Technologies
Apple, iOS 17 Should Steal These Android 14 Features
Commentary: Apple’s next iPhone OS is expected to be unveiled Monday at WWDC.

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 kicks off on Monday, and the company is expected to announce the next version of its iPhone software, iOS 17, at the event. WWDC comes about a month after Google I/O 2023, where Google showcased its next smartphone software, Android 14.
In the US, iPhones recently wrestled the crown away from Androids as the most popular smartphone system, but this comes after more than a decade of Android dominance. And Android reigns in the global market, often by wide margins. In South America, for example, Android represents about 88% of all smartphones, and iPhones trail with about 11%, according to the IT site SOS Support.
But for as long as Apple and Google have been fighting like Godzilla and King Kong for smartphone market superiority, they’ve also seemingly been stealing ideas from each other. For example, notification badges debuted on iPhones, and Androids had home screen widgets long before iPhones, as Popular Science notes.

Apple and Android have seemingly been copying features from each other for years.
That back-and-forth continued with Android 14, as Android phones seemingly copied iPhones again with an updated Find My Device feature and added unknown tracker alerts. We don’t know what Apple has in store for iOS 17, but we think the company should incorporate some of the new Android features into the software.
Here are the new Android features I think Apple should include in iOS 17.
More lock screen customization options
Lock screen customization was one of the most substantial updates to land on iPhones when iOS 16 was released in September 2022. With iOS 17, I want to see Apple give iPhone users more customization options, like Google is doing with Android 14.
Android 14 will let users change the size and design of their lock screen’s clock — in addition to its font type and color — and the software lets users add shortcuts to their lock screen. Changing your lock screen clock is nice — you can already change the font and color of your iPhone’s lock screen clock — but I’d really like to see Apple add the ability to edit or add to the shortcuts on the lock screen.
I regularly use the flashlight shortcut, but I back-tap my iPhone to pull up the camera, so the camera shortcut doesn’t get used as much. Being able to change that shortcut to my Wallet app, or a search shortcut, would be great in iOS 17.

There are only four lock screen spaces for widgets in the current iOS.
It would also be nice if Apple added more widget spaces to the iPhone’s lock screen. With iOS 16, your iPhone has four grid spaces for widgets, and some widgets, like the Weather widget, take up two of those. It would be great if iOS 17 gave you at least four more grid spaces for widgets, giving you more ways to access your favorite apps.
AI-generated wallpapers
Android 14 will use artificial intelligence to let users create custom wallpapers. People will prompt their phone, which will use AI to generate a few wallpaper options. It would be great to see Apple roll out AI-generated wallpapers in iOS 17, but I’m not getting my hopes up.
While other companies have begun developing their own AI tools, Apple hasn’t made any public announcements about developing, or partnering with another company to produce, such tools.
«I do think it’s very important to be deliberate and thoughtful in how you approach these things,» Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said when asked about generative AI on the company’s earnings call.
It’s possible Apple will introduce more AI tools and functions in iOS 17, like AI-generated wallpapers, but I wouldn’t expect it. I’d bet Apple will integrate AI tools into functions most people already use, like Siri, first.
More emoji wallpaper customization options
Google announced at its I/O 2023 event that certain Pixel phones will let you create custom wallpapers using emojis, but this isn’t exclusive to Android 14. Users will be able to choose up to 14 emoji, the color of the background and the layout the emoji are set in. But Apple already brought this feature to iPhones.

Emoji wallpapers are already available on iPhones.
To create a custom emoji wallpaper on your iPhone, go to Settings > Wallpaper > + Add New Wallpaper, and under the Emoji section are some premade emoji wallpapers. Tap any of these and you can edit what emoji are used, the layout and the color of the background. However, you can select only up to six emoji.
It would be fun if Apple allowed you to use more emoji and gave you more than six layout options in iOS 17 to further customize these wallpapers.
Cinematic wallpaper
Also not exclusive to Android 14, certain Pixel phones will let Android users create cinematic wallpapers. This feature will allow people to take a photo and give certain elements of the photo a depth effect. Once you’ve applied the effect, you can shift your Android device around and the wallpaper elements will shift around as well, making your wallpaper look three dimensional.

Cinematic wallpapers on Pixel devices will give certain wallpapers a three-dimensional look.
Apple introduced a similar lock screen feature in iOS 7, and this feature morphed into Perspective Zoom in some iOS 16 betas. However, the feature is no longer available in recent iOS 16 updates. Apple does let you apply a depth effect to your lock screen, but that just places your clock behind certain wallpaper elements. Enabling this also disables your lock screen widgets.
Cinematic wallpapers on your iPhone would be a nice touch to include in iOS 17, and they’d make some wallpapers on your home and lock screen really stand out. And if Apple doesn’t allow cinematic wallpapers in iOS 17, it would be great if the company at least allowed widgets to work on your lock screen when your depth effect was turned on.
For more on Apple’s mobile software, check out what CNET’s Patrick Holland hopes is included in iOS 17, what could be coming to your iPhone in iOS 16.6 and what new features you get in iOS 16.5.
Technologies
Pope Francis’ Funeral: How to Stream Live or Watch the Replay
Here’s how to stream the pope’s funeral very early Saturday, and what you can expect to see during the service.

After a week of global mourning for Pope Francis, who died on Monday at age 88, the pope’s funeral will be celebrated on Saturday . Francis’ funeral will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. local time at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City (which is very, very early if you’re tuning in from the US or Canada), and he will be laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
The Vatican will be livestreaming the papal funeral and procession, though not the burial, on its YouTube channel as it happens. The funeral will also be televised live on CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox, as well as on streaming services like Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock and Paramount Plus. Due to the time difference, it seems likely that many interested North American viewers will catch it when it’s replayed later on Saturday. Numerous networks will rebroadcast the service later that day.
If you choose to stay up, or get up early, here’s when the live broadcast of the pope’s funeral will air in your time zone in the continental US on April 26:
- ET: 4 a.m.
- CT: 3 a.m.
- MT: 2 a.m.
- PT: 1 a.m.
The papacy of Pope Francis was notable for the progressive reforms he brought to the Roman Catholic Church. He appointed more than half of the current College of Cardinals and attempted to foster more positive attitudes toward members of the LGBT community and migrants worldwide.
What to expect from the funeral
The funeral will follow many rituals, though not all traditional protocols will be followed. Most popes are buried in St. Peter’s Basilica or its grottoes, but the AP reports Francis chose the St. Mary Major Basilica to reflect his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the People of Rome).
His funeral will be less elaborate than those of other popes per his own wishes. Francis simplified papal funeral rites last year, permitting his burial outside the Vatican, and emphasizing his role as a bishop rather than as pope (the pope is also the Bishop of Rome).
Previous popes were buried in three coffins: one of cypress, one of lead and one of oak. Francis requested to be buried in a single wooden, zinc-lined coffin and not to be placed in an elevated bier as other popes were.
The coffin will be taken from St Peter’s Basilica and placed on a dais in St Peter’s Square, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will lead the service. After the service, the coffin will return to St Peter’s Basilica before it is carried across the River Tiber and to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major for burial. The ceremony is estimated to end around 2 p.m. local time, or four hours after it begins.
Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will be the first of nine Masses held daily at St. Peter’s until May 4. This is an ancient tradition of the Catholic Church that observes nine days of consecutive mourning. According to Vatican News, a different group of mourners will participate each day, though the Eucharistic celebrations are open to everyone.
Who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral?
Hundreds of people, including world leaders and royals, are expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral.
US president Donald Trump confirmed on his Truth Social Platform that he and first lady Melania Trump will be at the funeral. This will be Trump’s first foreign trip in his second term. He is expected to have a seat in the third row, though the Vatican has yet to release an official seating chart. It is tradition for the first row of seats to go to Catholic royalty, and the second row to non-Catholic royals.
Prince William, who is attending on behalf of King Charles, will sit in the second row, which is reserved for non-Catholic royals. Former president Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, devout Catholics, will also attend the funeral.
Conclave: What happens next to choose the new pope
After Pope Francis’ funeral, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will vote on his successor in an assembly of cardinals known as a conclave.
There are many matters for the cardinals to settle before the conclave begins, but once it does, it can take days or even weeks to conclude. Two-thirds of the cardinals’ votes are required to elect the next pope. The conclave occurs behind closed doors and the vote tally is never made public.
Read more: Where to Watch Conclave, the Vatican Thriller About Electing a New Pope
Look for the white smoke
The ballots are burned after each round, and chemicals are added to the flames to produce black smoke if there’s no majority. When a new pope has been selected, the chemicals will be added to the flames so they produce white smoke. Crowds gather in St. Peter’s Square to watch for the results.
If you’re fascinated by the process, you can watch a dramatized version of the events in 2024 film Conclave.
In the movie, Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who spearheads the election of the next pope while investigating rumors about potential candidates. The film is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris and is completely fictional — though it does represent some of the events of how actual papal conclaves take place. In March, the film won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
You can stream Conclave on Amazon Prime Video, or rent it for $6 on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, YouTube or Google Play Movies.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 26, #685
Hints and answers for Connections for April 26, #685.

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 Connections puzzle features a lot of short words, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. That purple category requires a lot of thinking — probably most people will solve it only by solving the other three and having four words left over. 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 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: Rainbow.
Green group hint: San Fernando ____.
Blue group hint: Think Robert.
Purple group hint: Mixed-up hue words.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Tint.
Green group: Valley.
Blue group: Bobs.
Purple group: Color anagrams.
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 tint. The four answers are color, hue, shade and tone.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is valley. The four answers are dale, dell, glen and hollow.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is Bobs. The four answers are Dole, Hope, Marley and Ross.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is color anagrams. The four answers are Dre (red), Gary (gray), genre (green) and lube (blue).
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 26, #215
Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 215, for Saturday, April 26.

Looking for the most recent regular 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 and Strands puzzles.
Connections: Sports Edition is tough today. The purple category theme threw me because of one phrase I didn’t know. And let’s hope you’re familiar with college coach surnames. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Try to achieve.
Green group hint: Move through it.
Blue group hint: Sideline bosses.
Purple group hint: Like a carton.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: What one strives for.
Green group: Room to run.
Blue group: College football coaches.
Purple group: Box ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is what one strives for. The four answers are aim, goal, objective and target.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is room to run. The four answers are gap, hole, opening and space.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is college football coaches. The four answers are Day, Lanning, Smart and Stoops.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is box ____. The four answers are lacrosse, office, score and seat.
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