Google Wallet has been around for over a decade, but the latest iteration, first unveiled at Google I/O 2022, officially relaunched during the summer last year — and there are finally some major changes to the Android digital wallet.
Today, in a blog post, Google announced several new features for Google Wallet, including the ability to digitize your physical passes and use your driver’s license or state ID with your Android phone. If you plan on creating a digital version of your health insurance card or other cards with sensitive information, Google has also added a “private pass” feature to provide better security.
If you want to check out what Google Wallet has to offer, here’s what you need to know.
Digitize your real-world passes into Google Wallet
Do you have a physical gym membership pass or library card that you can’t access on your phone? Google Wallet now gives you the option to take photos of those same physical passes — as long as they have a scannable barcode or QR code — and convert them into digital passes you can store in your Google Wallet. That way, instead of rifling through your wallet, you can quickly whip out your Android device and have your pass scanned.
That includes your health insurance cards
One of the more important documents that you may have to carry is your health insurance card, which is proof of your insurance and helps facilitate your visits to the doctor or the hospital. These health insurance cards carry a lot of personal information, like your member ID, group number and employer (if you’re covered through your job), so if you plan to digitize one, Google Wallet has a “private pass” feature, which requires you to use biometrics to add, use or view passes with sensitive information on your Android device.
Private passes in Google Wallet are protected by biometrics, like your fingerprint or face.
Google
You can also add your ID to Google Wallet — but only if you live in this one state
Late last year, Google started beta testing support for digital driver’s licenses and state IDs in Maryland — and that feature is now available to all eligible residents of the state. As long as you’re running Android 8.0, you can now use your ID in Google Wallet to get through TSA PreCheck lines at select airports, like LAX and DFW. Later this year, Google expects to roll out more uses for digital IDs, including booking a car and verifying your online accounts.
In the coming months, the digital ID feature will expand to residents of Arizona, Colorado and Georgia.
Google
And you can save passes directly from your text messages
If text messaging is your preferred method of communication, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll soon be able to receive boarding passes and train tickets via Google Messages (with RCS enabled) and then save those passes directly to your Google Wallet. This feature will begin rolling out with Vietnam Airlines and Renfe (Spain’s national railway company).
This feature will also extend to restaurant reservations.
Sling’s rebranded free streaming service, Sling Freestream, is now available to use for free. It features over 200 ad-supported channels and more than 40,000 on-demand titles that you can enjoy without the need to add a payment method or even create an account.
When compared to Sling’s paid plans, Sling Freestream certainly has less in the way of premium channels but there is still a wealth of content on the service. We’ve outlined a few of the best free shows on Sling Freestream below, but it’s well worth checking out the service for yourself to see if there’s anything that interests you.
Best free shows on Sling Freestream
While there’s a a strong emphasis on news on Sling Freestream, plenty of the channels and on-demand content available there service up some solid entertainment with everything from game shows to documentaries, comedy, drama, and even e-sports content.
With plenty to choose from on the service, we’ve picked out a few popular choices below:
America Dad
Dr. G: Medical Examiner
Forensic Files
From
Hell’s Kitchen
H2O: Just Add Water
Impossible Builds
Kitchen Nightmares
Line of Duty
Rick & Morty
Samurai Jack
Shameless
The Boondocks
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Joy of Painting With Bob Ross
The Walking Dead
Unsolved Mysteries
21 Jump Street
20/20
Not every episode of every show is available with some being offered as sneak peek content to encourage premium channel add-ons, but you can see the breadth of content available and maybe check out something new without having to sign up for another paid streaming service.
In addition to episodic TV shows, you’ll also find a large selection of movies and long-form documentary films, including:
Blitz
Bowie: The Man Who Changed the World
Flyboys
Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway
Man of the Year
My Scientology Movie
The Contract
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Goonies
Train to Busan
While you don’t need an account to watch content — you can just load up the Freestream site and begin watching — there are some benefits that come when you sign up for a Sling Freestream account. These include favorites and watchlists, parental controls and, importantly, the ability to automatically pick up a series where you left off.
With hundreds of live channels and a library of TV shows and movies to watch on-demand for free, and no credit card required, you can check out what Sling Freestream has to offer without spending a dime.
With so many streaming services readily available these days, having a pricey cable subscription is no longer necessary to get access to live sports. There are several different sports streaming services out there, and right now, one of our favorites is offering a deal to new members. For a limited time, when you sign up for an Orange, Blue or combined plan from Sling TV, you’ll get your first month at 50% off. There’s no expiration stated for this offer, so we’d recommend signing up soon if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.
With this deal, you can get your first month of Sling TV for as little as just $20 if you sign up for an entry-level Orange or Blue plan. Both plans are typically $40 per month, and come with a different selection of channels. Sling recommends the Orange plan for sports fans and families, and it includes channels like ESPN and ESPN2. If you’re primarily interested in football, Sling recommends the Blue plan, which gives you access to channels like Fox Sports 1 and Fox (in select markets). Sling also offers a combined Orange and Blue plan so you don’t have to choose. It’s typically $55 per month, but right now you can get your first month for just under $28. After the first month of service, your subscription will revert back to the usual monthly price. Sling also offers a variety of add-ons so you can customize your plan with more channels.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the term “generative AI” at least a handful of times now, perhaps thanks to the wildly popular ChatGPT service. The AI-powered chatbot’s success didn’t just shine a spotlight on OpenAI, the creator behind it, but it also catalyzed an AI arms race in the tech industry – a race from which Apple has been noticeably absent.
In May, Google made a flurry of AI-related announcements at its annual developer conference, including a new AI-infused version of search and Bard, its AI-powered chatbot, which is being rolled out across the world. It’s not just Google. Before that, Microsoft built generative AI into its suite of long-established productivity apps like Word, PowerPoint and Outlook in a move that’s changing how more than a billion people work. In February, Meta released its own sophisticated AI model, which has many of the same capabilities at ChatGPT and Bard, as open-source software for public use.
But what about Apple?
The short answer: Even though AI technology is hardly new to Apple, the iPhone maker still remains missing – at least publicly – from the current generative AI gold rush.
“We’re in the heart of the generative AI hype cycle, and there are major new developments weekly, ” Avi Greengart, analyst at Techsponential, told CNET. “Apple can afford to be deliberate in how it applies new technologies to fit its ecosystem.”
OpenAI recently dropped a ChatGPT app for the iPhone. The new app, which is free, gives you a way to take OpenAI’s AI chatbot on the go.
Theodore Liggians/CNET
Apple’s wait-and-see approach
Apple has typically adopted a wait-and-see approach around emerging technology, and that has often worked for the tech giant. For instance, the iPad wasn’t the first-ever tablet, but for many, including CNET editors, it is the best tablet. A more recent example on the hardware side is foldable phones. Apple is the only major holdout, with Google beating it to the punch. The search giant launched its inaugural foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, at its developer conference in May – and it hasn’t been making phones for as long as Apple. There are rumors, however, that a foldable iPhone, possibly known as the iPhone Flip, could go to market in 2025.
Based on remarks from CEO Tim Cook, it seems like Apple may be taking a similar approach with generative AI. “I do think it’s very important to be deliberate and thoughtful in how you approach these things,” Cook said in response to a question related to generative AI on Apple’s earnings call in May. “And there’s a number of issues that need to be sorted… AI is being talked about in a number of different places. But the potential is certainly very interesting.”
However, with a fast-developing AI technology, Apple could risk falling far behind its rivals. For all Apple’s business success, it has lagged in specific categories. For instance, its HomePod smart speaker didn’t hit the market until years after the Amazon Echo and Google Home, which have a far higher market share than Apple in the smart speaker category.
When it comes to the topic of AI, Apple isn’t alone in adopting a cautious approach. It’s also coming from the technology’s own backers – including the founder and CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, who has concerns ranging from election disinformation to mass jobs displacement.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman describes Microsoft’s AI partnership at a Bing search engine press event.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Last Tuesday, speaking before a Senate subcommittee, Altman said he’s “eager” for artificial intelligence to be regulated. He also spoke about the promise of artificial intelligence and discussed its potential harms. “If this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong,” he said.
Altman’s comments followed calls by a group of AI researchers and tech leaders, including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, to pause development of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4 over concerns about runaway risks without sufficient guardrails. Geoffrey Hinton, credited as the “godfather of AI,” resigned from Google in May so that he could freely share his concerns about the technology he helped create, which he says could cause the world serious harm.
Does generative AI fit into Apple’s business?
Although Apple hasn’t publicly entered the generative AI fight, a recent 9to5Mac report said that the iPhone maker is working on an upgrade to Siri, one that could improve the virtual assistant’s conversational abilities via ChatGPT-like AI concepts. Apple didn’t reply to a request for comment.
While Apple hasn’t publicly discussed any plans for generative AI-based products, Cook did discuss the company’s focus on AI during its May earnings call. He cited AI-powered features like fall and crash detection, which are both available on the latest iPhones and Apple Watches.
“We view AI as huge,” he said. “We’ll continue weaving it into our products on a very thoughtful basis.”
AI is far from a brand new concept to Apple. Siri, which was released 12 years ago, uses speech recognition and machine learning to understand a query and serve up an answer. In recent months, Apple debuted camera enhancements such as photographic styles and the ability to cut and paste a subject from an image, both of which depend on AI.
In addition, Apple’s Macs and MacBooks, which now run on Apple-designed M1 and M2 chips, have dedicated neural engines with 16 cores, which are aimed at AI and machine learning tasks. Apple says AI performance is 40% faster than with its old Intel chips.
“You can expect that AI performance will become more and more important as more developers figure it out,” wrote CNET’s Stephen Shankland in a January article detailing Apple’s M2 chipset.
But as Greengart highlights, it would make sense for Apple to bring the tech to certain products that extend beyond Siri as well as its current AI-powered offerings.
“Apple likes to position itself as being at the intersection of technology and liberal arts,” Greengart told CNET in an email. “Generative AI would fit nicely into tools and software that Apple provides for artistic and personal expression; that could include anything from GarageBand to photo editing to email across iPhones, iPads, and Mac.”
However, a chatbot in the vein of OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Bard is likely not in the books for Apple. The underlying technology behind those chatbots, known as large language models, has a high resource requirement for development. That means significant investment in the form of computing resources, human talent and power, rendering it a possibility for huge enterprises with vast resources. While Apple presumably has those resources, it’ll have to be a worthwhile investment for the iPhone maker.
All eyes on WWDC
After Google devoted a considerable amount of air time to generative AI at its conference this month, all eyes are on Apple and what it might reveal at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5. Apple executives could offer more clues on how the iPhone maker views generative AI and how it fits into the broader business. At WWDC, Apple typically introduces new software for the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and so on, and it’s possible that Apple could bake more AI into those updates.
Ahead of the conference, Apple previewed a slew of accessibility software features expected to make their way to its upcoming iOS 17 mobile operating system. One of the noteworthy drops is called Personal Voice. It uses on-device machine learning to allow users at risk of speech loss to replicate a voice after about 15 minutes of training. The phone can then speak aloud typed-out phrases, and it’s compatible with FaceTime and phone calls in a feature that could be a form of generative AI for voice.
More likely to take center stage, however, is Apple’s highly anticipated mixed reality headset, which would mark the company’s first entry into a new hardware category since 2015. According to a January Bloomberg report, it’ll cost around $3,000, run on Apple’s latest M2 chipset, boast eye- and hand-tracking systems, and feature a digital crown that lets users switch between AR and VR modes. It’s also probable that Apple will take advantage of fast-developing AI technology for its latest device as well, even if it’s doesn’t receive explicit mention.
“We need to keep in mind that generative AI is not only about generating text but also other types of content like graphics,” Will Wong, of market researcher International Data, told CNET. “Thus, it will be an area that is favorable for Apple to look into, especially if there is an AR/VR headset that comes into its product portfolio.”
If you’ve spent any time texting on an iPhone, then you know all about autocorrect — both its strengths and its shortcomings. You know autocorrect can be a supremely helpful tool, fixing common typos like “adn” to “and” or “teh” to “the” without a hitch. But you also know that sometimes this modern typing technology doesn’t function in the way that it was intended.
Sometimes autocorrect capitalizes words in the middle of a sentence, other times it veers into overcorrection territory by changing correct words it deems incorrect, and more infamously autocorrect doesn’t want you to swear.
There are several ways to work around these issues such as boycotting texting altogether and using voice notes or turning autocorrect off. But perhaps one of the cleverest solutions is via the text replacement feature on your iPhone.
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It’s a feature that lets you automatically expand abbreviations like BTW to “by the way” or omy to “on my way” but it also lets you add words that autocorrect might not recognize to your iPhone’s dictionary.
How to use text replacement:
Open the Settings menu on your iPhone
Tap General > Keyboard
Choose Text Replacement
Tap the + button in the top-right corner
Enter your word in the first field, Phrase.
Enter the text you want as a shortcut in the second field, Shortcut. You can also enter the entire word again.
Tap Save, and then you’re done.
But if you’re absolutely done with autocorrect, here’s how to turn it off once and for all:
Open the Settings app.
Tap General > Keyboard.
Toggle off on Auto-Correction. By default, Auto-Correction is on.
Apple’s expected VR/AR headset reveal looks like it’s right around the corner, but Meta has leaped ahead with headset news of its own. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram channel revealed a lot more about the Quest 3, which had been expected by the end of this year. The price, starting at $499, will be more than that of the Quest 2, but less than that of the PlayStation VR 2. Zuckerberg said on his channel that more details on the Quest 3 and the launch date will happen around Meta’s Connect developer conference on Sept. 27.
A follow-up to 2019’s Quest 2, the current most popular headset on the market, the Quest 3 was already known to exist since last fall. A number of details, including a hands-on test drive of a prototype version, had leaked before Zuckerberg’s news drop today.
The Quest 3’s biggest new additions are color cameras that allow for better mixed reality that blends video from the real world with VR on the headset’s displays, along with a new Qualcomm VR/AR chip that promises speedier performance. The headset is also significantly smaller and lighter, and has redesigned game controllers. The hardware will work with the existing Quest 2 app library, but looks to lean on more mixed reality features.
The Quest 3 doesn’t have eye tracking like the far more expensive, work-targeted Quest Pro that debuted last fall, but it also looks to be a better VR headset overall. Along with a lineup of new VR games being announced today, Meta’s clearly aiming at continuing to own the VR game console market as Apple possibly readies a very different route with its expensive and possibly work-focused headset.
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 kicks off on Monday, and Apple is expected to unveil iOS 17, the next version of its software for iPhones, at the event. WWDC comes about a month after Google I/O 2023, where Google showcased its next smartphone software, Android 14.
In the US, iPhones recently wrestled the crown away from Androids as the most popular smartphone, but this comes after more than a decade of Android dominance. And Android reigns in the global market, usually by wide margins. In South America, for example, Android represents about 88% of all smartphones, and iPhones trail with about 11%, according to the IT site SOS Support.
But for as long as Apple and Google have been fighting like Godzilla and King Kong for smartphone market superiority, they’ve also seemingly been stealing ideas from each other. For example, notification badges debuted on iPhones, and Androids had home screen widgets long before iPhones, as Popular Science notes.
Apple and Android have seemingly been copying features from each other for years.
James Martin/CNET
That back-and-forth continued with Android 14, as Android phones seemingly copied iPhones again with an updated Find My Device feature and added unknown tracker alerts. We don’t know what Apple has in store for iOS 17, but we think the company should incorporate some of the new Android features into the software.
Here are the new Android features I think Apple should include in iOS 17.
More lock screen customization options
Lock screen customization was one of the most substantial updates to land on iPhones when iOS 16 was released in September 2022. With iOS 17, I want to see Apple give iPhone users more customization options, like Google is doing with Android 14.
Android 14 will let users change the size and design of their lock screen’s clock — in addition to its font type and color — and the software lets users add shortcuts to their lock screen. Changing your lock screen clock is nice — you can already change the font and color of your iPhone’s lock screen clock — but I’d really like to see Apple add the ability to edit or add to the shortcuts on the lock screen.
I regularly use the flashlight shortcut, but I back-tap my iPhone to pull up the camera, so the camera shortcut doesn’t get used as much. Being able to change that shortcut to my Wallet app, or a search shortcut, would be great in iOS 17.
There are only four lock screen spaces for widgets in the current iOS.
Apple
It would also be nice if Apple added more widget spaces to the iPhone’s lock screen. With iOS 16, your iPhone has four grid spaces for widgets, and some widgets, like the Weather widget, take up two of those. It would be great if iOS 17 gave you at least four more grid spaces for widgets, giving you more ways to access your favorite apps.
AI-generated wallpapers
Android 14 will use artificial intelligence to let users create custom wallpapers. People will prompt their phone, which will use AI to generate a few wallpaper options. It would be great to see Apple roll out AI-generated wallpapers in iOS 17, but I’m not getting my hopes up.
While other companies have begun developing their own AI tools, Apple hasn’t made any public announcements about developing, or partnering with another company to produce, such tools.
“I do think it’s very important to be deliberate and thoughtful in how you approach these things,” Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said when asked about generative AI on the company’s earnings call.
It’s possible Apple will introduce more AI tools and functions in iOS 17, like AI-generated wallpapers, but I wouldn’t expect it. I’d bet Apple will integrate AI tools into functions most people already use, like Siri, first.
More emoji wallpaper customization options
Google announced at its I/O 2023 event that certain Pixel phones will let you create custom wallpapers using emojis, but this isn’t exclusive to Android 14. Users will be able to choose up to 14 emoji, the color of the background and the layout the emoji are set in. But Apple already brought this feature to iPhones.
Emoji wallpapers are already available on iPhones.
James Martin/CNET
To create a custom emoji wallpaper on your iPhone, go to Settings > Wallpaper > + Add New Wallpaper, and under the Emoji section are some premade emoji wallpapers. Tap any of these and you can edit what emoji are used, the layout and the color of the background. However, you can select only up to six emoji.
It would be fun if Apple allowed you to use more emoji and gave you more than six layout options in iOS 17 to further customize these wallpapers.
Cinematic wallpaper
Also not exclusive to Android 14, certain Pixel phones will let Android users create cinematic wallpapers. This feature will allow people to take a photo and give certain elements of the photo a depth effect. Once you’ve applied the effect, you can shift your Android device around and the wallpaper elements will shift around as well, making your wallpaper look three dimensional.
Cinematic wallpapers on Pixel devices will give certain wallpapers a three-dimensional look.
Screenshot by CNET
Apple introduced a similar lock screen feature in iOS 7, and this feature morphed into Perspective Zoom in some iOS 16 betas. However, the feature is no longer available in recent iOS 16 updates. Apple does let you apply a depth effect to your lock screen, but that just places your clock behind certain wallpaper elements. Enabling this also disables your lock screen widgets.
Cinematic wallpapers on your iPhone would be a nice touch to include in iOS 17, and they’d make some wallpapers on your home and lock screen really stand out. And if Apple doesn’t allow cinematic wallpapers in iOS 17, it would be great if the company at least allowed widgets to work on your lock screen when your depth effect was turned on.
If there’s one month during the summer you want to have the big three streaming services — Netflix, Max and Disney Plus — on your roster, it’s June. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still consider your wallet, especially if you may now be paying for extra people to use your Netflix account.
Avatar: The Way of Water hits Disney Plus and Max (formerly HBO Max) on the same day, and Manifest, Black Mirror and The Witcher all return to Netflix. Though AMC Plus isn’t on this list, The Walking Dead: Dead City debuts with Negan front and center. It’s time to get your favorite streamers in order.
Every month you may want to weigh whether to cancel a streaming service because of the content that’s currently available and how much you’re paying for each service. I want to offer one strategy: Churn like butter.
What does that mean? Subscribe, cancel, roll with a different platform, then resubscribe. Rotating services as needed helps save money when Netflix, Disney Plus, Max and others don’t have the content you want to watch at a given time. Just remember to shut off autorenewal for your monthly subscriptions. Churning may not be an option if you’re sharing your accounts with people outside your household, of course. But if you can work out an arrangement with your streaming partners, go for it.
Here are my recommendations for which streamers to keep or cancel for June, based on new shows and movies (I didn’t consider sports and live TV streaming services) arriving on each platform. Naturally, your tastes may be different, but if nothing else, I urge you to at least consider the concept of rotating for savings. It’s easier than you might think.
Disney Plus: If you didn’t catch it in theaters, Avatar: The Way of Water lands on June 7. Marvel also rules with a new Stan Lee documentary (June 16) and the premiere of Secret Invasion on June 21.
Netflix: It’s time to say goodbye to a few shows in June, including Manifest. Here are the standouts on Netflix this month:
Manifest, season 4, part 2 (June 2)
Arnold (a documentary on Arnold Schwarzenegger, June 7)
Never Have I Ever, season 4 (June 8)
Bloodhounds (K-drama, June 9)
Human Resources, season 3 (June 9)
Black Mirror, season 6 (June 15)
Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King (anime, June 16)
Hulu: Two years after a successful first installment, the second season of Cruel Summer arrives June 6. The Flamin’ Hot movie dives into the true story of Richard Montañez on June 9, but you can also stream it on Disney Plus. Other Hulu releases include The Wonder Years, season 2 (June 15) and The Bear, season 2 (June 22).
Starz: Outlander, season 7 is here on June 16, and fans won’t want to miss out. Right now, there’s a special deal where you can get Starz for $5 per month for three months.
Prime Video: If you don’t already have Prime Video, I suggest waiting to sign up in July as the buzziest titles hit around the end of June and into July. Of course, if you already receive access through your Prime membership, don’t worry about canceling the streaming app. Here’s a sample of what’s coming: Dead Loch (June 2), I’m a Virgo (June 23) and Jack Ryan, season 4 (June 30).
Peacock: The entire eight-episode season of Based on a True Story, starring Chris Messina and Kaley Cuoco, will post on June 8. You may want to cancel Peacock after a binge unless you’re a fan of Days of Our Lives, sports and Bravo’s reality shows.
Paramount Plus: New releases include iCarly, season 3 (June 3) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, season 2 (June 15). If you prefer, you can skip the platform this month and wait to binge these shows in a few weeks.
Apple TV Plus: Ted Lasso just ended on May 31, so do you really want to keep Apple TV Plus? If you do, Idris Elba’s new series, Hijack, debuts June 28, and Silo’s finale airs on June 30. Otherwise, cancel the service for now.
Binge all of Based on a True Story on Peacock with Kaley Cuoco, then chop the streamer.
Peacock/NBC Universal
Save more cash by waiting
If you’re not someone who routinely gets FOMO, then a smart method is to wait until the bulk or all episodes of your favorite series land on a platform. That way, rather than pay for a service for two or three months to cover the six- to 10-week run of a show, you can catch up on everything by subscribing for one month. And then repeat the cycle.
You could wait to watch Nick Fury and the Skrulls if you’re patient.
Marvel Studios/Disney Plus
For example, there will be eight episodes of Secret Invasion on Disney Plus. The finale drops in August, so all episodes of Marvel’s show will be available to stream at that time. Though it premieres on June 21 and runs through August, save yourself three months of fees by waiting to stream it in full anytime in August or September. You can do the same thing with Cruel Summer on Hulu or the nine-episode run for The Righteous Gemstones on Max.
Note how much you’re paying per month for each streaming service, and do the math. Apple TV Plus is $7. Netflix is $7 to $20 (plus fees for extra members), Disney Plus is anywhere from $2 to $11 depending on bundles, Max costs $10 to $20, Hulu starts at $8 and Starz runs $9. The others have a base rate of $5 per month (for now). Should you decide to churn, set yourself a calendar reminder to alert you when it’s time to resubscribe or cancel. We’ll see you in July for another streaming rundown.
Not too long ago, photographers used to laugh at smartphones. A lot has changed over the years, however, with many phone launches focusing on the cameras themselves. Now smartphones can take impressive photos on par with even the best cameras. All you need is some additional gear, and you can be shooting photos that border on professional-grade.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro offer excellent features that creative professionals will enjoy, like multiple rear cameras — including a superwide-angle lens — that can capture incredible photos and videos.
Perhaps the most notable, however, is the addition of ProRes, which started in the previous generation and is available on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It enables you to produce a far more professional-looking postproduction look. This means that, now, creative professionals can incorporate these phones into their productions.
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This advertising widget is powered by Navi and contains advertisements that Navi may be paid for in different ways. You will not be charged for engaging with this advertisement. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, this advertising widget does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We make reasonable efforts to ensure that information in the featured advertisements is up to date, each advertiser featured in this widget is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its offer details. It is possible that your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms in this advertising widget and the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser which will be presented to you prior to making a purchase. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.
And sure, you can simply walk outside with your phone and snag some beautiful footage, but there’s a wealth of iPhone 14 accessories you can use that’ll help elevate both your videos and photos to new levels to wow your followers.
Here’s our list of the best gear to pair with your iPhone to give your shots a boost. Every iPhone 14 accessory listed here has been tested by us to make sure it works as well as it’s supposed to. If it didn’t impress, it didn’t make the list. Look no further if you’re after the best iPhone filming accessories to take your skills to the next level. These excellent accessories will make shooting a breeze.
There’s no one accessory that by itself will revolutionize your iPhone photography, as different products bring different things to the table. I love the Moment Anamorphic lens as it lets you achieve a stunning cinematic look with your phone. DJI’s phone gimbal meanwhile provides superb stability to get super smooth-looking shots, while the Aputure MC LED video light simply lets you light up the scene you’re shooting when the sun goes down.
But an LED light will do nothing to improve your audio, so you’ll need to look towards the Rode VideoMicro if sound quality is important. These items all add something different to your photo and video production and used together let you take your mobile video production to a whole new level. Want some inspiration? Here’s my guide for shooting better video with your phone.
Camera cages are common tools that let you attach a wide variety of accessories to a DSLR, including lights, microphones, handles and external monitors. SmallRig’s new mobile cage offers much the same functionality, but for your iPhone, and with multiple mounting points around the edge to attach whatever accessories you need like microphones.
I’ve been using the cage with an attached Aperture LED light, PolarPro tripod and Rode microphone (all seen below), which makes for an incredible mobile vlogging rig. SmallRig also offers various attachments of its own, including top and side handles, which help provide stability when you’re hand-holding while filming. The cage is solidly built from aluminum, has bayonet lens mounts (see below), and has a convenient clasp for easily slotting your phone in and out.
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Anamorphic lenses are normally something you’d find in a professional cinematographer’s kit bag. These lenses provide a wider aspect ratio that you get in a wide angle lens, along with distinctive blue-line lens flares that give footage a much more filmic quality. Moment’s mobile anamorphic lens does exactly that for your iPhone.
Clip it on and it’ll squeeze your footage into the shorter, wide shots format that completely transforms the look of the video you can take from your phone. I’ve absolutely loved the look of my phone footage using the lens and it’s a must-have for any budding film producers wanting to up their game with their phone.
You’ll need to shoot with apps like Filmic Pro that let you “unsqueeze” the footage so it doesn’t look all distortedon most cameras. The lens uses a bayonet mount that attaches to compatible cases, including Moment’s own ones or a variety of third-party options, including the SmallRig cage mentioned above.
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iPhone cameras don’t have the greatest lighting, so having a backup light is always a good idea. This USB-C rechargeable video light is packed with LED lights andis small enough to fit into the palm of your hand but puts out a huge amount of light when you’re short of proper lighting.
It’s great for lighting up your subjects, whether that’s for portraits, product photography or macro or to light up yourself if you’re vlogging at night. The power output is easily adjustable, as is the color temperature of the light.
It also has a variety of creative light effects to spice up your production, including simulations of fireworks, lightning, a flickering fireplace or the flashing red and blue of police car lights.
The iPhone 14’s built-in image stabilization is already superb, but for an even smoother ride, consider using a dedicated gimbal like DJI’s OM 5. It evens out all but the most aggressive movements, allowing you to get smooth tracking footage of you running behind your subject as you film a chase scene.
It also has a built-in extendable selfie stick, which not only makes it great for YouTube vloggers, but also allows for more creative angles by holding it up higher, or even flipping it over and having the camera run close to the ground or through grasses.
Recording good audio for your vlogs or your next iPhone-based short film is crucial, and while the iPhone does a decent job of capturing audio, a dedicated microphone will take things to the next level. Rode’s VideoMicro shotgun mic can plug into your phone’s Lightning port (via an adapter) and provides crystal-clear audio when recording with the standard iPhone camera app or any third-party video app, making it one of the best iPhone camera accessories on the market.
I love using it on top of my phone for vlogging and the included wind shield is superb for cutting out wind noise when working on location. Alternatively, get a 3.5mm extension cable and you can try using the mic on the end of a boom pole for recording audio in a conversation you’re filming.
It’s a great investment if you’re looking for a directional microphone.
At $1,349, industry goliath Profoto’s B10 studio flash will be little more than a pipe dream for most. But if you want to get truly professional lighting on location or in a studio using your iPhone, the B10 is second is one of the best iPhone camera accessories. . This pro flash is designed primarily for use with DSLRs but can also be used with iPhones and Android phones via the Profoto app. If you’re ready to take your smartphone photography to the next level, it allows you to get shots with your phone that would simply not be possible to achieve without it.
Sure, most pros probably wouldn’t consider shooting a major project on just their phone, but it’s a potentially great backup in case of camera failure, or simply a lightweight and convenient way to test ideas in the field without hauling bags of gear around.
It also comes with a carrying case that will protect it from other elements. Its rechargeable battery provides a battery life that can provide more than 400 full flashes.
Rather than use screw clamps to secure your phone in place, Moment’s tripod mount uses Apple’s MagSafe system, which makes it incredibly quick to pop your phone in place and start shooting. When you’re done, just rip your phone away from the magnetic disk and pop it back in your pocket. Easy!
The minimalist approach to the mount’s design makes it extremely compact so it’s no hassle to always carry it with you for when inspiration strikes. The magnets are strong, too, so you don’t need to worry about your phone popping loose while you’re walking along. It’s available as a mount by itself, or with the cold-shoe bracket (pictured) to attach a microphone when vlogging.
Having a solid tripod can make all the difference in getting stable, wobble-free video, particularly if you want to put yourself in the frame. PolarPro’s Apex Minimalist tripod is a great option for mobile producers, as its compact size means it’s easy to chuck into a backpack, but it’s burly enough to support bigger cameras should you need to.
I love using it for static shots, and for holding my phone up to shoot vlogs while walking around. It comes either with an integrated twist-locking ball head, or as the tripod legs only. I prefer the latter as it allows me to use my own compact ball heads, which are more stable with heavier loads.
We test phones in real-world scenarios, looking at the performance of the processor, battery and cameras, and judge how each model compares to its competition. We take value into account, as well as extra features like storage, connectivity, software additions and anything else that will make a real difference to your life with the product.
Accessories like the ones seen in this list are treated in exactly the same way; they’re put to real-world use both indoors and outside, evaluating how well they perform and whether they’re worth the money. Everything that’s featured here has been tested by our own fair hands and if it didn’t impress, it didn’t make the list.
Finding a smaller, more compact phone is tough. These days, bigger is apparently better, with pretty much all companies continuing to increase the size of their flagship phones. The new iPhone 14 Pro measures in at 6.03 inches, the Pixel 7 Pro at 6.7 inches and Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra takes it even further, to a whopping 6.8 inches. It makes it hard to believe that Samsung’s original Galaxy Note was once considered a Goliath at just 5.3 inches.
Big screens have their advantages. Top specs and stellar cameras are often packed into those massive bodies, while the sheer size of the screens makes them great for watching videos or playing games on the move. But there’s no escaping the fact that the increase in size has made them more cumbersome to hold and use for anyone with hands smaller than continents. And that’s to say nothing of the embarrassing bulge when you try to shove one into the pocket of your skinny jeans.
Though bigger phones can be better for those of you really into your videos or playing lots of mobile games on the move, there are many of us who’d still prefer a smaller phone that’s easier to type with one-handed.
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Your options are, I’m sorry to say, limited and getting more so all the time — especially as Apple opted not to refresh its iPhone Mini line after the iPhone 13 Mini, although the 13 Mini is still officially on sale. But there are still some smaller phones to consider, though you may have to sacrifice some features, like longer battery life, wireless charging and better camera performance. Everyone’s definition of “small” is different, and a comfortable size for you may feel uncomfortably large to someone else. If you’re worried about the size, it’s worth trying to get hands-on with a phone at your nearest store.
What’s the best small phone right now?
The best small phone is hands down Apple’s iPhone 13 Mini. Although it lacks the high performance processor and amazing camera skills of the more recent iPhone 14 Pro, it offers great all-round performance for everyday use and its 5.4-inch screen is one of the smallest around.
While Apple didn’t release an iPhone 14 Mini in 2022, essentially putting a nail in the coffin of the Mini line, the iPhone 13 Mini is still officially on sale directly from Apple. Its 5.4-inch display makes it a fair bit smaller than any in the iPhone 14 range, and actually qualifies it as the physically smallest phone Apple makes. Sure, the iPhone SE 2022 has a smaller display, but it has large bezels around the edges, which makes the whole phone slightly larger.
With pricing that starts at $599, you’ll be paying extra money over the iPhone SE for that more modern design, along with a dual rear camera system that adds an excellent ultra-wide angle to the standard view. It’s a shame Apple hasn’t updated the Mini range this year, but while it’s still being officially sold by Apple, the iPhone 13 Mini is the best smaller phone to consider right now.
Launched last year, Apple’s iPhone SE packs a solid single camera, a potent A15 Bionic chip and 5G support into a body with a display that measures only 4.7 inches. That’s a huge size difference compared with the gargantuan 6.69 inches of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Using an older design, its large bezels actually mean it’s physically slightly larger than the iPhone 13 Mini, despite having a smaller display.
At $429 it’s the cheapest iPhone Apple makes, but you will have to sacrifice some features including the more impressive multi-camera arrays found on the higher-end models as well as things like Face ID. Still, if you’re after a solid everyday small phone that won’t break the bank, it’s the phone to go for.
Google’s budget phone offering took a leap forward in 2023 with the Pixel 7A, which boasts many of the same benefits as the Pixel 7 but at a cheaper price. At 6.1 inches, it isn’t exactly a tiny phone, but it’s certainly among the smallest Android phones you should consider buying.
Like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A runs on Google’s Tensor G2 processor, meaning it has many of the same photo editing and language translation features as its pricier sibling. The Pixel 7A’s 64-megapixel camera also takes excellent photos that will suit casual snappers well.
Though the Pixel 7A has technically replaced the older Pixel 6A, Google is continuing to sell the 6A and it’s even lopping some cash off the asking price. The phone is frequently found for around $350, which is a huge savings over the regular $449 price, so make sure you shop around if you’re looking for a bargain. Like the 7A, its screen measures 6.1 inches, which is just what we have to consider small these days.
It includes 5G connectivity, solid all-round performance and a dual camera system that can take great photos in daylight and at night. It isn’t as generally high performing as the top-end Pixel 7 Pro, but it’s less than half the price of the flagship, so it’s well worth considering if you’re shopping on a budget.
With a 6.7-inch screen size, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4’s screen is way too big to be on this list. But before you slam your fists into your keyboard at my incompetence, hear me out. As one of Samsung’s foldable phones, the Z Flip 4 folds in half, turning that massive screen into a small, square puck that quite comfortably fits into a jacket pocket.
An outer display will alert you to incoming notifications, meaning you only need to unfold it to its full size when you actually want to reply. Sure, it might not be the perfect solution, and with a starting price of $1,000 it’s hardly cheap, but its innovative hinge design might offer you the best of both worlds: a compact form when it’s sitting in your pocket, but a big screen for when you want to use it.
Every phone on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET’s expert reviews team. We actually use the phone, test the features, play games and take photos. We assess any marketing promises that a company makes about its phones. And if we find something we don’t like, be it battery life or build quality, we tell you all about it.
We examine every aspect of a phone during testing:
Display
Design and feel
Processor performance
Battery life
Camera quality
Features
We test all of a phone’s cameras (both front and back) in a variety of conditions: from outdoors under sunlight to dimmer indoor locales and night time scenes (for any available night modes). We also compare our findings against similarly priced models. We have a series of real world battery tests to see how long a phone lasts under everyday use.
We take into account additional phone features like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, fast charging, foldable displays and other useful extras. And we, of course, weigh all of our experiences and testing against the price so you know whether a phone represents good value or not.
