If you have an Apple AirTag, or you’re thinking about getting one while they’re on sale, you probably already know you can use it to track your wallet and keys. But there are many other uses for the tracking device that you may not have thought of before.
Generally, you need to be within Bluetooth range to find your AirTag, but you can use Apple’s Find My service to locate it if it’s farther away, as long as it’s still in range of another Apple device. (Here’s how the Find My network works.) To do so, just put your AirTag into Lost Mode and you’ll get a notification once it’s within range of the Find My network.
We’ve created a list of some unexpected places to put an AirTag to help prevent you from constantly retracing your steps. For more details, here’s how to tell if an AirTag is tracking your location on Android.
In your tent when you go hiking
If you’re setting up camp in a location you’ve never visited, it could be useful to place an AirTag inside your tent so you can easily find your campsite. For instance, if you decide to hike several miles one day, you can use Find My to look up the AirTag’s last location (your tent) and get directions back to the campsite. Remember, it’ll need to be within range of someone else’s device, so don’t rely on this out in the wilderness. (This is also why Apple advises you not to use AirTags on pets.)
In your jacket pocket
How often have you left your coat behind in a restaurant, bar or friend’s house? Forgetting to grab your jacket when you head out is easy to do, especially if the weather is warmer than you expected or your hands are full of leftovers and to-go cups.
If you know you’ll be hanging your jacket on a coat rack — or the back of a chair — when you arrive, place an AirTag inside the pocket so you know where you left it. This can help prevent yet another favorite jacket from getting lost, and less money out of your wallet to replace it.
Inside your luggage
Airports can be tricky to navigate, and can become especially difficult when you’re trying to find the correct luggage pickup. Sometimes you wait 30 minutes until your bags finally roll out on the conveyor belt — and sometimes they get lost. To relieve the stress of trying to locate your suitcase, you can put an AirTag tracker inside so you can track its whereabouts.
This can help you find out if your bags were left on the airplane, if they’re on the conveyor belt but you haven’t spotted them yet or if someone mistakenly grabbed your luggage. Once you find out where your bags are, you can remedy the situation and continue on to where you’re going.
Inside your laptop bag
Laptop bags can be easily left behind at a cafe when you’re picking up coffee for everyone at the office. When your hands are full and you’re distracted wondering how you’re going to open your car door, it’s hard to remember to grab your bag from the booth you were sitting in.
That’s why it’s a good idea to place an AirTag inside one of the pockets. You will be able to not only locate your expensive laptop but also save any confidential company or personal information you had in your bag.
In a hidden place on your bicycle
If it hasn’t happened to you, you probably know someone who has had this experience. You get home from a bike ride, go inside to grab water and something to eat and completely forget about the bike you left outside. Or maybe you went to the store, didn’t lock your bike up and when you came back it was gone.
If you place an AirTag in a hidden place on the bike, you can easily locate it. We don’t recommend tracking the bicycle down on your own though. It’s best to notify the police and let them retrieve your bike for you to avoid any dangerous situations.
This method also works on your car if it’s been stolen or towed away — or if you can’t remember where you parked it. Although if you have an iPhone and it’s connected to your car via Bluetooth, your phone can locate where you last left it.
More common areas to put your AirTag
AirTag is commonly used to locate these items.
Your purse or wallet.
Your keychain.
Your phone or tablet.
The remote to your TV.
Anything valuable that you leave outside your home.
For more Apple information, here’s how to send secret messages on your iPhone. Also, this new iOS 16 feature can save you from cringeworthy iPhone texts.
After a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Bernabéu last Tuesday, there’s a mouth-watering second leg in store at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday as Man City host Real Madrid — with a place in the UEFA Champions League semifinals the reward for the victor.
Defending champs City had looked on course for a memorable away win last week after left-back Joško Gvardiol hit a superb right-foot shot to give the English Premier League side a 3-2 lead in the 71st minute, only for Real to claim a draw via a stunning volley from Federico Valverde eight minutes later.
Aurélien Tchouaméni misses out for Real after picking up a yellow card last week, triggering a suspension, while Ederson is expected to start in goal for the home side in favor of Stefan Ortega, who played in the first leg.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services for watching every game wherever you are in the world.
Manchester City vs. Real Madrid: When and where?
Manchester City play Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, April 17. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. BST local time in the UK, which is 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 5 a.m. AEST on Wednesday, April 17, in Australia.
How to watch Man City vs. Real Madrid online from anywhere using a VPN
If you’re unable to view Champions League matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the action; that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN can stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you want an extra layer of privacy for your devices and log-ins while traveling and using various Wi-Fi networks.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to access the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier assigns an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can fix that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. Be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it suspects is circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the great VPN deals taking place right now.
Livestream Man City vs. Real Madrid in the US
American soccer fans can stream this season’s tournament via Paramount Plus, which has exclusive live English-language broadcast rights in the US for UEFA Champions League matches.
Livestream Man City vs. Real Madrid in the UK
TNT Sports has Champions League live broadcast rights in the UK.
Livestream Manchester City vs. Real Madrid in Canada
If you want to stream UCL games live in Canada, subscribe to DAZN Canada. The service has exclusive broadcast rights to the Champions League this season.
Livestream Man City vs. Real Madrid in Australia
Football fans Down Under can watch UCL matches on streaming service Stan Sport, which has exclusive rights to show the Champions League live in Australia this season.
Quick tips for streaming UEFA Champions League matches using a VPN
With four variables at play (your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN), your experience and success when streaming Champions League games may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs including Roku don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main sites for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We recommend Brave.
The Apple Watch is one of the best smartwatches we’ve tested, and while there are a few different models, you can’t really go wrong with any of the more modern ones. Buying the latest Apple Watch Series 9 can be costly, though, and that means that finding a deal on an older-gen model can often be the best way to go. Right now there’s one example of just that, with Woot offering refurbished Apple Watches from just $160 for a limited time only.
Some of the best Apple Watch deals tend to be refurbished models, which makes this sale well worth paying attention to. The cheapest model on offer is the 2nd-gen Apple Watch SE, which can be had from just $160 right now. Have a little more room in the budget? The Apple Watch Series 7 is available from $180 for those who want to go that route. That model was the flagship device just a couple of years ago, too.
The latest model included in this sale is the previous-gen Apple Watch Series 8, yours today from just $240. Remember that none of these prices are going to last beyond April 20, and stocks may run dry before that point, too. Keep that in mind if you want to be sure of bagging a bargain before it’s too late.
Looking for the latest and greatest model? Be sure to check out our list of the best Apple Watch Series 9 deals before you place an order anywhere else. The same goes for our list of the best Apple Watch Ultra deals as well, for that matter.
Taking a photo that encapsulates a core memory, or even one that details the more mundane moments of life, is something that many people tend to do.
However, most of us take the same shot several times over before capturing the “right” image — and then we promptly forget to delete the extras. This results in a slew of duplicate images that hog precious storage space on our iPhone or in iCloud.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way around this issue that is built into your iPhone if you have iOS 16 or later.
Apple introduced its “duplicate detection” feature in 2022, and it works just as its name suggests. The tool uses on-device AI to identify identical images and aggregate them in an easy-to-find album in the Photos app. Apple says the iPhone classifies duplicates not only as exact copies, but also as photos that appear to be the same but have unique resolutions, file formats, or other slight differences.
ReadMore: Best iPhone of 2023
Make sure to turn on iCloud syncing before going through the step-by-step process below.
Here’s how to use the iPhone’s built-in tool to free up storage space:
Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
Tap on the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down to the Utilities section and tap Duplicates. This is where you can view all the duplicate photos on your iPhone and delete them, either individually or at once.
For the latter option, tap Select in the top right corner.
Tap SelectAll to merge all the duplicate photos your iPhone detects and delete them at the same time.
If you want to delete duplicates individually, scroll up and tap Merge on your chosen selection of duplicate images. Then tap Merge [number] Copies to delete duplicates. Go down the line and repeat this step for all the identical photos you want to delete.
Merging keeps the best version of the photo in your library. The duplicates are moved to the RecentlyDeleted album.
ReadMore: No iOS 17? No Worries. Check Out the Coolest Hidden Features of iOS 16
If you found this iOS 16 feature helpful, check out CNET’s cheat sheet for iOS 17. And for more advice on how to save space, read our full list of tips for clearing your iPhone’s storage.
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
If you want to spruce up your home sound system, the Roku Wireless Bass & Wireless Premium 4K HDR soundbar with subwoofer might be for you. But this wireless system does more than provide great quality sound, it also lets you use the Roku interface in 4K and HDR. Best of all, it costs only $150, down from its usual price of $250 at Amazon right now. The last time this deal was available was during the holidays, which makes this deal a welcome spring find.
The system is equipped with HDMI and optical connectivity so you can quickly connect it to your TV. Its best features are the wireless and Bluetooth functions that let you use your favorite headphones or even expand your sound system using other Roku speakers for an even more cinematic experience. You’ll get the full benefits of the Roku interface, which lets you enjoy Roku-exclusive channels or connect to popular streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, or YouTube (remember these are sold separately or require an extra payment for ad-free versions).
Tired of very loud commercials that force you to make quick adjustments? This soundbar and subwoofer system let you create settings that will do that for you so you won’t have to worry about major sound discrepancies. You can also boost voice volumes and even create settings for night TV watching — perfect for keeping the peace between you, your neighbors, and housemates. Dolby settings mean your movie nights in will get an upgrade. Act now to snag this deal and save $100.
Need to look at all of your options before making a decision? We’ve got you covered with other soundbar reviews.
Apple released iOS 17.4 on March 5, more than a month after the tech giant released iOS 17.3 to the general public. This major iOS update brings new features, including major changes for people in the European Union and new emoji, as well as important bug fixes to your iPhone. Apple later released iOS 17.4.1 on March 21, but that update patched a couple of zero-day vulnerabilities on your iPhone and didn’t include any new features.
To download the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Install Now and follow the onscreen prompts.
Here’s what iOS 17.4 brings to your iPhone.
Read more:You Should Really Update to iOS 17.4.1 Right Now
Downloading other app stores in the EU
Apple introduced a significant change to Safari, the App Store and iOS with iOS 17.4, but only for people in Europe. With iOS 17.4, people in the EU can download an alternative app store and apps from outside the App Store. As CNET’s Katie Collins reports, this marks one of the largest changes to the App Store since its inception in 2008. People in the EU will also be given new default app controls, giving them more ways to customize their iPhone experience.
Apple made these changes, which were announced in January, to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
Read more: Apple Will Allow Installation of Rival App Stores On iPhones In Europe
More options for in-app payments
Apple introduced more ways to make in-app payments with iOS 17.4. If you go to Settings > Privacy & Security, you’ll see an option called Contactless & NFC, or near-field communication. If you tap the new option, you’ll be taken to a mostly blank page that has a small disclaimer that says the page will show apps that have requested the ability to use contactless and NFC payments in the future. Apple announced these options alongside the changes for people in the EU, and there’s no word on whether this will be used by apps outside that region.
At least 100 new emoji
Apple introduced over 100 new emoji to iPhone users with iOS 17.4. Those emoji include heads shaking up and down or left and right, a phoenix and a slice of lime. These emoji were announced in 2023, and some Android devices, including the latest Samsung phones, already have them.
Improved iMessage security against future threats
With iOS 17.4, your iMessage chats get a security boost to protect them from cyberattacks that involve quantum computing. According to CNET’s David Lumb, Apple said it hasn’t seen these kinds of cyberattacks yet, but the company wants to get ahead of the potential threat now.
Read more:Apple’s Next iOS Update Protects iMessage Against Future Quantum Computing Attacks
Podcasts can now show transcripts
In iOS 17.4, you can read the transcripts of your favorite podcasts as you listen to them. To see the transcripts, go into the Podcasts app and start listening to a show, then tap the media player across the bottom of your screen. There’s a new button in the bottom left corner of your screen that looks like a speech bubble with quotes inside it. Tap this button and you’ll see the transcript of the show you’re listening to.
You can search within the transcript, too, so if someone mentions a book or movie title and you only remember part of it, you can search the part you do know and find the whole title.
Read more:What to Know About Podcast Transcripts on iOS 17.4
Virtual card numbers come to Apple Cash
Your Apple Cash gets an upgrade with iOS 17.4, too. Now you can view virtual card numbers for your Apple Cash which lets you shop at online stores that don’t accept Apple Pay. This card comes with its own number, expiration date and three-digit security code, like a physical card. You can also easily request a new card number if you think your card has been compromised.
Read more:How to View Your Apple Cash’s Virtual Card Numbers
Another digital clock widget
In iOS 17.4, Apple introduced a new digital clock app widget called City Digital. This widget displays the time as well as a set location as opposed to wherever your iPhone is at the moment. This can be helpful if you’re traveling or live far from family and friends but want to keep in touch without waking them up in the middle of the night.
Apple introduced the digital clock widget to iPhones with the release of iOS 17.2.
More Stolen Device Protection options
Apple introduced a few new options in Stolen Device Protection with iOS 17.4. The new options let you choose whether you want to always require a 1-hour security delay to access certain settings or make changes, or to only require the delay when you’re away from a familiar location like your home.
Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection with iOS 17.3 with the intent to protect some of your data if your device is stolen or falls into nefarious hands. The feature doesn’t protect all your data, but Apple still recommends everyone turn it on.
Read more:How to Give Your iPhone’s Stolen Device Protection a Boost
New Battery Health readout for iPhone 15 models
With iOS 17.4, iPhone 15 models get a new Battery Health readout. If you go to Settings > Battery, you’ll see a new option that tells you the status of your battery’s health in a word, like Normal or Service. You can also tap this option for more details about your battery, like its cycle count and maximum capacity. Before, your iPhone would show a percentage correlating to your battery’s health without any indication of what it means.
Read more:iOS 17.4’s New Tool Shows if Your iPhone 15’s Battery Health Is Normal
New Home button in the Music and Books apps
Apple introduced a Home button in Apple Music and the Books app with iOS 17.4. If you open either app and look at the bottom of your screen, the Home button is in the far-left corner. This button replaced Listen Now in Apple Music and Read Now in Books.
If you’re an Apple Music subscriber and tap the button, you’re taken to a page that shows you menus, like Recently Played, and recommendations based on artists you’ve listened to. If you tap this button in the Books app, you see menus like Current Bestsellers and Start Reading for Free.
Previous iOS updates brought Home buttons to the Podcasts and Apple TV apps, so this change is likely Apple trying to apply some uniformity across its apps.
Siri can read messages in multiple languages
In iOS 17.4, Apple gave Siri the ability to read messages in multiple languages. Once enabled, Siri can read messages in languages like Spanish, dialects of Mandarin and Thai. Apple writes that this won’t change the primary language Siri listens and responds in.
Read more:How to Enable Siri to Read Messages in More Languages
New Apple CarPlay and Maps experience in certain vehicles
With iOS 17.4, if you use Apple CarPlay with Maps in certain supported vehicles, you’ll see a new instrument cluster.
“With supported CarPlay vehicles, Apple Maps will present a new instrument cluster experience with information about upcoming maneuvers,” Apple wrote online. “Users will be able to swap the desired display type between the main and instrument cluster screen by tapping the map configuration button on the upper right of the Maps main screen.”
Apple didn’t say which vehicles support this new feature, and the company didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Here are the full release notes for iOS 17.4.
Emoji
New mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chain, and shaking heads emoji are now available in the emoji keyboard.
18 people and body emoji add the option to face them in either direction.
Apple Podcasts
Transcripts let you follow an episode with text that highlights in sync with the audio in English, Spanish, French and German.
Episode text can be read in full, searched for a word or phrase, tapped to play from a specific point and used with accessibility features such as Text Size, Increase Contrast and VoiceOver.
This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
Music recognition lets you add songs you have identified to your Apple Music Playlists and Library, as well as Apple Music Classic.
Siri has a new option to announce messages you receive in any supported language.
Stolen Device Protection supports the option for increased security in all locations.
Battery Health in Settings shows battery cycle count, manufacture date, and first use on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models.
Call Identification displays Apple-verified business name, logo and department name when available.
Business updates in Messages for Business provide trusted information for order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts or other transactions you opt into.
Apple Cash virtual card numbers enable you to pay with Apple Cash at merchants that don’t yet accept Apple Pay by typing in your number from Wallet or using Safari AutoFill.
Fixes an issue where contact pictures are blank in Find My.
Fixes an issue for Dual SIM users where the phone number changes from primary to secondary and is visible to a group they have messaged.
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 this website:
Apple Music and Spotify are the two biggest names in music streaming. They basically have the same monthly subscription fee, so it can be tricky to know which one best suits your needs. Do you want lossless and spatial audio support? Apple Music is the one. Love podcasts, audiobooks and making playlists? Spotify is your jam.
Part of the choice also comes down to how you listen. If you’re enjoying music at home, then smart speaker support is key, but music discovery and stream quality can be as important (if not more so) for keen music lovers. Let’s dive in.
Read more: Best Music Streaming Service of 2024
Spotify vs. Apple Music
Spotify
Apple Music
Price
$11 a month ($6 for students)
$10 a month ($6 for students)
Family plan
Yes, up to 6 people ($17)
Yes, up to 6 people ($17)
Free tier
Yes, ad-supported
No, only Beats1 radio
Free trial
3 months
1 month
Stream quality
Depends on platform: 256Kbps AAC (Premium) or 128Kbps AAC (free) on web player; up to 320Kbps (Premium) or 160Kbps (free) on desktop, mobile and tablet.
Lossless audio and Dolby Atmos spatial audio from June 2021, 256Kbps AAC
Music library
Over 100 million songs, 2.6 million podcasts
Over 100 million songs
Apple Music and Spotify cost the same (mostly)
Both Spotify and Apple Music offer a free three-month trial period for their premium services, which normally cost $11 monthly ( 11 for either service in the UK; in Australia Spotify runs AU$14 while Apple Music is AU$13). Each costs $6 for students or $17 for a six-user family plan. You can stream any song from the catalog on demand, plus listen to songs offline.
Spotify is offering three months of its premium version free to new users, while Apple Music is offering one free month for new users.
Alongside Amazon Music and Pandora, Spotify is the only one of the few music services with a free, ad-supported tier, so even if you don’t want to pay for the premium version, you can still listen. The caveat (aside from the interruptions) is that many albums and playlists require you to listen in shuffle mode rather than sequential play, and there’s a limit of six skips per hour.
Apple Music lets free users stream Beats1 Radio, or you can listen to songs from your iTunes library.
Spotify also offers a Premium Duo subscription for two users who live at the same address for $13 ( 13, AU$16). And if you’re a student, you’ll get access to Hulu and Showtime (ad-supported) as part of your Premium subscription.
Winner: Spotify
Does Apple Music or Spotify have better streaming quality?
Spotify uses the Ogg Vorbis format or AAC. On mobile you can choose what bit rate to stream, in set increments up to 320Kbps, which is handy especially if you’re worried about using up too much mobile data. If you listen on Spotify’s web player, it streams in AAC at 128Kbps for free users or 256Kbps for premium.
Apple Music now streams its catalog in lossless quality, plus it offers spatial audio on select songs. Users will need to opt-in to lossless audio by going to Settings, then Music, then Audio Quality on the iPhone. Spotify is expected to debut its long-awaited HiFi subscription for lossless audio sometime in the near future. To find out more about bit rate and audio quality, read this in-depth comparison of sound quality between Apple Music and Spotify.
You can also adjust the equalizer in both to suit your preferences, although you’ll find Apple Music’s EQ outside of the app in the Settings app.
Both Spotify and Apple Music claim access to over 100 million albums. Both offer early access to certain albums from time to time and Apple Music sometimes offers exclusives for certain music videos.
If you turn on iCloud Music Library within Apple Music, you can access your personal library of tunes across all your devices (from the PC to the phone). This feature “matches” songs in your library with those in the iTunes catalog, or uploads them if the song isn’t available, so you can listen to your music wherever you’re signed in with your Apple ID. You can store up to 100,000 songs. Note that iTunes Match is also available even without an Apple Music subscription for $25 a year, though it’s only really necessary if you own a non-4K Apple TV.
Spotify also lets you play music stored on your device in the Spotify app, but it only works for local files (so they aren’t backed up in the cloud).
Lastly, Spotify is the only service that offers both podcasts and up to 15 hours of audiobooks within the app. Meanwhile, Apple splits podcasts into a dedicated Podcasts app.
Winner: Spotify
Is Apple Music or Spotify easier to use?
Apple Music features a clean white look on mobile, while Spotify paints it black across its apps. (Activate dark mode on iOS and Apple Music will switch, too.) Both apps are pretty easy to navigate, with the main tabs (Radio, Search, Your library and so on) found at the bottom of the interface.
Both let you look at lyrics on screen if they’re available for particular songs. But only Apple Music lets you search by typing a stream of lyrics to find songs you don’t know the name of, in addition to including a karaoke mode.
Google Maps lets you listen to and control Spotify or Apple Music playback within the navigation interface in iOS and Android. Waze also offers a similar feature for Spotify users.
On top of CarPlay support, Apple Music for Android works with Android Auto, so you can control playback through the infotainment system.
Winner: Draw
Spotify lets you listen in more places, Apple Music is best for Siri
Both Apple Music and Spotify are available on iOS and Android. Both have desktop apps for Windows and Mac, so you aren’t limited to listening on mobile.
And you can also stream any audio to a Bluetooth wireless speaker, to an AirPlay speaker from an iOS device, or to a Chromecast speaker from an Android device (you can also cast from iOS if you have Spotify).
When it comes to smart speakers, Apple Music with Siri voice control on Apple’s HomePod and is now compatible with Amazon’s full line of Echo smart speakers via the Alexa App (US only). It’s also available on other Apple and Amazon devices like the Apple Watch, Apple TV and FireTV.
In addition to Amazon Alexa speakers, Spotify is also available on Google smart speakers. And if a device is certified as Spotify Connect compatible, it means you can use the Spotify app as a remote to control playback. Spotify is also available across a wide range of other devices like Xbox and PlayStation.
Winner: Spotify
Music discovery tools excel on Spotify and Apple Music
One of the top reasons to use a streaming service is to discover new music. Both Spotify and Apple Music expose you to new tunes based on what you already like.
Spotify has tailored playlists like Discover Weekly and Release Radar that are automatically populated each week with new songs. Apple Music has similar playlists, including New Music Mix.
When you first sign up for each service, both ask you for your favorite genres and artists to get a baseline reading. Once you start listening more, each gets a clearer picture of your likes and dislikes to help tailor recommendations even further.
Spotify and Apple Music also have radio stations based around your favorite artists, tracks or genres. Apple Music also has a separate station called Beats1 Radio which is curated and hosted by actual DJs, so you can listen to it in real time like you would a traditional radio station.
In our experience, Spotify’s algorithmic recommendations for new music based on our listening habits is the most on-point. It also has an AI DJ. But Apple Music’s human-curated radio station often uncovers new or unreleased tracks that also appeal.
Winner: Spotify for playlists, Apple Music for radio lovers
Social integration
Both services let you follow your favorite artists to keep up to date with their latest releases.
You can also follow friends. On Spotify, you can see what song your pals are listening to in real-time (if they choose to share this detail) on the desktop app.
Spotify Codes are a way to share tracks, albums and playlists among friends. It’s kind of like a custom QR code that you can scan with the camera in Spotify if you’re listening in the same location, or share through messages if you’re apart.
Naturally, you can also follow your friends and see what they’re up to across both platforms. While it’s much easier to set up and find profiles on Apple Music than it is on Spotify, your friends need to appear in your contacts list (or on Facebook) in order to follow them.
Spotify has the real-time Jam feature which lets two or more Premium subscribers control music playback and collaborate on a shared playlist.
Winner: Spotify
Is Apple Music or Spotify right for you?
If you simply want a free service, Spotify is the clear winner. But if you are looking to pay for music service, your decision may be a little more involved.
Apple Music plays well with other Apple devices. If you want voice control on the HomePod, for example, Apple Music is your only option. Spotify, on the other hand, has greater cross-compatibility across lots of different devices, from game consoles to smart speakers.
It takes time to train each of these services to really get to know your taste. For our money, Spotify does a better job in uncovering and tailoring playlists and recommendations to us through its custom playlists and discovery features. But Apple Music gives you the most flexibility in mixing songs from your own library (that might not even be on streaming services) with new tunes you can stream on demand.
Of course, Spotify and Apple Music aren’t your only options for streaming music services. To see how they stack up against competitors like Tidal and Amazon, click here to read our comparison.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One or PC for $17 a month. With a subscription, you get new games every month (like NBA 2K24) and other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Microsoft added Diablo 4 to Game Pass in March and these are the latest titles you can play on the service.
Lego 2K Drive (cloud and console)
If racing sims like Forza Horizon 5 is too serious for you — or in my case, too difficult — maybe try this brick-tastic game. In this open-world racing game, you can build your dream ride and race against a cast of kooky rivals with names like Clutch Racington. If you drive into a lake, no worries. Your car can turn into a boat because of Lego.
Lil Gator Game
Take a bite out of a cute little quest as a young gator in this adorable game. You play as the titular character as you climb, swim and explore the world around you while making friends with all the other critters and characters you run into along the way.
EA Sports PGA Tour
Not everyone can tee off at historic courses like Augusta National and St. Andrews, but you can with this golf game. You can play against PGA and LPGA pros, like Scottie Scheffler and Lexi Thompson, as you climb the ladder to become a Masters Tournament champion.
Kona (cloud and console)
Kona is returning to Game Pass about three years after it left the service. In this title, you play a private investigator in the 1970s who arrives at a small Canadian village to find it abandoned. You have to explore the village, investigate the supernatural and survive the northern winds. This game will surely send a chill down your spine.
Botany Manor
Calling all plant enthusiasts: If you’ve ever gotten into an argument over whether a snake plant is part of the Sansevieria or Dracaena genus, this game is for you. In this puzzle game, you play as a botanist in the 1890s completing your botanical research book, and you research and grow rare plant specimens from seed in an idyllic English manor. Don’t be afraid to stop and smell the roses while you play.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
This is the final chapter in the story of how Lara Croft took up the mantle of Tomb Raider. You take the role of Croft as she travels to South America to uncover an artifact that could save the world. With the Definitive Edition, you get all seven DLC challenge tombs and more ways to tackle each challenge with additional downloadable weapons, outfits and skills.
Harold Halibut
This Day 1 release is a narrative game focused on friendship. You play the character Harold as he explores a retro-futuristic world under an alien ocean. Harold’s world is full of weird, wonderful and diverse people and fish, each with a unique story. While exploring Harold’s claymation world, you learn more about its inhabitants as you try to find the meaning of “home.”
Titles leaving Game Pass
While Xbox is adding the above titles to Game Pass Ultimate, it also removed six games from the service. If you have any side quests you want to finish, you have to buy these separately now.
For more on Xbox, here’s what Diablo 4 on Game Pass likely means for the service, other titles available on Game Pass Ultimate now and everything to know about the gaming service.
We are still a couple of months away from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference where the next major version of the iPhone’s software, likely called iOS 18, will debut. We have a few ideas for features and fixes that Apple should include in its next major update to the iPhone.
For seven months, most of us have lived with iOS 17. There have been high points like the introduction of StandBy Mode, Check-In and iMessage stickers. There have also been low points like the overheating software bug that hit iPhones running iOS 17, which has since been resolved. For months we’ve Journaled, NameDropped and casually sworn in Messages without the fear of being Autocorrected.
Read more: Best iPhone to buy in 2024
What’s next for the iPhone? What will my iPhone be like this fall? Now that the Apple Vision Pro is out will it change things?
I have no idea.
Sure there are rumors about iOS 18 and how it’ll be a big deal, maybe even a bigger deal than the iPhone 16. Like other phone makers, Apple will likely flex its hype muscles and try to impress us with some AI magic.
Forget all that. Instead of having to guess what Apple will do next to our iPhones, I thought I’d assemble some of CNET’s best iOS-ers and iPhone users to tell Apple what we want in iOS 18.
— Patrick Holland
More multitasking for the iPhone Pro Max
The Dynamic Island is a great start, but I wish Apple would find more ways to take advantage of the Pro Max’s large screen in particular. As I’ve written in the past, I’d love to see a version of Apple’s Slide Over feature optimized for its larger-size iPhone.
Slide Over lets you view a second app in a floating panel along the side of the screen. This feels more useful on a smartphone-size screen compared with a split view. If Slide Over were available on the iPhone Pro Max, you’d be able to dedicate most of the screen to a single app, while checking another. I could see this being useful for browsing through my email inbox while keeping an eye out for new Slack messages, for example.
— Lisa Eadicicco
Let the Action button support multiple shortcuts
One of the new features on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max is the Action button, which replaced the silent/ring slider button found on every prior iPhone model since it debuted in 2007. In its current setup, I can set the Action button to trigger one shortcut at a time. By default, it does exactly the same thing as the mute slider did before it: it can toggle between turning on the ringer and putting your iPhone into silent mode. There are a couple of other options for it, like opening the Camera app and take a photo. You can even have it run a specific shortcut/automation in the Shortcuts app. Perhaps my favorite use is someone who uses their location to change what the Action button does like turn it into an order now trigger for a Starbucks latte.
The Action button works with a single long press, no matter what you choose for the button to do. Currently, you either need to change what the Action button does to get more use out of it or make some elaborate automations in the Shortcuts app.
I feel there is a lot more the Action button could do if Apple would let it support multiple input clicks. I could still have it be a toggle for ringer/silent mode with a single long press, but do something else (like turn on/off the flashlight) with a double-long press. I think this would add so much functionality to the button and as a result, open it up to even more people taking more advantage of it.
— Patrick Holland
More StandBy Mode capabilities, please
StandBy Mode was one of my favorite new features Apple introduced with iOS 17. I use the feature on my work desk daily, and it’s nice having easy access to the weather, time and podcasts. But I want Apple to develop this feature more.
For starters, I’d like Messages and Mail to take advantage of StandBy Mode. Right now, if your iPhone gets a text while it’s in StandBy Mode, you get a notification, and if you tap the notification in time, you see a preview of the message. Otherwise, you have to remove your iPhone from StandBy Mode to read the full message and respond.
It would be great if Apple developed a StandBy Mode widget for Messages that lets you see full messages and respond to them without exiting StandBy Mode. It would also be nice if there was a Mail widget for StandBy Mode that lets you read emails (like newsletters) and shows you new messages. That way you can keep an eye on your inbox and know if you need to respond to an email immediately or if your latest email is just spam.
— Zach McAuliffe
Make Siri more capable
As a working mom, I almost always have a long to-do list, and a smarter Siri would truly help make my life easier. Right now, I turn to Siri for help with basic tasks such as setting an alarm, making a reminder or checking the weather. With rumors of large language model integration in Siri, I find myself envisioning a future in which an iPhone can get more complex tasks done. Things like reminding me to buy blueberries when I’m near a supermarket or locating nearby restaurants in Hong Kong that are both kid-friendly and dog-friendly.
Lucky for me, this doesn’t seem to be far-fetched. Large language models should not only allow Siri to understand more complex and nuanced questions but also enable it to answer those questions more accurately.
— Sareena Dayaram
Detect language in Messages and translate, por favor
Bilingual households may share my issue of Siri needing to do a better job of automatically detecting which language is being spoken. Right now the iPhone will spit out gibberish, turning Spanish dictation into English, or English into Spanish, if you forget to switch your keyboard.
If a voicemail message is left in Spanish, the system can’t recognize that it’s not English and tries to give an English preview that looks like nonsense. Maybe these rumored AI smarts can help Siri know what language is being spoken.
My Español no es bueno, so it would be helpful if my iPhone offered an English translation of text or voice messages sent to me in Spanish. The Duolingo bird would be mad at me for not needing to practice my Spanish lessons anymore, but Duo is always mad at me anyway.
— Bridget Carey
Check-in for group chats
One of my favorite iOS 17 features is Check In, which lets you share with a friend or family member that you’re heading to a specific location (like maybe coming home from a late dinner). Your friend or family member gets a ping letting them know you’re on the move and when you should be home. They get notified once you make it to your destination or if you make an unexpected stop along the way. If something happens to you and you don’t get home, your friend receives a message that also includes data like your last location and battery level on your iPhone.
I’d like iOS 18 to let me send a Check-In to a group of people, not just a single person. Right now, being able to start a Check In with just one person is good, but there are many times I want to share a Check In with more family members or a group of friends all at the same time.
— Patrick Holland
Schedule texts in Messages
Being able to schedule texts in Messages would be a huge plus. Texting friends and family in different time zones is always a game of math because I don’t want to text them when they are still sleeping. Yeah, I might be texting them at 8 a.m. ET, but they are still asleep since it’s 5 a.m. PT for them. I also used to work the third shift, and there were times when I’d want to text a friend and ask them a question or just to talk, but who wants to be awoken to a text message at 5 a.m.? Very few people, as I came to find out.
Scheduling texts to send in Messages would help alleviate these issues. Other messaging apps already let you schedule messages to send later, including Android, so it’s time for Apple to get up to speed with others. Some people might say that there’s a Shortcut you can enable on your iPhone to send messages at a later time, but I’d argue that if you have to use a workaround to get something to work, it’s not actually working. Apple should take a cue from Android and let people schedule messages to send at a later time. People who live in different time zones than their friends and family or work weird shifts will thank you.
— Zach McAuliffe
Add a pro camera app
It’s time for Apple to revisit the iPhone’s Camera app. For years, it was the gold standard of simplicity, offering a “see what you get” preview for photos, videos and effects with minimal, easy-to-navigate controls and modes. As Apple has added more functionality, especially for ProRaw photos, ProRes video recording and spatial videos, the Camera app has started to feel cramped. It tries to remain a one-size-fits-all app at the expense of higher-end features like manual camera controls.
I’d like Apple to make a separate pro camera app, along the lines of how it created a standalone app for classical music. Apple Music Classical tackles the special challenge of categorizing, searching for, and discovering classical music, something the default Apple Music app isn’t geared toward. Similarly, the pro camera app could be a place for creative types to access camera controls, settings and features beyond those in the basic camera app. Sony has been quite successful with this sort of approach in its Xperia 1 and 5 series phones, and Samsung has a separate Expert Raw app to complement its main one.
Now it’s Apple’s turn.
— Patrick Holland
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
Today’s Wordle answer is a word you likely know but perhaps don’t use often. Some of its letters are pretty common, while others are rarer and might be tough to guess.
Every day, we’ll post hints and then the answer for the current day’s Wordle, just in case you need it.
Today’s Wordle hints
Warning: If you keep reading, you’ll see the Wordle answer for Tuesday April 16, puzzle #1032. That could be a devastating spoiler for some players. But if you just need the answer — maybe you’re on your last guess and just don’t want to see an 800-game streak go poof — keep reading.
Wordle hint No. 1: Vowel
There’s only one vowel in today’s answer.
Wordle hint No. 2: Center stage
The lone vowel sits right in the middle of today’s answer.
Wordle hint No. 3: Pete and repeat
There are no repeated letters in today’s answer.
Wordle hint No. 4: First letter
The answer begins with the letter S.
Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning
If you play golf, you might use this word. It’s also used frequently by butchers and in prison movies.
TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER
Here comes the spoiler: Today’s Wordle answer is SHANK. It’s a term golfers use when they hit the ball with the extreme heel of the club (football players can shank a kick, too). It’s also used in prison movies to mean a homemade knife, or as a verb meaning to stab someone with that knife. Butchers use it for a certain cut of meat.
Yesterday’s Wordle answer
Yesterday’s Wordle answer, #1031, was EQUIP.
Past Wordle answers
April 11, No. 1027 LOUSE
April 12, No. 1028 WHINY
April 13, No. 1029 STEEL
April 14, No. 1030 BLIMP
Everyday Wordle tips
I’ve written a lot about Wordle — from covering its 1,000th word to my list of the best starter words to a helpful two-step strategy to controversial word changes. I’ve even rounded up what I learned playing the hit online word puzzle for a full year. So if you’re rethinking your need for the actual answer, you might try tips from one of those stories.
Still need a starter word? One person told me they just look around and choose a five-letter object that they’ve spotted to use as their starter word — such as COUCH or CHAIR. I tend to stick to starter words that have the most popular letters used in English words. I like TRAIN as a starter, though I have a friend who uses TRAIL. I’ve read that people use the financial term ROATE, but I like to use words I actually know.
What is Wordle?
If you read this far, you know how to play. You have six chances to guess a five-letter word, and the game gives you feedback as to whether the letters you’ve guessed are in the puzzle, and if they are in the same spot where you guessed them to be. The Times bought the game from creator Josh Wardle for seven figures in 2022. Wardle famously created the game for his partner, and let them narrow down the 12,000 five-letter words in the English language to just 2,500, creating the database of answers. It was convenient of him to have a name that plays off “word” too.
A Times spokesperson told me it lists the very first Wordle as appearing on June 19, 2021, and the paper celebrated the game’s 1,000th word on March 15. Spoiler: That 1,000th word was ERUPT. As in, Dad will ERUPT if the Wordle is so tough he loses his streak.
There are other fun games in the Times Games stable. My latest addiction is Connections, which I think is trickier than Wordle. This is the game where you look at a grid of 16 words and try to put them into four groups of related words. Sometimes the relationships between the words are pretty out there — like the time when it was four words that all began with rock bands, such as RUSHMORE and JOURNEYMAN. (Connections got a little sassy on April Fool’s Day with an all-emoji puzzle. Some gamers did NOT find that funny.)
Spelling Bee is a popular Times game too. And there’s a new game that’s still in beta, Strands, which I’m trying to master.
