Technologies

Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus First Look: Dynamic Island, New Colors and USB-C

Apple’s iPhone 15 already feels like a bigger upgrade than the iPhone 14.

The iPhone 15 is here. On Tuesday in Cupertino, California, Apple took the wraps off its newest phones at its «Wonderlust» event, introducing the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus alongside a bevy of other devices, including the new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Among the big new features is the expansion of Dynamic Island, the animated feature at the top of the screen that gives contextual information and which debuted last year on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, to the iPhone 15 line. Also widely tipped was the addition of USB-C, which has replaced the Lightning port for wired charging and connectivity.

Pricing starts at $799 (£799, AU$1,499) for the 128GB iPhone 15 and $899 (£899, AU$1,649) for the 128GB iPhone 15 Plus, so long as you’re activating with a carrier. Preorders begin on Friday, with the phones going on sale next Friday, Sept. 22.

The Dynamic Island appears to be the same incarnation that debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. It’s essentially a secondary display that can be used to view media playback, sports scores, rideshare status and other bits of information without flipping back and forth between apps.

As with 2022’s iPhone 14 line, there is no «mini» iPhone 15, with Apple once again releasing a 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and a larger 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus. The displays are brighter this year as well, up to 2,000 nits of brightness.

There are five colors for the new phones: pink, yellow, green, blue and black. The main camera on the iPhone 15 is now 48 megapixels and in addition to taking higher resolution photos and videos, also allows for a new 2x telephoto zoom (albeit at 12 megapixels). That’s a significant jump from the iPhone 14’s 12-megapixel camera system, although it’s impossible to tell how much of a difference that makes in practice without spending more time with it.

But it’s not just the colors that are different. Apple is using a new color-infused back glass for the iPhone 15, which gives it a frosty and translucent look. So far, this new matte finish looks less prone to fingerprint smudges compared to the glossy iPhone 14.

The chip under the hood is last year’s A16 Bionic, which was in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. (Last year’s iPhone 14 and 14 Plus relied on the A15 Bionic.) There is a bigger battery in the iPhone 15 line, though Apple didn’t reveal specific battery sizes.

The new devices continue to keep a host of prior iPhone features, including 5G and satellite connectivity for emergencies. New for this year is the ability to call for roadside assistance via satellite, with Apple partnering with AAA in the US. The roadside feature is included in AAA membership, while Apple says it will offer satellite connectivity for free for two years with the purchase of an iPhone 15.

In addition to USB-C, the new iPhones will be able to work with MagSafe, as well as new accessories that support the Qi2 wireless charging standard that was announced earlier this year.

Overall, the iPhone 15 seems like a larger leap than last year’s iPhone 14, thanks to the Dynamic Island, the sharper camera, USB-C charging and the new design. While it’s still a step below the iPhone 15 Pro, it feels like the biggest difference in the regular iPhone since the iPhone 12.

More from the Apple event

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, Aug. 10

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 10

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.

Woo, my last name is in today’s Mini Crossword! «Cooper» is part of the clue for 3-Down. Did I get that answer? Nope! I had to let the other clues fill it in. But that said, today’s puzzle isn’t too tough, even if your last name isn’t featured. Need answers? Read on. 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: Try to tag
Answer: CHASE

6A clue: Fictional sports icon with a statue by the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Answer: ROCKY

7A clue: Loosen, as laces
Answer: UNTIE

8A clue: Trigger for a werewolf’s transformation
Answer: MOON

9A clue: «It’s freezing!»
Answer: BRR

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Table tidbit
Answer: CRUMB

2D clue: Pay homage to
Answer: HONOR

3D clue: Driver, Cooper or Butler
Answer: ACTOR

4D clue: Poisonous part of a poison dart frog
Answer: SKIN

5D clue: Needle opening
Answer: EYE

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Aug. 10, #321

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 10, No. 321

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.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition counts on you knowing a little bit about European soccer venues, so that could help or hurt some puzzle-solvers. 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: Strength

Green group hint: Start cooking those dogs!

Blue group hint: Anfield is another one.

Purple group hint: They miss their teams.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Fortitude.

Green group: Tailgating needs.

Blue group: Famous soccer venues.

Purple group: Former NFL cities.

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 fortitude. The four answers are grit, guts, mettle and moxie.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is tailgating needs. The four answers are chairs, cooler, grill and tent.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is famous soccer venues. The four answers are Camp Nou, Old Trafford, San Siro and Stamford Bridge.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is former NFL cities. The four answers are Canton, Oakland, San Diego and St. Louis.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Aug. 10, #791

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle No. 791, for Sunday, Aug. 10.

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 features a fun blue category, especially for bookworms like me. That purple category, though — no one does those random «look for a word inside of a word» categories like the Times. 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: To have an effect on something.

Green group hint: Gather together.

Blue group hint: Not nonfiction.

Purple group hint: Look at a high-school or college schedule for hints.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Influence.

Green group: Amass.

Blue group: Kinds of fiction.

Purple group: Starting with math and science classes, for short.

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 influence. The four answers are juice, pull, sway and weight.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is amass. The four answers are cluster, collect, concentrate and group.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is kinds of fiction. The four answers are fan, historical, pulp and science.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starting with math and science classes, for short. The four answers are biopic, calcium, chemise and triglyceride. (Biology, calculus, chemistry and trigonometry.)