Technologies

Apple Released iOS 18.5 RC, and It Includes a Few Small iPhone Changes

Apple could release the update to the public as early as next week.

Apple debuted the iOS 18.5 release candidate on May 6, more than a month after the company released iOS 18.4 to the general public. While that update brought more emoji to all iPhones, the RC brings a few small changes and a new Pride wallpaper. Because the latest release is the RC, Apple could release the update to the general public as early as next week.

Read more: An Expert’s Guide to iOS 18

Since the RC isn’t necessarily the final version of iOS 18.5, I recommend downloading it on something other than your primary device. The update might be buggy, and battery life may be affected, so it’s best to keep those troubles on a secondary phone.

Also, since the RC is not the final version, adjustments could land on your iPhone when the update is released. There’s no word on when Apple will release the iOS 18.5update to the general public, but it’s usually a week after the RC comes out.

Here’s what could appear on your iPhone with iOS 18.5. (Just a reminder: Only developers and beta testers with an iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max or the iPhone 16 lineup can access Apple Intelligence for now. If you have any other iPhone, you won’t have access to those features.)

New Pride wallpaper

Every year, Apple comes out with a new Pride wallpaper ahead of Pride Month, and this year is no different. The iOS 18.5 RC includes the latest iteration of the wallpaper, called «Pride Harmony,» which features bold stripes that shift and change position as you move.

iOS 18.5 tweaks Mail options

Apple introduced a few Mail app updates in the iOS 18.5 RC. One of those updates makes it easier to adjust the app’s settings by showing or hiding contact photos in Mail. Contact photos are the images to the left of emails that help identify senders.

Mail will show Contact Posters by default, but you can turn them off from within the app with the iOS 18.5 RC. To do so, open Mail, tap the three dots (…) in the top-right corner of your screen and tap Show Contact Photos. Now, all your emails will just show the subject line and a preview of the message, similar to how Mail looked before iOS 18.

This option is in iOS 18.4, but it’s buried in Settings and not easy to locate.

Another update concerns Categories. If the mode is enabled, you can see a small tab on the right side of your screen near the other categories. Swipe the categories bar near the top of Mail to the left, and this small tab will expand to reveal the category All Mail.

This category isn’t new; you can find it in iOS 18.4. But, there was no small tab on the right side of your screen to signal it was present off-screen. Therefore, All Mail flew under the radar — I didn’t even know the option was there until this beta.

This category appears to be a way to simultaneously enable Categories and List View — the pre-Categories view of Mail. By tapping All Mail, you’re viewing your messages without any categorization, like in List View.

Back Tap banner

The iOS 18.5 RC also introduces the option to display a banner using the Back Tap function. Back Tap turns the Apple logo on the back of your iPhone into a usable button that can open your camera, take a screenshot and more when you double or triple tap it. And with the iOS 18.5 RC, you can make your iPhone display a banner whenever you use Back Tap.

To enable the banner, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and tap the toggle next to Show Banner. If you enable the banner and use Back Tap, the banner will appear across the top of your screen and read, «Back Tap Double/Triple Tap detected.»

iOS 18.5 RC release notes

Here are the full release notes for the iOS 18.5 RC.

This update also includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

A new Pride Harmony wallpaper.
Parents now receive a notification when the Screen Time passcode is used on a child’s device.
Buy with iPhone is available when purchasing content within the Apple TV app on a third-party device.
Fixes an issue where the Apple Vision Pro app may display a black screen.
Support for carrier-provided satellite features is available on iPhone 13 (all models). For more information visit: https://support.apple.com/122339.

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit:

https://support.apple.com/100100

Anything else in the beta?

Not that I can tell, and I’m not surprised. Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference is set to happen in June, so iOS 18.5 will likely remain sparse on features so Apple can focus on iOS 19.

There might be another RC before iOS 18.5 is released to the public, but I wouldn’t expect to see any other new features in the upcoming update. Apple has not announced when it will release iOS 18.5 to the general public, but it could be as early as next week.

For more on iOS 18, here’s what you need to know about iOS 18.4.1 and all the latest features in iOS 18.4. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Jan. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 14.

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.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s not too tough, but 8-Across stumped me, so I had to pass on that and fill in the Down answers to solve it. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

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: Abruptly stop texting
Answer: GHOST

6A clue: Shaving kit item
Answer: RAZOR

7A clue: 2024 film role for which Mikey Madison won Best Actress
Answer: ANORA

8A clue: The ancient Chinese used compressed blocks of tea leaves as this
Answer: MONEY

9A clue: Shape of a round chart
Answer: PIE

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Dad’s dad, informally
Answer: GRAMP

2D clue: Capital of Vietnam
Answer: HANOI

3D clue: ___ layer, part of Earth’s atmosphere
Answer: OZONE

4D clue: How you might wake up after sleeping funny
Answer: SORE

5D clue: Cafeteria food carrier
Answer: TRAY

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

Technologies

Google Could Revive Last Year’s Bright Pink Color for the Pixel 10a

Google’s upcoming Pixel 10a is expected to launch in February with some new colors, including one popular ask.

The Google Pixel 9a is one of Google’s most affordable Pixel phones, and it includes one of the most frequently requested colors — bright pink. With the Google Pixel 10a rumored to launch in February, we’re already getting a hint at the colors the new model will come in.

According to Roland Quandt, a regular mobile leaker on Bluesky, the Google Pixel is expected to be offered in obsidian (black), berry (pink), fog (light gray), and lavender colors. However, it’s the berry hue that is intriguing customers.

A representative for Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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

«I always love to see phones come in vibrant colors, and it’s especially welcome in more budget-friendly options,» said Abrar Al-Heeti, senior technology reporter at CNET. «Yes, we tend to slap a case on our phones anyway, but just knowing your phone touts a bold color can make it feel like more of a statement piece, rather than a bland piece of tech.»

Pink is one of the most requested color options for the Pixel phones. CNET sister site Mashable loved the color when it debuted on the Pixel 9. Phone rivals like Apple and Samsung are usually expected to offer a pink color option in their flagship and midrange phone lineups, so it’s not surprising to see the berry color on the Pixel 10a.

«I’ll say that Google loves having Pixel phones in pink,» said Patrick Holland, CNET managing editor. «The Pixel 9 and 9a come in peony (a bright, bold pink) and the 9 Pro in rose quartz (a more muted pink). The Pixel 10 series lacks any pinkish hues.»

Quandt also says that the Pixel 10a will have 128GB and 256GB storage models, and will launch in mid-February. That’s earlier than expected compared with the Pixel 9a, which was revealed in mid-March 2025 for a launch on April 10. In terms of specifications, we expect the Pixel 10a to be a modest upgrade compared with previous generations. According to leaks, the Pixel 10 is unlikely to feature a newer Tensor G5 chip, and it’s likely to retain the same overall design as the Pixel 9a.

One leaker, Mystic Leaks on Telegram, expressed disappointment and revealed additional specs, including the absence of a telephoto lens, UFS 3.1 storage, a Tensor G4 chip, a 2,000-nit display and no Magic Cue, which is Google’s AI feature for the Pixel 10.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 14, #948

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Jan. 14 #948.

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 kind of tough. The blue category, not the purple one today, expects you to find hidden words in four of the words given in the grid. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times 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: That’s not going anywhere.

Green group hint: End user or customer.

Blue group hint: Ask a meteorologist.

Purple group hint: Not noisy.