Technologies
Everything We Know About the iPhone 15 and USB-C
There are still plenty of questions about how Apple will handle the iPhone’s switch to USB-C.

For the first time in more than a decade, you might need a different charger for your iPhone. Apple executives said the company plans to comply with European rules mandating that new phones all use the same common USB-C charging port. Most phones already use USB-C, with Apple being the main outlier.
When asked if Apple will move to USB-C, Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said the company has «no choice.» Apple will «comply with local laws» as it does around the world, Joswiak said during an appearance at The Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference in October.
That said, there’s still a lot we don’t know about how Apple will execute the transition to USB-C for the iPhone. Apple rarely discusses new products before announcing them, meaning we don’t have much insight on details like whether all new iPhones will get USB-C, or just those sold in Europe.
Apple declined to share further details regarding future plans to bring USB-C to the iPhone.
Will the iPhone 15 have a USB-C charging port?


Today’s iPhones use the Lightning port to charge.
Stephen Shankand/CNETThere’s a chance the iPhone 15 could have a USB-C port instead of the Lightning connector, but it’s impossible to know until Apple releases its next iPhone. The EU’s rules say all mobile phones sold in the EU will need to have a USB-C charging port by the end of 2024. That means it’s unclear whether Apple will start the transition in 2023 with what will presumably be the iPhone 15, or wait until 2024.
But Chiew Le Xuan, a research analyst for Canalys, thinks the switch could come sooner rather than later.
«What we think is that Apple will bring Type C to the iPhone 15 series,» he said. «So, similar to what they did for the iPads [and] the Macs: They sort of just transitioned the whole product line.»
Apple has reportedly tested iPhone models with USB-C in the past. Bloomberg reported last May that Apple was testing future iPhone models with USB-C, as well as an adapter that would enable these iPhones to work with Lightning connections. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for TF International Securities known for his Apple predictions, also said Apple plans to convert the iPhone to USB-C in 2023.
It’s also worth noting that Apple is a member of the USB Implementers Forum, a nonprofit organization that was formed to further advance USB development and adoption.
What’s the reasoning behind the EU’s new rules?
The new mandate is part of an effort to simplify the charging experience for consumers and cut down on electronic waste.
«Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need a different charger every time they purchase a new device, as they will be able to use one single charger for a whole range of small and medium-sized portable electronic devices,» reads a European Parliament press release.
The shift is also meant to help cut down on the roughly11,000 metric tons (12,125 tons) of annual e-waste resulting from unused chargers in the EU, the release says.
Will all future iPhones adopt USB-C, or just those in Europe?
This is another question we won’t know the answer to until Apple releases future iPhone models. But Maurice Klahne, senior research analyst at Counterpoint Research, thinks it seems likely Apple will transition the iPhone to USB-C more broadly rather than keeping it region-specific.
«It’s just simply too costly to make different devices for different regions,» he said. «And so Apple will likely make the switch everywhere all at once.»
What benefits does USB-C offer over Lightning?


The transition to USB-C could result in more perks and conveniences for iPhone owners. For example, you’d be able to use the same charger that powers other devices, like your MacBook laptop or iPad, to charge your iPhone. There’s also a broad accessory ecosystem for USB-C, considering it’s been standard on most electronics for the better part of the last decade. Plenty of Apple’s own products already rely on USB-C rather than Lightning, such as the iPad Air, iPad Pro and Apple’s lineup of MacBooks.
It’s possible the switch to USB-C could result in faster charging and data transfers, specifically on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Kuo has reported that only the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will support high-speed data transfers over USB-C, for example.
Le Xuan agrees, saying Apple will likely do more to separate the regular iPhone 15 from its premium sibling this year.
«By then moving into a Type C switch, we will probably see some sort of differentiation between the Pro and Pro Max and the non-Pro Max in terms of charging speeds,» he said.
Will I need an Apple-specific USB-C cable?
You shouldn’t need an Apple-made cable to charge your iPhone when Apple makes the switch to USB-C. After all, that would defeat the purpose of the EU’s push toward a universal charging cable.
But the company could potentially make it so that Apple-certified USB-C cables offer benefits over noncertified alternatives. Kuo, for example, reports that Apple will likely optimize chargers that are part of the company’s MFi certification program to offer faster charging speeds. This follows a leak from ShrimpApplePro (who also leaked the Dynamic Island’s design early), which says cables without an MFi certification will be limited in charging and data transfer speeds.
Apple hasn’t spoken about its plans for the iPhone 15 or future USB-C charging cables beyond the comments made at The Wall Street Journal’s conference. But a move like this could help Apple boost its accessory ecosystem by maintaining some level of exclusivity as it embraces the switch to a universal iPhone charger.
«Even though their walled garden isn’t as walled anymore,» said Klahne, «they can still make these little adjustments to keep their iOS base more walled off from the general Android market.»
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 lineup in the September timeframe during its usual annual product launch event. Other than USB-C charging, rumors suggest new solid-state buttons are coming to the Pro models, while the Dynamic Island is expected to expand to non-Pro versions.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, April 6
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 6.

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 NYT Mini Crossword has my favorite Australian cartoon as an answer. If you’re a fan of Bingo, Bandit and Chilli, you’ll nail that answer. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? 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 at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Nibble : food :: ___ : drink
Answer: SIP
4A clue: Like a kid doodling in class, maybe
Answer: BORED
6A clue: Popular Disney+ show about a family of Australian cattle dogs
Answer: BLUEY
7A clue: Fill in, as a puzzle
Answer: SOLVE
8A clue: Perceive
Answer: SEE
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Some first-chair performances in an orchestra
Answer: SOLOS
2D clue: «Go me!»
Answer: IRULE
3D clue: Loud chewing or talking during a movie, e.g.
Answer: PEEVE
4D clue: Ammo for a Red Ryder rifle
Answer: BBS
5D clue: Part of an Easter egg kit
Answer: DYE
How to play more Mini Crosswords
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 6, #665
Find hints and answers for the New York Times’ Connections puzzle for Sunday, April 6.

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 was a challenging one. The yellow and green categories were pretty easy, but I struggled with blue and purple. 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: We’re not close.
Green group hint: Pay the bills.
Blue group hint: Don’t get a shock!
Purple group hint: Think 420.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Aloof.
Green group: Utilities.
Blue group: What an electrometer measures.
Purple group: ____ joint.
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 aloof. The four answers are cool, distant, remote and removed.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is utilities. The four answers are cable, gas, trash and water.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is what an eletrometer measures. The four answers are charge, current, resistance and voltage.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ____ joint. The four answers are dovetail, hip, pizza and Spike Lee.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 6, #195
Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 195, for Sunday, April 6.

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.
Is it just me, or is Connections: Sports Edition getting tougher each week? Or am I getting dumber? Fight fans, you might do all right today, but there was one compound word in your category (green) that I literally have never heard before. 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: Get out of here.
Green group hint: It happens in the octagon.
Blue group hint: They call it football.
Purple group hint: Not on…
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Part ways.
Green group: MMA terms.
Blue group: English soccer clubs.
Purple group: ____ off.
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 part ways. The four answers are dismiss, fire, oust and sack.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is MMA terms. The four answers are armbar, choke, clinch and submission.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is English soccer clubs. The four answers are Burnley, Leeds, Stoke and Watford.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ____ off. The four answers are face, lead, tip and walk.
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