Technologies

Apple, Please Don’t Let AI Ruin the iPhone 17’s Camera

The iPhone 17 is right around the corner and I need Apple to focus on what matters.

AI has quickly made its way into all parts of our phones, and the cameras are no exception. I was taken aback by the Honor 400 Pro phone’s image-to-video AI tool when it brought my dad back to life, while the Pixel 9 Pro focused more on generative AI to add new elements to your Images or even create new scenes out of nowhere.

But the iPhones have always focused first and foremost on delivering some of the best image quality you can get in a camera phone, and as a professional photographer I want to see that same dedication to taking better photos.

It’s not that I don’t like AI. I do, when it’s applied properly. I like ChatGPT’s and Google Gemini’s ability to answer questions in a conversational way, I like Adobe’s use of AI for object removal in Photoshop and as a horror movie fan I’m genuinely excited about the terrifying visions I’ve seen created using AI.

But AI can also be a crutch for mobile companies to lean on in order to make up for shortfalls elsewhere. I liked the Pixel 9 Pro, but its camera hardware hadn’t been changed since the last model. The new generative AI tools became the new imaging-focused features for the upgrade. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s camera blew me away with its variable aperture that created stunning starbursts in night time images. And yet the more recent 15 Ultra ditched that in favor of software features, so the experience simply isn’t the same.

Apple’s iPhones have always impressed with their image quality. Back in 2019 I took the iPhone 11 Pro on a photography road trip instead of my usual Canon DSLR, and I frequently use my iPhone 16 Pro as my professional camera when carrying a bigger setup isn’t feasible. Apple’s image quality is top notch, with the phones typically producing natural image tones and less heavy-handed image processing, resulting in authentic looking images.

Its ProRaw image format and ProRes and Log video codecs are aimed at getting the best quality from the cameras. Apple has invested in core image quality technologies, not simply used AI to make up for any hardware shortcomings. It’s why Apple has won the hearts of creatives the world over and why the iPhone is often seen as one of, if not the best camera phones for professional or enthusiastic photo and video shooters.

And I’m not saying the iPhone occupies some AI-free utopia. Apple has been a pioneer in applying machine learning to overcome limitations of tiny smartphone cameras, such as its Deep Fusion imaging technology that captures multiple exposures and blends them into a final, evenly-exposed image. And I suppose to a lesser extent its Portrait Lighting tool from 2017’s iPhone 8 that used depth maps and algorithms to create artificial lighting effects. But these are arguably tools to enhance an existing image, and I’m worried that the next iPhone’s camera will be all about how you can generate entirely new scenes without even having to step outside your house.

The rise in popularity of dedicated compact cameras such as the Fujifilm X100 VI and the continued resurgence in the popularity of film photography has shown that the creative world still demands authentic photography. Real cameras taking real moments with your real friends. Actual sunset colors casting across golden sandy beaches, not an AI’s generic interpretation of what a beach looks like.

AI has its place and I’m braced for Apple’s September event to be AI-focused. As AI seeps deeper into our phone experience and Apple pushes on with its AI strategy, I’m concerned that the company could make rash decisions with its imaging experience in order to try and justify the existence of Apple Intelligence. But this shouldn’t come at the expense of core image quality, so I also want to hear about how I can take the iPhone 17 deep into the heart of my home country of Scotland and take the most beautiful photos of the incredible landscape in front of me.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, Dec. 1

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 1.

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? Read on for the answers. 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: Tree that’s a symbol of Canada
Answer: MAPLE

6A clue: Back street
Answer: ALLEY

7A clue: Kind of steak with a letter in its name
Answer: TBONE

8A clue: Beer pong targets
Answer: CUPS

9A clue: «___ Pinafore» (Gilbert and Sullivan opera)
Answer: HMS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Show mutual interest, as on a dating app
Answer: MATCH

2D clue: «Bad» or «Good Kid, M.A.A.D City»
Answer: ALBUM

3D clue: Sits (down) heavily
Answer: PLOPS

4D clue: Contact ___
Answer: LENS

5D clue: Look here!
Answer: EYE

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Dec. 1, #434

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Dec. 1, No. 434.

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 features one of those classic — and difficult — purple categories. You’ll need to look for words inside of words to get that grouping. (Or just solve the other three, and get purple by default.) If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for 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: Maybe on the beach.

Green group hint: Deal me in.

Blue group hint: Not necessarily Jim.

Purple group hint: Look at the final part of the words.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Volleyball terms.

Green group: Poker terms.

Blue group: Jameses.

Purple group: Ends in an NWSL team.

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 volleyball terms. The four answers are dig, serve, set and spike.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is poker terms. The four answers are blind, flop, river and turn.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Jameses.The four answers are Cook, Harden, Shields and Worthy.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ends in an NWSL team.The four answers are balderdash (Houston Dash), concurrent (Kansas City Current), foreign (Seattle Reign) and microwave (San Diego Wave).

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

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Dec. 1, #1626

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Dec. 1, No. 1,626.

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 is a little tricky. Many people will confuse it with a similar word that’s spelled differently. 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.