Apple released iOS 17 on Sept. 18, and the OS included a handful of fun new features and improvements, like Live Stickers and offline maps. But one new feature included in iOS 17 is designed to help protect you from harassment, like being sent unsolicited nudes.
Sensitive Content Warnings is a new setting in iOS 17. According to Apple, the setting uses on-device machine learning to analyze and block photos and videos sent to you that might contain nudity. These warnings are turned off by default, but turning them on is easy.
Here’s how to enable Sensitive Content Warnings on your iPhone.
Turn Sensitive Content Warnings on
1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Privacy & Security. 3. Tap Sensitive Content Warning. 4. Tap the switch next to Sensitive Content Warning.
Once Sensitive Content Warnings are enabled, content that your iPhone thinks contains nudity will appear blurred out. It’ll be covered by a message that reads, “This may be sensitive.”
These warnings are applied to content sent via Messages, AirDrop, Contact Posters in the Phone app and FaceTime video messages. When you’ve enabled these warnings, you can select which apps and services the warnings are applied to under App & Service Access in the Sensitive Content Warning menu.
If you need help or are unsure about what to do when someone sends you sensitive content, you can tap the triangle with an exclamation point in the top-right corner of the blurred content. This will open safety resources, including tips on how to deal with harassment and things to consider before opening a blurred image or sending a nude photo. There are also additional resources for adults as well as children and teenagers.
If you decide you want to see content marked as potentially sensitive, tap the button in the bottom-right corner of the blurred image that reads “Show.”
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone
Apple promises faster performance and better cameras with every new iPhone, especially when it comes to the Pro models. And Apple delivers on those pledges with the iPhone 15 Pro, according to my colleague Patrick Holland who reviewed the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max at launch and continued testing them over the past month.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth upgrading to the latest models. Those improvements don’t come cheap, with the iPhone 15 Pro starting at $1,000 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max beginning at $1,199. Those prices become easier to swallow with carrier trade-in deals, but such discounts often require you to meet very specific circumstances, such as opening a new line or exchanging a relatively new phone.
Similar to the regular iPhone 15, the Pro model is best suited for those coming from an older model, like the iPhone 12 or earlier. There’s plenty that’s new with the iPhone 15 Pro, like the titanium body and new Action button, that make the phone feel fresh and different compared to the iPhone 14 Pro. But if you’re coming from a device that’s several years old, you’ll likely find the longer battery life and performance improvements to be the driving factors behind your decision to upgrade.
Take a look at the comparisons below to decide whether it’s the right time to upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro. If you’re considering the standard iPhone 15 instead, check out our separate upgrade guide.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 14 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro brings numerous improvements compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, including a lighter titanium build, the Action button for programming shortcuts, a USB-C port for universal charging and a camera that can capture photos at 24 megapixels by default. Apple also claims the new A17 Pro processor can run console-grade games.
As is the case with previous Pro models, the iPhone 15 Pro also includes some extras for mobile photographers and filmmakers. Videographers, for example, may appreciate the option to shoot in the log video format, which makes it easier to match footage from other devices for projects shot on more than one camera. The iPhone 15 Pro Max also has a 5x telephoto zoom, enabling it to capture closer shots than the 3x option on the iPhone 14 Pro.
Since the iPhone 15 Pro has Apple’s second-generation ultra wideband chip, you can use your iPhone to more easily pinpoint another user’s location in the Find My app. But this feature only works with other iPhone 15 owners since it requires Apple’s new hardware. Ultra wideband is the proximity-detecting tech found in the iPhone 11 and later that makes it easier to AirDrop files to other devices and use your phone as a digital car key.
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
Most of these changes further separate the iPhone 15 Pro from the regular iPhone 15 and make Apple’s premium phone a more appealing option for those who want faster performance and a more capable camera. That said, you don’t necessarily need to upgrade if you already have an iPhone 14 Pro.
While these tools are helpful, they’re niche and may not impact the daily experience all that much, especially if you don’t use your phone for film projects. While the Action button is useful, it’s also a bit limiting in its current form since it can only trigger one feature at a time. As mentioned in CNET’s iPhone 15 Pro review, there’s potential for the Action button to bring more to the iPhone experience in the future, particularly if Apple makes it possible to program multiple types of shortcuts.
Read more: iPhone 15 Pro One Month Later: Great Battery Life, Fast Performance
The A17 Pro is another example of a new feature that will likely grow more appealing over time as more games are optimized for it. The console versions of Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be available for the iPhone 15 Pro, and I can see the iPhone 15 Pro becoming more appealing for gamers once it supports more than a few titles.
The bottom line: Don’t upgrade to the iPhone 15 Pro just yet. Performance and battery life are likely still going strong, meaning there’s plenty of life left in your phone. Some of the iPhone 15 Pro’s most exciting new features, like the A17 Pro processor and Action button, will probably get better over time, meaning it’s fine to wait for the next model, or even the one after that. Unless you can essentially get the iPhone 15 Pro for free through a trade-in deal, it’s worth waiting
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro
The iPhone 13 Pro is only 2 years old, which means it’s probably still running smoothly and battery life is long enough to get you through the day without concern. Since it has a relatively recent camera and processor, photos taken with this phone will look sharp and colorful enough for posting on your Instagram feed, sharing with friends and even printing small copies to hang on your wall.
The iPhone 15 Pro isn’t a necessary upgrade for iPhone 13 Pro owners, but there are plenty of new features for those who do decide to make the jump. You’ll be able to charge the iPhone 15 Pro with the same cable you probably use for other non-Apple products since it has USB-C. The camera has a higher-resolution sensor, which means you can capture more detail at 48-megapixels or 24-megapixels compared to the 12-megapixel sensor on the iPhone 13 Pro. And then of course, there’s the new titanium design and Action button.
But keep in mind you’re also getting everything that came with last year’s iPhone 14 Pro, such as the Dynamic Island and always-on display. Taken together, these changes along with the Action button could make it easier to multitask without jumping between apps. You’ll also get car crash detection and the option to contact emergency services via satellite if you’re in a remote area, since both features arrived on last year’s iPhone 14 Pro.
The bottom line: The iPhone 15 Pro isn’t an upgrade that you need, but it might be one that you want coming from an iPhone 13 Pro. Apple’s 2-year-old iPhone still has a lot going for it, so don’t upgrade yet if you’re still happy with it. But if you do splurge on the iPhone 15 Pro, it’ll feel like more than just a refreshed version of your current phone. Be sure to see if you’re eligible for a trade-in discount.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 12 Pro
The iPhone 12 Pro is very similar to the iPhone 13 Pro, so the same general advice applies. However, there’s a stronger case for upgrading since the iPhone 12 Pro’s processor is older, meaning it might be starting to slow down.
Battery life will also likely see a dramatic boost considering the iPhone 12 Pro is now 3 years old. One of the iPhone 13 Pro’s biggest changes was longer battery life, and Apple has made further improvements since then. Compared to the iPhone 12 Pro’s estimated 17 hours of video playback, the iPhone 15 Pro is said to get 23 hours.
The display is brighter on Apple’s new phone, meaning it’ll likely be easier to see outside in bright sunlight. The iPhone 12 Pro also lacks ProMotion, which is Apple’s branding for displays that can boost their refresh rate, which should make scrolling feel smoother on the iPhone 15 Pro.
Apple has also thrown in some new photography features between generations, such as macro mode and Photographic Styles, which lets you customize a specific look for how the camera should capture photos. There’s also cinematic mode for capturing footage with a shallow depth of field.
But those are just some of the aspects that separate the iPhone 12 Pro from the iPhone 13 Pro. Don’t forget, you’re also getting everything else Apple has added over the years, from the Action button to the Dynamic Island, a lighter titanium build, car crash detection and emergency SOS via satellite.
The bottom line: The iPhone 15 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade coming from the iPhone 12 Pro, but you should really only upgrade if you’re starting to feel performance and battery life slowing down.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 11 Pro
The iPhone 11 Pro is now 4 years old, meaning it’s a good time to upgrade if you’re feeling like your phone isn’t what it used to be. Aside from jumping from a 4-year-old processor to Apple’s brand-new A17 Pro, just about everything else will feel new — from the screen to the camera.
Perhaps most importantly, the iPhone 11 Pro doesn’t support 5G, meaning you may be missing out on faster connection speeds. Apple didn’t add 5G compatibility to its phones until the iPhone 12 launched in 2020.
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max have smaller screens than the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, so you’ll get some extra real estate for watching videos, reading the news and browsing email. The 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch display, while the 11 Pro Max has a 6.5-inch display, compared to the iPhone 15 Pro’s and Pro Max’s respective 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch screens. There’s a lot more that’s new about the iPhone 15 Pro’s screen; size is just the start. You’ll also gain the Dynamic Island, ProMotion, always-on mode and increased brightness.
Camera quality is another area where you’re bound to see a lot of improvements. Since the iPhone 11 Pro’s camera is four generations old, you’re getting the culmination of all the photo and video improvements Apple has added over the years.
Aside from the new 48-megapixel sensor and aforementioned features like cinematic mode and the ability to turn almost any photo into a portrait, you can also take portraits in night mode and capture night mode images with the front camera. You’ll also get a closer optical zoom (3x on the 15 Pro, 5x on the 15 Pro Max) compared to the iPhone 11 Pro’s 2x zoom. Apple’s image processing pipeline has also improved over the years, so you should see a step up in general image quality too.
The iPhone 11 Pro also lacks a lidar sensor, which isn’t a deal breaker but could be important depending on what you use your phone for. The lidar sensor’s depth-sensing capabilities can help the camera focus faster, improve performance in augmented reality apps and enable accessibility features like People Detection, which can help blind users tell when other people are nearby.
You’ll also be able to use MagSafe accessories, like cases and wireless chargers that snap more easily to the back of your phone, with the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max. And don’t forget about all the other features Apple has introduced in the last two years, such as the Action button, satellite connectivity for emergencies and car crash detection.
The bottom line: If you have an iPhone 11 Pro, it’s definitely worth upgrading. From 5G to a brand-new processor, larger screen, multitasking features like the Action button and Dynamic Island, and a superior camera, everything about this phone will feel new. If you bought the cheapest version of the iPhone 11 Pro at launch, you’re also probably struggling to store photos and videos since the entry-level model only came with 64GB of storage compared to the 128GB found on newer iPhones.
iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone XS
The iPhone has come a long way in the last five years, and that shows when comparing the 2018-era iPhone XS to the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone XS lacks a couple of features that are considered standard in many of today’s phones, namely 5G support and an ultrawide camera for taking broader shots.
By upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro, you’ll gain all of the features mentioned above in our comparison with the iPhone 11 Pro. That includes 5G support, a much sharper camera, more camera modes, MagSafe compatibility, a depth-sensing lidar sensor, and a larger and brighter screen (5.8 inches versus 6.1 inches for the regular Pro, 6.5 inches versus 6.7 inches for the Pro Max).
But Apple added a handful of new capabilities starting with the iPhone 11 that the iPhone XS family also lacks, making an even stronger case for upgrading. The most notable is night mode for the camera, which means you’ll barely have to use your camera’s flash when taking photos in dark environments. There’s also the previously mentioned ultrawide camera, a sharper front-facing camera (7 megapixels versus 12 megapixels) and the ultra wideband chip.
This, of course, just scratches the surface, considering there’s a lot more that’s new in the iPhone 15 Pro, from significantly longer battery life to the Dynamic Island and the 48-megapixel camera.
The bottom line: If you have an iPhone XS or XS Max, it’s time to upgrade. Apple’s 5-year-old phone lacks staple features like 5G, and performance and battery life will likely start to dwindle soon if they haven’t already. The iPhone XS is also the last generation to get new iOS version updates, meaning you’ll be missing out on new features come next year.
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After seven weeks of high-octane rucking action, it all comes down to this, as New Zealand and South Africa battle it out in the Rugby World Cup final at the Stade de France.
New Zealand cruised into today’s final with an assured 44-6 victory over Argentina. South Africa, meanwhile, had to scrap their way back from 15-6 down to eventually see off England 16-15 thanks to Handré Pollard’s late penalty in their dramatic semifinal.
The match brings together the two most successful teams in Rugby World Cup history, with both teams having won the sport’s biggest prize on three previous occasions and South Africa entering this year’s tournament as defending champs following their triumph in Japan back in 2019.
The last meeting between these two sides saw the Springboks stun New Zealand in their final warm-up for this tournament with a crushing 35-7 victory back in August, but we suspect a far closer encounter in Paris today.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch South Africa vs. New Zealand, no matter where you are in the world.
New Zealand vs. South Africa: When and where?
The All Blacks take on the Springboks in the final at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday, Oct. 27. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. CET local time in France — that’s 8 p.m. BST in the UK and Ireland, 10 p.m. SAST in South Africa and 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT in the US. In New Zealand it’s a 9 a.m. NZDT start on Sunday morning, and a 7 a.m. AEDT kick-off in Australia.
How to watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the final locally, you may need a different way to watch this match — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. 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 Australia, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should 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 deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
Livestream New Zealand vs. South Africa in the US
The Rugby World Cup 2023 final can be watched live in the US via streaming service Peacock, which is showing the final live. You’ll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch games live.
Stream the All Blacks vs. South Africa for free in New Zealand
Freeview channel Sky Open (formerly Prime), will be showing this huge showdown with the Springboks live, which means you’ll be able to stream for free online and on smart devices.
Stream South Africa vs. New Zealand in South Africa
Springboks can also cheer on their side at home for free, with free-to-air broadcaster SABC showing the big game live. That also means you’ll be able to stream for free via the network’s streaming service and website.
Watch Ireland vs. New Zealand for free in Ireland
Rugby fans in Ireland looking to watch the tournament’s climax can watch the final live and for free via terrestrial broadcaster Virgin Media 1 and its online service Virgin Media Player.
Watch New Zealand vs. South Africa for free in the UK
The Rugby World Cup final will be shown live on free-to-air channel ITV1 in the UK. This means viewers in the region will also be able to stream the big game for free via the ITVX online service. Live coverage for this game is on ITV1 and is set to get underway at 7 p.m. BST.
Stream New Zealand vs. South Africa in Australia for free
Rugby fans Down Under can watch the World Cup climax for free via terrestrial broadcaster 9Gem and its 9Now streaming service.
Stream New Zealand vs. South Africa in Canada
Comprehensive live coverage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final will be available in Canada via TSN. Cord cutters can watch via the network’s streaming service TSN Plus.
Quick tips for streaming the 2023 Rugby World Cup using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming the Rugby World Cup action live 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 an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like 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 site 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.
And 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 normally recommend Brave.
Arsenal will look to heap more pressure on rock bottom Sheffield United on Saturday as these two unevenly matched sides meet at the Emirates Stadium.
After a confidence boosting 2-1 win away to Seville in the Champions League in midweek, the Gunners will be hoping to keep up the pressure on local rivals and league leaders Tottenham Hotspur as they return to domestic action.
The pressure, meanwhile, is mounting on Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom after a run of five straight defeats, including an 8-0 mauling at home to Newcastle United.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch all of the action live wherever you are in the world.
Arsenal vs. Sheffield United: When and where?
Arsenal host Sheffield United at the Emirates Stadium in north London on Saturday, Oct. 27. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. BST (10 a.m. ET, 7 a.m PT, 1 a.m. AEDT).
How to watch the Arsenal vs. Sheffield United game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout 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. You should 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 deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
Livestream Arsenal vs. Sheffield United in the US
Saturday’s Arsenal vs. Sheffield United match is on USA Network, which you can access as part of your cable package or at the NBC Sports website with a valid login, and can be streamed via Sling TV and other more expensive streaming TV services.
Can I livestream the Arsenal vs. Sheffield United game in the UK?
No broadcaster has the rights to show this game live in the UK, due to the traditional Saturday 3 p.m. kick-off blackout, which prohibits matches being shown in the region at that time in order to protect attendances throughout the English football pyramid.
That also means that if you’re in the UK traveling for pleasure or for work, you’re unlikely to be able to watch the game like you normally would at home thanks to geo-blocking.
There is one option to get around this, however. By using a VPN, as explained above, you can set your location to a country where the match is being broadcast and go from there.
Livestream the Arsenal vs. Sheffield United game in Canada
If you want to stream Arsenal vs. Sheffield United live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights for this Premier League season.
Livestream the Arsenal vs. Sheffield United game in Australia
Football fans Down Under can watch this EPL fixture on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League game live in Australia this season.
Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EPL matches 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 an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like 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 site 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.
And 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 normally recommend Brave.
A couple of weeks ago, I thought I knew what HDR was. Boy, was I ever wrong. When I saw the detail, depth and color this technology brings to my own photos, HDR photography blew my mind.
High-dynamic range endows photos and videos with a broader tonal range so you can see details in both bright and shadowy areas. I understood that intellectually, but when Adobe shipped a new version of its Lightroom software that let me edit HDR photos on higher-end computers and phones, I actually saw them for the first time. A gulf separated what I thought HDR is and what it actually offers.
By clicking that “HDR” button in Lightroom, flat-toned highlight areas in my photos suddenly take on vibrant life. Bright yellow flames leap out of my screen. Washed-out skies turn a rich blue. Clouds show previously hidden billows and contours. New Mexico aspen leaves in the autumn explode with golden color. After the recent annular eclipse, I see sunspots and structural details on the sun’s face that I hadn’t realized my camera could even capture.
But there’s a dark side to HDR, so to speak, and it’s a doozy. Most people don’t have hardware or software capable of showing this glorious imagery. I can’t even publish a comparison photo at the top of this story to illustrate how marvelous HDR photos are.
Such is the way of technology. As sci-fi author William Gibson observed, the future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed. I hope HDR spreads as rapidly as possible, because I love it.
Here’s a look at the glories and the complications of HDR photography and how it might start showing up in your own photography adventures.
What is HDR?
First, for those of you who may have heard the term but don’t know exactly what it is, HDR is a technology designed to capture high-contrast scenes and bring them to our eyeballs more convincingly.
Many scenes with only a modest span of bright and dark elements are no big deal for ordinary cameras and displays. But when you combine bright sunsets with dark foregrounds, or sunlit faces next to shadowed storefronts, technology often can’t match the full tonal range that your eyes see.
Cameras have improved, in particular with smartphones that composite many frames into a single shot to capture shadow details without blowing out blue skies into a wash of white. Now the challenge is to build an entire image-handling pipeline for editing, publishing and displaying HDR, not just the standard-dynamic range we’ve used for decades.
Translating a wide dynamic range into something narrower for display occurs through a process called tone mapping. Early days of HDR tone mapping experimentation produced some surreal, otherworldly and sometimes postapocalyptic photo styling, but that’s not what I’m talking about now.
Today’s HDR is all about showing a scene more as it truly was so you can see details in bright clouds at the same time there are textured leaves in the shadow. The bright parts are actually brighter than the regular full white of your display, like the blank areas around this article. Sometimes it reminds me of adding bright highlights in drawings.
Holy wow, these HDR images are amazing
When I say HDR blew my mind, I’m not exaggerating. I’ve looked at millions of photos, thousands of them up close and in great detail, whether my own or from photographers I respect on sites like Flickr and Instagram. I haven’t been this excited about a new photography technology in years.
As soon as I saw the blog post about HDR in Lightroom by Adobe engineer and photo guru Eric Chan, I tried it with my own photos. Over and over I’d open a photo in Lightroom’s develop module, click the HDR button, and marvel at the transformation as detail and color bloomed out of previously flat, washed-out bright areas.
And the information is there in thousands of photos I already took. That’s because I shoot raw — a photo format that can preserve more detail and offer more editing flexibility than “baked” formats like JPEG or HEIC. (JPEG and HEIC can accommodate HDR data, and indeed Apple HEIC and Google Pixel JPEG photos include it, but raw photos are more flexible.)
It’s hard to describe the improvements, and it’s really hard to show them visually since hardware and software support is spotty right now. For a good illustration of what’s possible I recommend photographer Greg Benz’s detailed HDR photo examination, helpfully packaged as an HDR YouTube video that bypasses some display compatibility problems, but you’ll have to watch on an HDR-compatible device like most reasonably good smartphones from recent years.
HDR doesn’t change or improve all photos. I’m not excited about the prospect of creating two versions of each of my photos, though Lightroom has a mechanism designed to ease that labor. There’s no question in my mind that the technology is an improvement, though, as over and over I saw photos take on more of the realism I remember.
It’s already changed my photographic style, too, easing my aversion to some high-contrast scenes and backlighting that often have produced unsatisfying results.
Some examples of photo improvements
I spent a few hours digging through my archive, and scads of photos were dramatically improved:
The burst of flame from a burner at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta turned from washed-out white to vivid yellow, with the structure of the flames visible.
The glittering lights of the store displays in Paris’ Galeries Lafayette sparkled into view, adding sprinkles of light that punctuated otherwise unremarkable bright areas.
New patterns and tracks showed up in pictures with snow.
In a photo of a misty sunrise, I was no longer forced to choose between the dark details of a shadowed field that filled most of the frame and the colorful sky behind the trees.
With both bright skies and overcast weather, clouds became rich three-dimensional shapes instead of flat white blobs or gray smears.
Neon lights, LEDs, Christmas tree lights and glowing nighttime Halloween decorations pop vividly.
In the Sagrada Familia, a spectacular basilica in Barcelona, entirely new colors emerged from photos of the stained-glass windows. I hadn’t even realized there was any purple present!
That last case was particularly notable. Even when I created a regular SDR version, Lightroom produced better colors. That’s because the HDR editing pipeline brings a new recipe to how it handles the full gamut of color and brightness.
“Even for low- to moderate-contrast photos, you may see a significant visual benefit to editing in HDR,” Adobe told me.
HDR and the displays that can or can’t show it
But here’s the downside. I can’t just share these glorious new photos with you. Because you need not only new software to see HDR photos, but also higher-end hardware that can crank its pixels up to sufficient brightness.
MacBook Pro laptops from 2021 or later are good, but earlier ones and countless Windows laptops and external displays aren’t. Apple’s $4,999 Pro Display XDR can handle HDR photos.
“I have a Mac Studio monitor, but unfortunately, even though it cost an arm and a leg, it’s not an HDR monitor,” said pro photographer Jeremy Garretson, referring to the Apple Studio Display that costs $1,599 and up. “I’m a little annoyed.”
Though it’ll likely be years before a lot of mainstream computers can show HDR photos to full effect, the situation is improving. HDR-capable displays, which need to be able to show brighter pixels in some areas, are becoming more common.
Adobe expects HDR hardware will become as ubiquitous as now-commonplace HD TVs and the high-resolution screens on all flagship smartphones these days.
Supporting the high brightness — 1,000 nits or more — adds expense that might be too high for low-budget devices. “I think [HDR] will be limited to the high end and midrange for TVs and the high end for smartphones and IT products,” said Ross Young, a longtime display analyst at Display Supply Chain Consultants.
As a photographer, this matters a lot to me. I’m never buying another phone, TV or laptop or monitor that can’t handle HDR.
Software support for HDR
Software is gradually improving, too. Lightroom’s support is somewhat preliminary, with HDR imagery showing only while editing a photo and not when viewing your photo library, but Adobe said it’ll expand support.
Only Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge can show HDR photos on the web, so Firefox and Safari are SDR-only for now. Because Apple’s rules restrict browsers on iPads and iPhones to Apple’s web rendering technology, Chrome can’t display HDR photos on those devices despite newer models’ hardware capability to do so.
Just storing the photo file is tricky. There are file formats that can handle HDR imagery, like AVIF, JPEG XL and HEIC, but a tweak to good old JPEG is a likely starting point. That’s Google’s approach with a format it calls Ultra HDR, which adds HDR-specific metadata called a gain map to a traditional JPEG photo. Adobe developed gain map technology, Apple supports it, and companies are now working to standardize gain maps for HDR imagery through an industry standardization process.
Gain maps let older products show regular images and newer ones add the extra HDR spiciness.
“If we switch to AVIF today, you break thousands of applications, and then no one gets HDR,” said Isaac Reynolds, who leads camera development for Google. Ultra HDR is a good “on ramp” to HDR photography, a useful step for three or four years until more advanced formats catch on, he said.
The allure of HDR photography
HDR is a complicated transition, as the drawn-out adoption of HDR video in smartphones, TVs and streaming video services has shown. But I’m hopeful that support will arrive. The benefit is just too strong to ignore.
There are lots of improvements to digital photography, like mirrorless cameras with eye-tracking autofocus, image sensors with many megapixels and smartphones that approach the abilities of traditional cameras more closely every year.
I find HDR photography as exciting as any of those developments. I imagine other photographers will, too, and soon most if not all of us will be able to appreciate all the realism and spectacle of HDR.
The smartphone is about to evolve in a big way. For years, industry leaders pegged the arrival of 5G and foldable displays as being the technological advancements that would mark a turning point for the smartphone.
Now in 2023, that excitement has shifted to generative AI, a technology that moguls like Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai believe could be as monumental as the dawn of the smartphone and the internet itself.
Generative artificial intelligence, or AI that can create new content, engulfed the tech world this year, shaping the trajectory of new products from Alphabet’s Google, Microsoft, Instagram and Facebook owner Meta, and other major tech companies. In the last quarter of 2023, we’re getting a better idea of how that shift is extending to the smartphone.
AI was at the center of Google’s Pixel 8 launch earlier this month as the company flaunted how its algorithms can pick out the best facial expressions in batches of group photos and easily paste them into a different image. The next smartphone processor from leading mobile chipmaker Qualcomm is designed to speed up AI processing tasks, as the company detailed during its Snapdragon Summit in late October. And Apple is said to be developing a bevy of new features for the iPhone and other products that lean on AI, according to a recent report from Bloomberg.
“AI is the future of the smartphone experience,” Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager of Qualcomm’s mobile, compute and XR division, said during the company’s event. “And when it comes to mobile technology, it’s what we’ve been building toward for over a decade.”
ChatGPT and new AI-powered search tools from Microsoft and Google may have been the jumping-off point for generative AI in late 2022 and the first half of 2023. But it didn’t take long for the tech to impact the direction of current and future smartphones. AI isn’t new to mobile devices; features like voice dictation, language translation and facial recognition already leverage the technology. Apple’s iPhones, for example, have had a neural engine for handling machine learning-related tasks since 2017 starting with the iPhone X and iPhone 8 generation.
Generative AI is different. It’s not necessarily about AI working passively to detect a person in a photo or unlock your phone as soon as you raise it to your face. Instead, it enables use cases that feel new, whether that’s generating fresh wallpapers on demand or adjusting someone’s expression in a photo.
“It’s really about giving users control over the use of AI and how they want to use it, how they want to apply it to their daily lives,” said Subhashish Dasgupta of analytics firm Kantar, who specializes in the technology and health industries.
Google’s Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are the biggest examples of this yet. While both phones include routine upgrades like a new processor and slightly improved camera hardware, it’s the phones’ new AI-powered tricks that make them stand out.
A photo editing feature called Best Take can analyze group selfies you’ve recently snapped and swap facial expressions between images. In other words, Google’s AI can create the perfect photo in which everyone was smiling — even if that moment never happened.
Magic Editor similarly uses AI to let you manipulate photos in myriad ways: You can make yourself larger or smaller, create the illusion that you’re jumping superhumanly high, or even replace the ground itself.
Those are just the latest examples of how Google is trying to give AI a more prominent presence in our phones. Another feature, called Magic Compose, which Google announced at its developer conference in May, uses generative AI to craft suggested responses to text messages or rewrite responses in a different tone within the company’s messaging app. Google’s AI wallpaper creator can conjure up new backgrounds for your phone from scratch based on prompts.
In 2024 and beyond, AI is poised to play an even greater role in our smartphones. Qualcomm, which creates chips that power phones from companies like Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus, clearly had AI in mind when developing its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile processor. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon showcased the company’s vision for how AI will change smartphones at its Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii on Oct. 24.
The chipmaker sees AI as being another layer that runs alongside the phone’s operating system and apps that can understand voice, text and image inputs and provide suggestions. That’s much different from the virtual assistants we’ve come to know over the last decade, like Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. Rather than thinking about AI at the individual feature level, Qualcomm sees it as being a fundamental part of your phone’s daily operations in the future.
“It’s really kind of voice assistants 2.0,” said Luke Pearce, a senior analyst at tech research and advisory firm CCS Insight. “And it’s much more conversational, it’s much more natural.”
During its keynote, Qualcomm provided a glimpse at what this future could look like. A teaser video demonstrated a virtual assistant that can extract key topics from a phone call, summarize them into bullet points and then provide recommendations. Another example showed an AI helper picking out keywords from a text messaging thread between two friends to proactively provide recommendations for their meetup. A photography tool powered by the company’s new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor will let you zoom out on a photo you’ve already captured and generate more details beyond the frame to make it look like it was taken on a wide-angle lens.
“It changes how we think about the devices, the [operating system] and the apps, and how you actually define a user experience,” Amon said on stage.
Qualcomm is wasting no time getting started. It’s working with Google so that the search giant’s AI models will be able to run locally on future Snapdragon-powered phones. Xiaomi also unveiled its new Xiaomi 14 phone, which will be one of the first devices to run on Qualcomm’s new chip, at the event. But other brands like Oppo, OnePlus, Honor and Vivo will also adopt the chip, likely next year. Samsung typically puts Qualcomm’s latest processor in the US version of its flagship Galaxy S and foldable Galaxy Z phones, although the Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 devices run on a customized version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Not to be outdone, Motorola is also working to bring more AI features to its smartphones. Lenovo, which owns Motorola, is developing an AI assistant for PCs and phones that learns from your behavior and can accomplish tasks on your behalf, such as writing messages and scheduling tasks.
Between Google’s Pixel 8 launch and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit, there’s no doubt the Android landscape in 2024 will be all about AI. But what about the iPhone? Apple rarely, if ever, discusses future products. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is developing a slew of AI upgrades for its family of products, including the iPhone.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, is reportedly spearheading an effort to bring AI to the next major iPhone update, likely to be called iOS 18. Apple wants to sprinkle its large language learning model into the software, the report says, which could show up in Siri and Apple’s messages app. Apple’s suite of apps may also get an AI makeover according to Bloomberg, with the company reportedly looking to bring auto-generated playlists to Apple Music and AI-assisted features to Pages and Keynote.
Apple didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.
But to get the personalized experiences that companies like Google and Qualcomm envision, you’ll have to give tech giants an even bigger window into your life. After all, how can these devices provide recommendations based on your text messages or sum up your phone calls without the AI being dialed into your communications?
“What the AI is trying to do, is trying to predict you,” Amon said during Qualcomm’s keynote.
That’s a key reason why Qualcomm is pushing the benefits of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, which it claims is powerful and efficient enough to execute AI tasks on the device locally without relying on the cloud. Doing so means your information wouldn’t have to leave your phone, which is better for privacy and security. It can also make more personal suggestions based on your behavior, frequently visited locations and other lifestyle patterns without sending that highly individual information through the cloud.
Apple takes a similar approach to personal data. Since the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 can process verbal requests on-device thanks to Apple’s new S9 processor, Siri will be able to answer health-related questions on those devices.
“The more sensitive the data, the more personal the data, the more that will be processed on device,” Pearce said.
There’s also the question of whether AI will toe the line between fact and fiction when it comes to images and videos created on our phones, as my colleague Sareena Dayaram recently pointed out. Tools like Magic Editor and Best Take go a step beyond polishing and editing photos. They change what’s happening in a picture.
“Now you’re putting a lot more power into the hands of a lot more people,” said Dasgupta. “And hence the opportunity exists for it to be misused in many more ways.”
Qualcomm and Google have thought about this. The chipmaker partners with Truepic to verify the authenticity of images and signal whether they were taken with AI. Google also recently launched an “About this image” tool that provides more context about the origin of images that appear in search results.
It’s unclear whether those protections will be enough to prevent AI from being used in misleading or malicious ways. But what is clear is that AI will change the way we use what has become the most important device in our lives, for better and hopefully not for worse.
“There may be a killer use case that doesn’t exist yet,” said Pearce. “But that will come around the corner and surprise us all and become completely indispensable.”
Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to create some personal finance explainers that are edited and fact-checked by our editors. For more, see this post.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are defined by their refinements and represent one of the most compelling Apple releases in years. When I initially reviewed both phones, I was impressed with the lighter build, new shortcut button, cameras and the A17 Pro chip. Like the regular iPhone 15, the Pro models have a USB-C charging port instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector, making charging more convenient.
But a lot has happened over the past month. Widespread reports of phones overheating made for a somewhat controversial launch, but Apple has since addressed the issue.
Over the past four weeks, I further tested the iPhone 15 Pro’s cameras, ran CNET’s battery drain test, evaluated performance and conducted charging tests. And I had more time to use the iPhone 15 Pro as my everyday smartphone. Here are my findings.
iPhone 15 Pro-gate(s)
Since the iPhone 15 Pro launched, there have been a few controversies including reports of the iPhone 15 Pro easily bending or experiencing screen burn-in. I have not encountered any of these issues, nor have my CNET colleagues. According to MacRumors, the beta version of iOS 17.1 alleviates the burn-in problem, and the final version, which just came out this week, could do the same. It’s difficult to judge how widespread the burn-in issue is based on these reports alone.
Then there was FineWoven case-gate. Apple announced it would no longer continue to make its own line of leather cases and accessories to help reduce its impact on the environment. As a replacement, Apple launched a new line of FineWoven cases that aren’t made from animal products.
While the cases protected my 15 Pro and Pro Max just fine, the FineWoven cases showed wear and tear after just a week. Dirt and scuffs easily remain; the case on my 15 Pro had scuff marks and indents despite not having used it much the first week. The case’s MagSafe magnet left a circular imprint on the cases for my 15 Pro and Pro Max.
Apple’s support page on taking care of FineWoven cases and accessories includes instructions on how to clean them. I tried this on one of my FineWoven cases, and it got most of the dirt out. But I don’t want a phone case that I have to clean every couple of weeks.
I carry my iPhone 15 Pro Max without a case and use Peak Design’s slim wallet, which is also fabric, but I can touch it without worrying about scuffs. The wallet works with Peak Design’s cases or MagSafe to magnetically attach to the back of my phone. After three weeks of use, the Peak Design slim wallet still looks new, surviving harrowing hours next to keys in my pocket.
Read more: 1 Month Later, the iPhone 15 Is Still an Excellent Upgrade
Perhaps the biggest iPhone 15 scandal involved reports of phones overheating. Apple told CNET that there were four causes that made an iPhone feel warmer than normal, none of which were specifically tied to Pro models, their titanium design or the iPhone 15 series specifically.
When you use a power adapter higher than 20 watts, the phone can feel warm to the touch. This holds true if you’re using a Lightning cable on the iPhone 14 series or a USB-C cable on the iPhone 15 series. I used my MacBook Pro’s 140-watt charger over USB-C to charge the 15 Pro and noticed it was warm to the touch after 30 minutes.
Read more: I Upgraded to an iPhone 15 Pro Max From an 11. Here’s What Happened
According to Apple’s support page, restoring from a backup file or setting up a new phone from scratch can also cause the iPhone to get warmer than normal, as can playing graphic intensive games. When I played Resident Evil Village on the iPhone 15 Pro, it was noticeably warm after 30 minutes.
Certain apps like Instagram and Uber as well as bugs in iOS 17 caused iPhones old and new to overheat. Apple worked with app developers to fix the problem (both Instagram and Uber have updated app versions) and released the iOS 17.0.3 update to solve the issue.
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max charging tests
One of the biggest changes to the iPhone 15 series was the inclusion of a USB-C port instead of Lightning. Despite the change, charging speeds are identical to iPhone 14 series models.
I ran several charging tests on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. I used a 20-watt charger for the first test and noted how the battery percentage increased after 30 minutes. As you can see in the chart below, both the 15 Pro and Pro Max recharged more of their respective batteries than the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.
30-minute charging test (20W adapter)
Starting percentage
Ending percentage
Percentage added
iPhone 15 Pro
4%
66%
62%
iPhone 15 Pro Max
7%
56%
49%
iPhone 14 Pro
27%
75%
48%
iPhone 14 Pro Max
14%
59%
45%
The iPhone caps its max charge speed to 27 watts, so using a power brick that supports a higher wattage won’t make the phone charge any faster. So I ran the same test a couple of more times, using my MacBook Pro’s 140-watt charger. I ran it before and after installing iOS 17.0.3, and the charging speeds were identical. That means the software fix doesn’t throttle charging speeds. Results were nearly the same as those from my 20-watt charging test.
30-minute charging test (140W adapter)
Starting percentage
Ending percentage
Percentage added
iPhone 15 Pro before iOS 17.0.3
0%
63%
63%
iPhone 15 Pro after iOS 17.0.3
0%
62%
62%
iPhone 15 Pro Max before iOS 17.0.3
18%
67%
49%
iPhone 15 Pro Max after iOS 17.0.3
17%
67%
50%
I ran a 30-minute wireless charging test via MagSafe on both phones, and the results were almost exactly the same. The 15 Pro added 22% over a half hour period, and the 15 Pro Max added 21%.
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max battery tests
In my experience, the 15 Pro averages a full day on a single charge, while the 15 Pro Max gets between a day and a half to two days. Battery life can vary depending on how you use your phone, so I also ran two additional CNET battery tests.
The first was an endurance test. Over the course of 45 minutes, I played games, watched YouTube videos, made a FaceTime video call, and scrolled my Instagram and TikTok feeds. As you can see in the results below, both new Pro models did better than the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, as well as Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series. The less battery percentage lost, the better.
45-minute battery endurance test
Starting percentage
Ending percentage
Percentage lost
iPhone 15 Pro Max
100%
97%
3%
iPhone 15 Pro
100%
94%
6%
Galaxy S23 Ultra
100%
94%
6%
iPhone 14 Pro Max
75%
68%
7%
iPhone 14 Pro
87%
79%
8%
The second test I ran involves streaming a video over the course of three hours with the battery starting at 100%. I checked the battery level at every hour to see how much the battery percentage dropped. The results show that the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max last longer than the Galaxy S23 Ultra did in the same test. The less battery percentage lost, the better.
3-hour video streaming test
After 1 hour
After 2 hours
After 3 hours
iPhone 15 Pro Max
97%
92%
87%
iPhone 15 Pro
98%
92%
86%
Galaxy S23 Ultra
95%
89%
82%
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max performance tests
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have the A17 Pro chip, meaning they can support console video games. I was blown away when I played Resident Evil Village on my iPhone 15 Pro Max. The only sign that the phone was working hard was that the back of the device felt warm after 30 minutes.
I also ran several performance benchmark tests to see just how powerful Apple’s new A17 Pro chip is. I ran the Geekbench 6 CPU test, which measures general performance, and 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme for testing graphics performance.
As you can see in these results below, the A17 Pro chip enabled the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max to score higher than any phone we’ve ever tested. They not only outperformed the iPhone 14 Pro Max but every Android phone we’ve tested this year, including the Galaxy S23 Ultra. All of the 15 Pro and Pro Max’s power is kind of overkill now, but should help their longevity as new features and versions of iOS come out.
Geekbench v.6.0 single-core
iPhone 15 Pro Max2,947iPhone 15 Pro2,961Galaxy S23 Ultra1,892iPhone 14 Pro Max2,637
Note: Longer bars are better
Geekbench v.6.0 multicore
iPhone 15 Pro Max7,364iPhone 15 Pro7,385Galaxy S23 Ultra5,009iPhone 14 Pro Max7,006
Note: Longer bars are better
In terms of graphics, the 15 Pro and Pro Max’s performance is on par with the Samsung Galaxy S23 series, which runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip.
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
iPhone 15 Pro Max4,193; 25.1 fpsiPhone 15 Pro3,805; 22.8 fpsGalaxy S23 Ultra3,802; 22.8 fpsiPhone 14 Pro Max3,361, 20.1fps
Note: Longer bars are better
Other iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max standout features
After spending one month with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, a few features stood out to me. At the top of that list is the 15 Pro Max’s 5x optical zoom. It captures beautiful images with great detail and a wide dynamic range. Check out the photo above that I took of the Manhattan Bridge just after sunrise.
I’m also impressed with the new 24-megapixel resolution option. It basically combines pixel binning image data and resolution image data into a single higher resolution photo that has more detail than photos taken on the 14 Pro or Pro Max.
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
As I mentioned before, I don’t use a case on the phones and love the way they feel in my hand. Apple found a good balance between the weight and the size of the phone, especially the 15 Pro Max model. The slightly curved edges make the phones enjoyable to hold.
Apple’s iOS 17 software has been a blast to use, especially Check-In and Stickers in iMessage. I get so much joy from turning live photos into animated stickers and peppering them in message threads to the delight and annoyance of my friends.
StandBy mode is also nice and turns the 15 Pro and Pro Max into a mini heads up display for time, photos and other widgets when charging. I use a Belkin BoostCharge Pro dock for StandBy mode at work and a Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe dock at home. The StandBy screen looks contemporary, and I like being able to switch between the widgets. I do hope Apple adds more functionality to StandBy mode in iOS 18.
But there are some software bugs in iOS 17. For example, I had Safari freeze and become unresponsive when trying to navigate or reordering tabs. These hang-ups only happened a few times and don’t seem too problematic, but they are annoying.
My CNET colleague Bridget Carey experienced a weird bug in which black borders appeared to the right and underneath photos she took. She said quitting the Camera app and reopening it resolved the issue, even though the pictures she took before the app reset still show up in the Photos app with black borders. There is a MacRumors forum post showing someone else experiencing the same thing.
What’s next for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max? Well, we’re still waiting for Apple to add the ability to record 3D videos (Apple calls them spatial videos), which you’ll be able to watch in 3D on the new Vision Pro headset. The Journal app in iOS 17 still hasn’t launched, though it does appear in the beta version of iOS 17.2. Apple didn’t say exactly when the new app would be released, but I’m keen to try it out. The app uses AI prompts to get you started writing.
After a month with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, I’m still enamored. And I’m excited to continue testing them for months to come.
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.Reviews ethics statement
Zachary McAuliffeStaff writer
Zach began writing for CNET in November, 2021 after writing for a broadcast news station in his hometown, Cincinnati, for five years. You can usually find him reading and drinking coffee or watching a TV series with his wife and their dog.
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Apple software beta tester, “Helps make our computers and phones work!” – Zach’s grandparents
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If you want to keep your TV viewing habits private, using a virtual private network to stream content on your big screen is a good choice. Using a VPN on your standard or smart TV may sound complicated, but the process is neither complicated nor difficult. To help streamline the process, there are a handful of devices that can make using a VPN with your television set as simple as using your go-to mobile app.
Aside from keeping your viewing information private, using a VPN on your TV can broaden the types of content you can stream. Instead of running into shows and movies that are blocked due to the region you live in, a virtual private network can give you access to more streaming content from different parts of the world.
We’ve picked five easy to use devices that will let you stream your favorite shows while using a VPN. And if you aren’t sure which VPN is the right option for you, check out our picks for the best VPNs.
Amazon Fire TV Sticks can be as cheap as $30, are easy to set up on your TV, and are one of the simplest ways to stream TV with a third-party VPN app.
Once you’ve plugged your Fire Stick in to your TV and followed the on-screen setup, you can download apps for some of CNET’s best VPNs for Fire Sticks, like Surfshark, NordVPN and ExpressVPN. If you don’t subscribe to any of those VPN services, no worries. Each offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try each one risk-free until you find the right one for you.
Here’s how to download a VPN app onto your Fire Stick.
1. Open your Fire Stick on your TV. 2. Open the Amazon Appstoreapp. 3. Open Search. 4. Type in the name of the VPN you want to download. 5. Click Get.
After you’ve downloaded a VPN app onto your Fire Stick, go back to your home screen to open the app and log in to your account. Then, you can connect to a VPN server in the country or region where you want to unlock specific content, or you can connect to a local VPN server for better private streaming speeds. After connecting to a VPN server, you’re all set to securely watch shows and movies in privacy.
Amazon Fire TVs come built-in with all the same capabilities of a Fire Stick, meaning you get all the same features without having to use a precious HDMI slot. Even the Fire TV’s interface is the same as the Fire Stick. To use a VPN through a Fire TV, follow the same steps as above to download a third-party VPN app, log in to your account, connect to the VPN server you want to use and start streaming TV.
However, Fire TVs can cost between $370 and $1,100. So buying a Fire TV to stream shows and movies through a VPN is like buying a new car because you want a new paint job. If your TV works and it can use a Fire Stick, save yourself the money and buy a Fire Stick. But if you’re in the market for a new TV, and you want to use a VPN to stream content, consider a Fire TV to upgrade your streaming experience.
Chromecast with Google TV, like the Fire Stick, is another easy to use device that lets you stream TV through a third-party VPN app for around $40.
After you’ve plugged your Chromecast with Google TV in to your TV and followed the setup instructions, you can download most VPN apps, like ExpressVPN and NordVPN, onto your device. If you don’t have a subscription to a VPN service, most offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them out risk-free until you find one you’re happy with.
Here’s how to download most third-party VPN apps onto your Chromecast with Google TV.
1. On your Chromecast device, go to the Apps tab. 2. Select Search for app under App categories. 3. Type in the name of the VPN app you want to download. 4. Select Install.
After installing your VPN app, open it from your Chromecast with Google TV’s home screen and log in to your account. Then, connect to a VPN server in the country or region you want to unlock content from. You can also connect to a local VPN server for better private streaming speeds. After that, you’re set to securely watch shows and movies.
ExpressVPN’s Aircove router costs less than $200, and it allows you to run all your internet traffic through a VPN, not just your TV. The router has built-in VPN protection, a range of 1,600 square feet, and it allows unlimited simultaneous connections. These unlimited connections can be organized in up to five different groups, too, so if you live with four other people, each person in your house can be connected to a different server location at the same time.
However, you need an ExpressVPN account to use the router’s VPN capabilities. That means you’ll have to switch to ExpressVPN if you have an account with another VPN service. You’ll also need to use your laptop or smartphone to set up your router. That makes setup on the Aircove slightly more complicated than Fire Stick and Fire TV, which you can simply plug in and follow the on-screen instructions.
But once you’ve finished the Aircove’s initial setup, you’ve thrown a blanket of protection over all the internet traffic that runs through the router, which makes it a good option for people looking to run other devices at home through a VPN.
Apple TV 4K starts at $129, so it’s not the cheapest device on this list, but if you already have the device you can use some third-party VPN apps on it with tvOS 17. Apple announced in the follow-up to its WWDC keynote that tvOS 17 would support third-party VPN apps.
To download a third-party VPN app to your Apple TV, you have to first update your device to tvOS 17. Then, go to the tvOS App Store on your TV, search for your VPN and download it. After downloading, open the app and log into your account, and you’ll be able to connect to VPNs in certain countries or regions from within in the app. You should also see a new VPN tab in the Apple TV control center which allows you to quickly connect and disconnect from your VPN.
However, not all VPN services have apps available for Apple TV at this time. ExpressVPN, for example, doesn’t have a tvOS app yet, but said on Reddit that it was working to bring an app to tvOS. So if you don’t see your app available, your provider might still be working on a compatible app.
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For more on VPNs, check out CNET’s best overall VPN services of 2023, the best VPN for your smart TV and how to set up a VPN on your smart TV.
Joining the passwordless movement, Amazon announced earlier this week that you’ll now be able to use passkeys to log in to your Amazon accounts. The tech giant joins a slew of companies who are saying goodbye to passwords and opting for passkeys instead.
Switching to passkeys isn’t mandatory for Amazon customers, the shopping giant said, so if you’re not ready to make the switch, you can keep using your passwords. But if you’re interested in ditching your passwords for good, you can go ahead and set up your Amazon passkey right now.
Here’s what to know about Amazon’s adoption of the password alternative. For more, here’s how Apple’s adopting passkeys and what Google is doing to ditch passwords.
What is a passkey?
Passkeys are a new, secure and easier way to log in to a service or website using biometric authentication like a fingerprint or face scan (or other methods, like a PIN) instead of a password. You might already have a bit of experience with passkeys. For example, if you have Face ID set up on your iPhone, some apps allow you to to use Face ID to sign in instead of typing your account password.
According to backers of passkeys, it’s a more secure method of logging into your accounts than with traditional passwords and is much less susceptible to phishing attacks. Passkeys can be more convenient than keeping track of all of your passwords, let you log in usually with just a click instead of several taps and eliminate the need for two-factor authentication codes, which can clog up your inbox or messages app.
Who else is implementing passkeys?
Amazon is the latest in a string of tech companies that have either axed passwords or given customers the option to use a passkey instead of a password. In adopting passkeys, the online retailer joins the likes of Google, Nintendo and Apple in passwordless support.
Which Amazon services work with passkeys now?
Right now, Amazon has only rolled out passkeys to its primary retail website.
In a response to CNET’s request for comment on where users could take advantage of passkeys, Amazon said “Passkey support is available globally today for all Amazon customers using browsers.” The company indicated that more support would be rolling out to the iOS Amazon Shopping app and that the Android Amazon Shopping app would be receiving passkey support in the near future.
The company also said that it “will be adding passkeys to more apps in the future,” so users of Amazon-owned companies like Goodreads and Twitch could expect to see passkey support at some point in their future, too.
How to set up a passkey on your Amazon account
If you’re interested in ditching your password and opting to use a passkey for your Amazon account, it’s easy to set up. Again, passkeys aren’t mandatory for Amazon customers, so if you feel more comfortable using your password, you won’t have to worry about changing over right away.
To set up a passkey, all you have to do is go to your Account page and select Login & Security.
Once in the Login & Security menu, scroll down to the Passkeys tab and select the Set Up button.
This should bring you to another screen, where you will select Set Up again.
After selecting Set Up a second time, follow the onscreen instructions that are specific to your device or browser to set up your passkey.
After completing these steps, you can say goodbye to your passwords and use your passkey to log in to your Amazon account.
For more, here’s how to use passkeys to login to your Google account and the best password manager for 2023.
