a phone and, when unfolded, a tablet. The Z TriFold boasts a 10-inch display when unfurled and a 6.5-inch cover display.

«The company’s decade-long experience in foldable category innovation inspired Galaxy Z TriFold’s uniquemulti-folding form factor, which uses an inward-folding design to protect the main display,» Samsung said in a blog post. «The foldingmechanism has been precisely engineered for easy opening and closing, with an auto-alarm alerting the userof incorrect folding through a series of on-screen alerts and vibrations.»

A Galaxy of features comes together

The Galaxy Z TriFold appears to borrow elements from two of its siblings: the Galaxy S25 Edge and the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Both phones are impressively thin, with the Edge measuring 5.8mm and the Z Fold 7 measuring 4.2mm thick when unfolded.

The Z TriFold goes one step further. It’s just 3.9mm thick «at its thinnest point,» Samsung says. Reading the fine print reveals that measurement excludes «the camera and the preinstalled protective film.» The thickest panel is the center one, which measures 4.2mm. The panel with the side button is 4mm thick. Still, that should all help to reduce bulk when the three screens are stacked shut on top of one another.

The rear triple-camera system includes a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera, similar to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, S25 Edge and Z Fold 7. There’s also a 12-megapixel ultrawide and 10-megapixel telephoto camera. For selfies, you’ll find 10-megapixel front-facing cameras on both the cover and main screens.

Like Samsung’s other premium phones released this year, the Z TriFold is powered by a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. It also has a 5,600-mAh three-cell battery — a nice upgrade over the 4,400-mAh battery on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung notes this system «has been placed ineach of the three panels of the device for balanced power delivery and all-day endurance.» The phone supports 45-watt super-fast charging.

Unlike Huawei’s Mate XTs trifold, which unfurls into a Z shape, Samsung’s trifold has panels that fold inward, more like a pamphlet.

The Z TriFold has two different-sized hinges, «creating a smoother, more stable fold despitevarying weight and components across the device,» Samsung notes. This also helps to reduce the gap between the screens. The titanium hinge housing «resists wear over time,» and the phone’s Advanced Armor Aluminum frame should also help with durability, while preventing the screens from touching when folded shut.

The Z TriFold borrows another trait from the Z Fold 7: an IP48 rating. That means the phone can be submerged under 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes and is protected against solid particles larger than 1 millimeter, but not against dust. Meanwhile, Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold boasts an impressive IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

Samsung’s triple-display foldable has Corning’s Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front, while the back is made of ceramic-glass fiber-reinforced polymer.

Why would someone buy the Galaxy Z TriFold?

So what’s the point of a phone that unfolds into a giant 10-inch display? Samsung says the Z TriFold is ideal for multitasking.

«Users can use the screen with endless versatility — they can create across three different portrait-sized apps side-by-side without interruption, resize apps inmulti-window to view the most important information clearly, or hold it vertically when reviewing documents forimproved focus,» the company notes.

Samsung also says a wider screen can be good for watching movies and TV shows. And if you’re watching a YouTube video, you can simultaneously read the comments on the neighboring display. Samsung notes that «minimized creasing on the device keeps content seamless anduninterrupted.» That’ll be a crucial element.

The phone’s AMOLED cover and main screens have a refresh rate up to 120Hz. The cover display boasts a peak brightness of 2,600 nits, while the main screen features a peak brightness of 1,600 nits.

The Galaxy Z TriFold will arrive with Android 16 and One UI 8. It’s not yet clear how much the phone will cost in the US, but given the Z Fold 7’s $2,000 starting price, it’ll probably be a pretty penny.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Series Apple Cases Are Seeing a Rare Discount at Amazon, Prices as Low as $25

It’s not every day Apple cuts the price of anything in half, so pick up a few cases while you can.

The iPhone 17 models are Apple’s latest and greatest phones. A naked iPhone looks beautiful, but getting a case to protect it is probably a smart idea, especially with the phone’s price tag ranging from $799 to $1,199. Although there are tons of cases available, if you want one from Apple, you’re in luck.

Apple’s iPhone 17 cases are marked with a discount of almost 50% at Amazon for a limited time. This current discount applies to a wide range of colors for the iPhone 17 andprice down to $25. We don’t expect this to last too long, so hurry if you’re interested. If you know someone who just got the iPhone 17, this makes for a great holiday gift.

Apple’s discounted cases typically sell for $49, so this record-low price of $25 is a steal. There are several colors to pick from, including midnight, neon yellow, black and more. But many colors are already selling out fast for both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.

This sleek case is made from recycled silicone, yet it is surprisingly durable. It’s got raised edges that help protect the phone from scratches and drops. The case features a sapphire crystal coupled to a conductive layer, allowing for finger movements to control the camera. And my favorite part is that it’s MagSafe-compatible.

Haven’t gotten your hands on the iPhone 17 yet? Take a look at the top iPhone 17 deals you can take advantage of right now.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Why this deal matters

The iPhone 17 series is Apple’s latest. Like other Apple devices, these phones don’t come cheap, so it’s a good idea to make sure they’re protected against drops, mishaps and potential scratches. These Apple cases are MagSafe compatible and come in a variety of colors and styles. With Amazon’s limited-time 49% discount, now is an excellent time to shop if you want to keep your phone case within the Apple ecosystem.