Technologies

Samsung Will Reportedly Make iPhone Image Sensors at Texas Facility

Apple’s deal with the South Korean company means that Sony won’t be sole image sensor maker for the iPhone 18.

Samsung will reportedly begin producing a three-layer stacked image sensor for Apple’s iPhone 18 in Texas. The deal with Apple will help the South Korean company avoid President Trump’s strict tariffs policy and cut out Sony as the sole image sensor maker for iPhones, according to Financial Times,

The three-layer stacked image sensors enable fast shooting speeds and high-frame-rate 8K video in smartphones. On Wednesday, Apple said it was «working with Samsung at its fab [semiconductor fabrication facility] in Austin, Texas, to launch an innovative new technology for making chips, which has never been used before anywhere in the world.» The statement was part of Apple’s overall announcement that it was launching the American Manufacturing Program, part of a $600 billion investment to increase its supply chain and manufacturing in the US.

Thursday’s report by Financial Times adds more clarity to what Apple’s «innovative new technology» will mean for the iPhone 18. The move by Apple will allow it to avoid penalties by President Trump, who on Wednesday announced 100% percent tariffs on computer chips but added, «if you’re building in the United States of America, there’s no charge.»

Samsung is investing billions to increase manufacturing in the US, while Sony is producing iPhone image sensors in Kumamoto, Japan under a contract with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

Last month, CNET reported that Samsung Display Company — a separate entity from Samsung — would be producing the screens for the first iPhone foldable, reportedly to be launched next summer.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Aug. 8

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 8

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 might make you hungry. I think I need to put a summer barbecue on my calendar now. The puzzle wasn’t terribly tough, but I did mess up on 8-Across for a while, which took me some time to sort out. It was kind of fun that the first three across clues all helped build a summer classic meal. Need help with the clues and 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: Piece of bread atop 4-Across
Answer: BUN

4A clue: Yellow square atop 7-Across
Answer: CHEESE

7A clue: Offering at a summer cookout
Answer: BURGER

8A clue: Envelop and obscure
Answer: SHROUD

9A clue: Covers a tree in bathroom rolls, in a classic prank
Answer: TPS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Brought about
Answer: BEGOT

2D clue: Fully deplete
Answer: USEUP

3D clue: Jocks’ counterparts, stereotypically
Answer: NERDS

4D clue: «Survivor» network
Answer: CBS

5D clue: «What’d you say?»
Answer: HUH

6D clue: Make a mistake
Answer: ERR

Technologies

The Tesla Cybertruck May Have Found Its True Calling: Target Practice

The US Air Force plans to launch missiles at the controversial truck. Can we watch?

Technologies

Out of Nowhere: UFO 50 Hits Switch 2 After Indie World Reveal

No release date, no buildup, just a straight-up launch on the Switch.

Nintendo held an Indie World Showcase on Thursday to spotlight some of the indie games coming to the Switch platform. One of the surprise indie hits from last year is making the jump from PC to the Switch 2, and it’s available right now.

UFO 50, one of CNET’s best games of 2024, was the surprise from Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase Thursday, and had the additional surprise of launching after the event. It’s available to play on the Switch or the Switch 2 and costs $25.

From Mossmouth, UFO 50 is a unique indie title as it consists of 50 games done in a retro 8-bit style. These games come in a variety of genres, from platformers to shooters to RPGs. It’s a wide variety of games made by different independent developers.

While the collection of games in UFO 50 looks like something released on the NES back in the ’80s, the games have a modern feel. Some games are intended to be played solo, while others are meant to be played with others. The selection does feel random, but they’re connected by the story of a fictional game studio, UFOSoft, that created these 50 games that it never released.

Along with UFO 50, more than a dozen indie games were revealed during the showcase, including:

Is This Seat Taken?
Little Kitty, Big City
Content Warning
Ball X Pit
Ultimate Sheep Raccoon
Glaciered
Winter Burrow
Undusted: Letters from the Past
Tiny Bookshop
Caves of Qud
Strange Antiquities
Opus: Prism Peak
Go-Go Town!
Mina the Hollower
Well Dweller
Neverway
Herdling

Some games are set to come out in the coming weeks, while others will arrive in 2026.

You can buy UFO 50 for the Switch or the Switch 2 via My Nintendo Store online or the Nintendo eShop on the consoles for $25. Those who want a physical copy of the game can preorder one from Fangamer for $35.