Technologies

Adobe’s New Firefly AI App Lets You Try AI Image and Video Generation for Free

Both the iOS and Android versions of the app give you free credits to experiment with Adobe’s AI.

Adobe’s Firefly AI is now available as mobile apps for iPhones and Androids, the company announced on Tuesday. These apps are free to download and let you use Firefly to create AI images and videos on the go. Plus, the app comes with a few free generative credits for you to experiment with Adobe’s AI.

Adobe is also expanding its roster of third-party AI partners to include six new models from Ideogram, Pika, Luma and Runway. Google’s latest AI models are also joining the lineup, including the internet-famous Veo 3 AI video generation model with native audio capabilities and the Imagen 4 text-to-image model support. Finally, its moodboarding AI program, Firefly Boards, is generally available today after months in beta.

Here’s everything you need to know about Adobe’s newest batch of Firefly AI updates. For more, check out our favorite AI image generators and what to know about AI video models.

Firefly AI for iOS and Android users

Adobe’s Firefly mobile apps will let you access its AI image and video capabilities from your phone. A mobile app felt like the next natural step, since Adobe saw that mobile web usage of Firefly noticeably increased after Adobe’s Firefly video capability launched in early 2025.

Not every Firefly feature will be available at launch, but for now, we know that these features will be included: text-to-image, text- and image-to-video, generative fill, and generative expand. You can download the app now from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The app is free to download, but you’ll need a Firefly-inclusive Adobe plan to really use the app. In the hopes that you’ll sign up for a full plan, Adobe gives you 12 free generation Firefly credits (10 for images, two for videos, which doesn’t shake out to many of each). So you can use those to see if Firefly is a good fit for you.

Firefly plans start at $10 per month for 2,000 credits (about 20 videos), increasing in price and generation credits from there. Depending on your Adobe plan, you may already have access to Firefly credits, so double-check that first.

Adobe’s six new AI models from Google, Runway and more

Adobe’s also adding new outside AI creative models to its offerings, including image and video models from Ideogram, Pika, Luma and Runway. You might recognize the name Runway from its deal with Lionsgate to create models for the entertainment giant. Ideogram, Pika and Luma are all other well-known AI creative services. Google’s Veo 3 AI video generator is also joining, bringing its first-of-its-kind synchronized AI audio capabilities, along with the latest generation of Google’s AI image model.

This is the second batch of third-party models that Adobe has added to its platform. Earlier this spring, Adobe partnered with OpenAI, Google and Black Forest (creator of Flux) to bring the companies’ AI models to Adobe. What’s unique about this is that all third-party models have to agree to Adobe’s AI policy, which prevents all the companies from training on customers’ content — even if the individual companies don’t have that policy on their own, it’s standardized across all models offered through Adobe. This is also true for the new models added today. For AI-wary professional creators who make up the majority of Adobe users, that’s a bit of good news.

You’ll need a paid Firefly plan to access outside models; otherwise, you’ll just have access to the Adobe models. Here are all the AI models available through Adobe:

Adobe Firefly Image 3
Adobe Firefly Image 4
Adobe Firefly Image Ultra
Flux 1.1 Pro
Flux 1 Kontext
Google’s Imagen 3
OpenAI’s image generation model
(new) Ideogram 3
(new) Google’s Imagen 4
(new) Runway’s Gen-4 Image

For video, you can use:

Adobe Firefly Video
Google Veo 2
(new) Google Veo 3
(new) Luma AI Ray 2
(new) Pika’s text-to-video generator

Adobe’s own Firefly AI models are trained on a combination of Adobe Stock and other licensed content. You can learn more in Adobe’s AI guidelines and approach to AI.

AI moodboarding gets a boost

Other Adobe updates include the general release of its moodboarding program, Firefly Boards, which has been in beta since April. Moodboarding is a practice that lets you cluster together different elements, like colors and shapes, to evoke specific moods and aesthetics. It’s a good initial step for planning content and campaigns.

You can use the infinite canvas to brainstorm and plan content. You can generate images and videos in Boards using Adobe and non-Adobe models; the setups are very similar to generating in the regular Firefly window. Boards are collaborative, so you can edit with multiple people. A new one-click arrange button can help you organize and visualize your files more easily, a much-requested feature that came out of the beta.

Firefly boards are synced up with your Adobe account. So you can select a photo in a Board, open it in Photoshop and edit it. Those changes will then be synced up with your Firefly Board in less than a minute, so you can always see the latest version of your file without needing to be limited to editing in Boards.

For more, check out Premiere Pro’s first generative AI feature and the best Photoshop AI tools.

Technologies

Facing Billions in DMA Fines, Apple Lets EU iPhone Users Install Apps Outside the App Store

A last-minute rule change lets European iPhone owners download apps from rival stores and developer websites, while introducing new fees that Apple hopes will satisfy regulators in Brussels.

In a scramble to sidestep penalties that could soar into the billions, and with Brussels regulators watching closely, Apple has agreed to let Europeans download iPhone apps from outside its own App Store.

With just hours left before an EU compliance deadline, the company said residents of the 27-nation bloc will soon be able to grab apps from rival marketplaces or straight off a developer’s website. The change rolls out later this year with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, and also lets users set a different browser engine and choose a third-party wallet at checkout.

For everyday EU iPhone owners, that means the download button could pop up in more places than just Apple’s storefront. After you select the new setting, iOS shows a one-time permission sheet confirming you’re leaving Apple’s marketplace. The app then passes a quick notarization scan meant to weed out malware. Apple notes that off-store downloads work only inside the EU, and disappear if you stay outside the bloc for more than 30 days.

Cost to developers

Developers do gain fresh distribution freedom, but there’s a price tag. A new two-tier Store Services fee asks for 5% of outside sales in exchange for basic services like app reviews and support in what’s called Tier 1, or 13% for the full bundle of perks, including automatic updates and App Store promotions in Tier 2.

Apple will take a 5% «Core Technology Commission» on any purchase made outside its own payment system. That new cut will phase out the current €0.50-per-download fee and become the sole charge across the EU when a unified pricing model arrives on Jan. 1, 2026.

Apple insists «more than 99%» of devs will pay the same or less under the revamped math.

Why now?

In April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($585 million) for blocking developers from steering users to cheaper payment options, and warned that daily penalties of up to 5% of global revenue could follow if it failed to comply.

Throughout the back-and-forth, Apple has accused the commission of «moving the goalposts» on what counts as compliance, with a spokesperson saying the company has invested «hundreds of thousands of hours» to meet the EU’s evolving demands.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney blasted the 5% tier as a «malicious compliance scheme» that «makes a mockery of fair competition.»

If regulators decide Apple still hasn’t gone far enough, the iPhone maker could face steeper sanctions, or even be forced to separate its App Store business.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 27, #1469

Here are hints — and the answer — for today’s Wordle No. 1,469 for June 27. Some players need a new starter word now.

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

Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t too tough, but somehow, it has a starting letter I never seem to guess. Some posters on Reddit say it was one of their starter words, so now they’re in the market for a new way to begin the game. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with P.

Wordle hint No. 4: Placement

The two vowels are next to each other.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to something that is not decorated and is simple.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is PLAIN.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, June 26, No. 1468 was OFFER.

Recent Wordle answers

June 22, No. 1464: THRUM

June 23, No. 1465: ODDLY

June 24, No. 1466: ELITE

June 25, No. 1467: COMFY

Will Wordle run out of words?

When Wordle began, creator Josh Wardle used a list of five-letter words he’d shared with his partner, picking only the words they recognized. While that’s more than 2,000 words, more than half of them have already been used.

Wordle editor Tracy Bennett admitted that the game will eventually have to come to grips with the fact that the word list is not eternal.

«One possibility is that we could recycle old words at some point, like when we get close to the end,» Bennett told a Wordle player on TikTok.

She also said the editors might throw all the words back in and reuse them, or allow plurals, or past tense, something that’s not done now.

Technologies

Why Smart Travelers Are Switching to eSIMs This Summer

Save 20% on Nomad eSIMs and use your phone all you want around the world without spending a fortune on roaming fees and data add-ons.

Higher prices are looming for just about everything, but they’re not stopping people from planning more summer travel than ever.

Deloitte’s 2025 summer travel survey found that despite the gloomy economy, more Americans will travel this year than they did last year. And young people are especially ready for some self-care elsewhere: a survey by Allianz found that a whopping 70% of Americans under 35 are planning to take a vacation this summer.

If you’re one of the many people thirsty for a summer getaway, there’s a good chance you’re also looking to cut costs where you can. Maybe you’re opting for a cheaper mid-week flight rather than heading out on Friday, or heading somewhere off the beaten path instead of a tourist-packed metropolis.

Another smart way to trim your travel budget is to use an eSIM. You don’t have to pay pricey roaming or add-on data fees to look up local spots, post pics and check your email while you’re out of the country. Nomad eSIM, one of the most affordable options, gives you the data to do all that and more from over 200 countries. And right now you can get 20% off your first Nomad data plan with the code NOMCNET20.

What is an eSIM?

If you’ve ever upgraded your phone or switched carriers, you’re likely familiar with what a SIM card is: It’s that tiny chip in your phone that essentially connects it to your mobile carrier.

A digital eSIM is different in that it’s downloaded from the web directly into your phone. You can activate it using an app and switch carriers without the fuss of having to swap out your physical SIM card.

An eSIM can be a smart choice for travelers who want to use their phone while abroad. Because eSIMs are data-based, you’ll be able to send emails, browse the web, scroll your socials, stream videos and make data-based voice and video calls — all without having to pay the expensive roaming and data fees of your regular US-based carrier.

How a Nomad eSIM helps you save on international data

Nomad eSIM is different from the other eSIMs in that it offers an affordable plan lineup for every type of trip. Whether you’re going to Costa Rica for a week-long retreat or backpacking around Europe all summer, you can pick a plan that works for your specific needs — and budget.

If you’re visiting one destination, Nomad has you covered with daily, weekly and monthly data plans ranging from 1GB to more than 20GB with coverage in over 200 countries. Travelers can also choose daily unlimited plans for a week, and there are local plans for single-country trips or regional plans for multi-destination travel. Current prices on plans include hotspots like Thailand ($0.18/GB) and Iceland ($1/GB).

Get data plans tailored to your travel needs — and budget

If you’re exploring more than one country, the Nomad Global plan has weekly and monthly plans ranging from 1GB to 5GB and coverage in up to 112 countries. While global in reach, Nomad has intentionally focused coverage on the most popular travel destinations, helping to keep global plan costs more affordable. A 1GB, one-week Global plan starts at just $12, ideal for the occasional check-ins with loved ones and social media posts. Or you can opt for a 3GB or a 5GB Global plan starting at $26 or $36 respectively, and the data is good for one month.

eSIMs are great for frequent flyers and digital nomads, too

For backpackers, students abroad and digital nomads, the Nomad Global-EX plan offers handy six-month and year-long options that are good in up to 82 countries.

The highly affordable Global-EX offers a 10GB, six-month plan starting at just $30 and a 20GB, one-year plan starting at $50, plus the option to expand your data limit to 30GB or 50GB as needed. This plan eliminates the hassle of having to reactivate your eSIM for each trip, and it’s more affordable than other eSIM brands that offer similar data allowances for shorter durations.

And for those who prefer unlimited data, Nomad has recently expanded its offerings with 21 new unlimited plans. Perfect for travelers who don’t want to worry about running out of data or topping up, these plans start as low as $11 USD for 3 days of unlimited usage.

eSIMs provide instant, hassle-free connectivity

No matter which plan you choose, the Nomad eSIM is a snap to use. Simply download the app and activate the eSIM on your unlocked iOS or Android eSIM-compatible phone so you can get online the minute you land. There’s no physical SIM card, no contracts and no hassle.

Lock in a new Nomad plan today and score 20% off with the discount code NOMCNET20.