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iOS 15 release date was today: Everything to know before you update your iPhone

Apple’s new iOS 15 software is now available to download on your iPhone. Here’s everything to know.

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

Apple’s iOS 15 has arrived. After Apple’s iPhone 13 event last week, the tech giant revealed that iOS 15 would be generally available for free download on Monday, alongside iPadOS 15. At the event, we also saw four iPhone 13 models, new iPads and the Apple Watch Series 7 all debuted.

Not to be confused with last week’s release of iOS 14.8, which addressed a security issue, iOS 15 brings new features to several generations of the iPhone.

We got a first look at Apple’s iOS 15 update at the company’s virtual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, followed by a developer beta and then a public beta. (Here’s how to download iOS 15 now, why you might want to wait to download iOS 15, and how to check if your phone can run iOS 15.)

While we saw a lot of new features arrive this spring and summer with iOS 14.5, iOS 14.6 and iOS 14.7, including being able to unlock your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask, stop apps from tracking you for advertising purposes and choose from four Siri voices, iOS 15 adds even more. New iOS 15 features include the ability to start FaceTime calls with Android users, easier sharing in iMessage and better directions in Maps. Keep reading for everything we’ve learned about iOS 15 so far, including when it will be generally released, how to download it and some of the biggest new features.

iOS 15 release date: Sept. 20

Apple initially revealed iOS 15 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 7, as is typical. The new OS was first available for developers to test and became available to download as a public beta on June 30.

At the iPhone 13 event on Sept. 14, Apple announced that iOS 15 would be generally available for free download on Sept. 20.

This follows Apple’s typical iOS release pattern, with the software typically arriving within a week of an iPhone launch event.

And if you’ve been holding onto the same iPhone since 2015 or later, you will likely be eligible to receive iOS 15. Apple’s iOS 15 is available on the iPhone 6S and every iPhone onward.

iOS 15 new features

Here are a few of the key new features that come with iOS 15, unveiled at WWDC 2021. (And here’s an overview of all of the new features in iOS 15.)

FaceTime upgrades: Spatial audio, support for Android and Windows

FaceTime will offer spatial audio to make people’s voices appear to come from their position on the screen, making your video chats feel more natural and lifelike. FaceTime will also start to look more like Zoom, allowing you to see all participants in a grid view, schedule calls and share links to calls that can be accessed via browser on Google Android and Microsoft Windows devices.

Read more: Fun FaceTime date idea: Try Apple’s new SharePlay feature in iOS 15

iMessage sharing features

iOS 15 adds some new iMessage sharing features for photos, news articles and playlists. When a friend sends you multiple photos over iMessage, they’ll appear in a dynamic collage formation that allows you to swipe through them or tap through to view the whole bunch in your photos app. If you want to access the same photos later, you’ll find them stored in a new Shared with You folder, as well as mixed in with your own featured photos and memories. You’ll also find news articles and playlists shared through iMessage in new Shared with You tabs in your News and Apple Music apps.

Apple Maps update: 3D street data, AR walking directions and weather warnings

Apple Maps gets an upgrade with more elevation data, road colors and driving directions, rich labels, 3D landmarks and improved night mode. In terms of public transportation, you can also pin nearby public transit stops and station information to your iPhone and Apple Watch devices, and receive automatic updates and notifications as you ride and approach your stop. When traveling on foot, a new augmented reality feature lets you scan nearby buildings in the area with the iPhone’s camera to determine their precise position for more accurate walking directions, which are also presented in augmented reality.

Maps also could factor weather warnings into suggested routes in iOS 15. Redditor ChrisSDreiling, who spotted the update in iOS 15 beta 3, says Maps will let you know if there are flash floods on your journey, and suggest alternate routes to avoid the extreme weather. Although other types of weather alerts weren’t mentioned in ChrisSDreiling’s post, it will be interesting to see if more weather warnings will be added before the iOS 15 general release.

Facial recognition selfies to validate digital ID cards in the Wallet app

At WWDC this spring, Apple announced that it will add ID card support for the Wallet app in iOS 15, allowing you to carry digital versions of government-issued identification cards like your driver’s license on your iPhone. The ID feature isn’t in the initial release of iOS 15 and it’s still unclear how exactly it will work. (It will also only be for US users.) According to code uncovered by 9to5Mac in the iOS 15 beta 4 for developers, Apple could be using facial recognition selfies to validate your digital ID cards when adding them to your wallet. Some banking apps already use this selfie validation feature to authenticate users when logging on with new devices.

How do you download iOS 15?

Now that iOS 15 is generally available, you likely got a notification from Apple letting you know you can update. Or you can do it manually, by going to the Settings app > General > Software Update and under the Also Available section, tap Upgrade to iOS 15.

If you had already installed the iOS 15 beta on your phone, you can uninstall it before downloading the final version of the OS. Here’s why you might want to wait before installing the full release of iOS 15.

For more, here’s everything to know about the iPhone 13. You can also take a look at the cool new features for WatchOS 8, the best things about MacOS Monterey and check if your computer is compatible with the new MacOS.

Technologies

The GameSir G8 Plus Is a Solid Mobile Controller, With One Big Caveat

If you don’t mind a bad app, the G8 Plus is a solid controller.

Our Experts

Written by  Jason Cockerham
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

Jason Cockerham

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GameSir G8 Plus

Pros

  • Great hardware
  • Fits phones and small tablets
  • Extra back buttons
  • Good battery life

Cons

  • Buggy app
  • No extra faceplates available
  • No case included

If you don’t think gaming on your phone could be fun, you’ve likely never tried using it with a controller. Once you do, you’ll realize why mobile gaming is continuing to grow exponentially. It really is, pun very much intended, a game-changer.

There are a ton of mobile controllers out there. Most of them are bad but there are some great ones out there too. The G8 Plus from GameSir is one of the latter. It works with Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch. And it feels great to use, but the app leaves a lot to be desired.

Great hardware

There’s a lot to like about the G8 Plus, starting with the hardware. Arguably, the most important aspect of any controller is how it feels to hold and use, and luckily the G8 Plus does well there. It’s not my favorite hardware on a mobile controller — that’s currently a tie between the Razer Kishi Ultra and the Elo Vagabond — but it’s still solid.

It’s comfortable to hold, even for long periods of time. It feels like an Xbox controller that stretches in half to make room for your phone, which is a good thing. The textured grip on the back means it won’t slip out of your hands and it’s light enough not feel too heavy after an hour or so.

The buttons are nice and clicky with plenty of travel, and the D-Pad is decent too. D-Pads often gets overlooked on mobile controllers, but it’s solid here. There’s also a Home button on the front for launching the GameSir app, a capture button for recording in-game content, and an M button for switching connection modes.

I was impressed by the two programmable back buttons. They aren’t mushy like on the PowerA Fusion and they sit where my fingers naturally rest, so they’re easy to use. These buttons are always hit or miss on mobile controllers, but here, they’re great.  

The Hall Effect joysticks and triggers are good as well. While there is no physical hair trigger setting, you can adjust the triggers digitally in the app. More on that later. GameSir also offers a couple different joystick tops so you can pick the one that suits your gameplay. They aren’t different heights, just differently shaped tops.

The best part of the G8 Plus is the range of compatible devices. The two halves stretch out far enough for probably every phone and it can even fit some small tablets like the iPad Mini or the fantastic Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3. Since it’s Bluetooth, there’s no need to mess with connecting to USB-C. Plus, it will automatically wake up and connect to your phone as soon as you pull it apart, and it will sleep as soon as you remove your phone.

Frustrating software

Sadly, the biggest frustration and reason I hesitate to recommend the G8 Plus is the same one that’s been plaguing GameSir controllers for years: the software. GameSir’s app is not only barebones, it’s barely functional and it has some annoying bugs.

The UI is just… basic. There’s nothing flashy or exciting about it, and it looks like the company just threw it together just to say it has an app. The games tab that’s supposed to highlight the latest games for you is instead full of things that don’t even exist anymore like Apex Legends: Mobile. Your own games are hidden behind a tab on the Device page.

To be fair, you can do a lot within the app, including remap buttons, customize joystick and trigger dead zones, even adjust the vibration intensity. This is also where you setup the virtual touch mapping for games such as Call of Duty: Mobile that don’t natively support controllers.

The GameSir app will sometimes override the settings for other controllers. For example, after playing COD:M on the G8 Plus, I switched back to the Elo Vagabond to find it no longer worked; my phone didn’t recognize it at all. Not even a restart would solve this. I had to uninstall and reinstall the app, which also means redownloading the dozens of gigabytes necessary to play it. Very annoying. I realize most people don’t have more than one controller, but just be aware of that if you do switch controllers.

Worth it if you can get past the software

If you don’t care much about the lackluster app, then the G8 Plus really is a solid controller. It feels great, responds well, and has respectable battery life. But it’s also pricey at $100, especially with the poor app experience. If GameSir put some work into its app, the G8 Plus would be much easier to recommend. I also wish it came with a case, but there are some on Amazon that don’t look too bad. Still, it’s a great controller, even for $100.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 19

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 19.

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


Today’s Mini Crossword is a delight. I was thrilled to spot a cute salamander with a funny name in the clue for 9-Across. Good thing I remembered how to spell it! Keep reading for help with today’s Mini Crossword. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: See-through
Answer: CLEAR

6A clue: «Anybody home?»
Answer: HELLO

7A clue: Winged horse of Greek myth
Answer: PEGASUS

9A clue: Salamander known for its regenerative abilities (and adorable appearance)
Answer: AXOLOTL

10A clue: Texting format, for short
Answer: SMS

11A clue: Birthplace of bossa nova
Answer: RIO

12A clue: Even score
Answer: TIE

13A clue: Insect seen in Dalí’s «The Persistence of Memory»
Answer: ANT

14A clue: Directory abbr.
Answer: EXT

15A clue: Metroid console, for short
Answer: NES

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Party snack made with cereal and pretzels
Answer: CHEXMIX

2D clue: Gift with many interlocking pieces
Answer: LEGOSET

3D clue: Airline whose name comes from the Book of Hosea
Answer: ELAL

4D clue: Election loser
Answer: ALSORAN

5D clue: Stand-up comic’s act
Answer: ROUTINE

7D clue: Command that uses the «V» key
Answer: PASTE

8D clue: Pulling their arms might win you money
Answer: SLOTS

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Technologies

It’s the End of the Road for Microsoft Store Movies and TV Shows. What It Means for You

Microsoft has abruptly stopped offering rentals and sales of TV shows and movies on its media platforms.

Microsoft is exiting the market for selling and renting TV and movies across its platforms. There was no reason given for the abrupt change, with Microsoft simply posting the news on a support page on its Xbox website.

«Microsoft has stopped selling new movie and TV content. Existing customers can continue to access their previously purchased content on Windows and Xbox devices,» Microsoft said in the post.

The company said playback and download options will continue to be available for shows and movies people bought previously, but it’s the end of the road for new sales.

On the same page, Microsoft directed users to sign up for Movies Anywhere if they aren’t already members, which makes purchased content available across platforms, and to shop at other media stores including Amazon’s Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

A representative for Microsoft didn’t offer additional comment, but pointed CNET to a similar support blog post on Microsoft’s website.

Microsoft has partnered with many companies over the years to distribute video content since the early 2000s. The move comes as the company has been experiencing mass layoffs and cost cutting across many divisions, including its gaming studios, resulting in the cancellation of multiple upcoming Xbox games.

What happens to content I’ve bought from Microsoft?

Although Microsoft says previously purchased content isn’t going to be unavailable, there are some things to be aware of. According to the support page, you can’t transfer your purchases to another service (although they can be accessed on other services if Movies Anywhere makes them available, but that doesn’t apply to TV shows).

Microsoft isn’t offering refunds for any purchased content, either. 

Microsoft says that downloads of movies and TV shows will still work and will be available, «on Windows and in HD max resolution.» Movies and TV shows will still be playable on the Microsoft Movies & TV app.

The company says anyone who is having trouble accessing their purchases can reach out to Microsoft Support.

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