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Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the NYT Connections puzzle for June 23, #743.

Rokid Max 2: One-minute review

The Rokid Max 2 AR glasses are a solid pair of smart specs that are ideal for entertainment – watching films, and playing games – if you’re a fan of the big-screen experience, and especially if you’d like to take that experience on the go.

They boast a comfortable design which you can wear for hours, and while they’re generally very similar to rival smart glasses they do boast built-in myopia adjustment. Using a dial above each lens you can adjust the screens to suit a prescription in the 0.00D to -6.00D range without the need for add-on lenses.

This factor alone will be enough to win over some who have been frustrated by the difficulty of getting prescription lenses for other smart glasses.

Performance-wise they sit in the middle of the pack, with a solid 600-nit full-HD image from their 120Hz OLED displays. At a 50-degree field of view they can produce a large virtual screen, though their rivals can offer bigger.

What’s more, their audio is only, in a word, fine. You could make do without headphones if you’re at home, but if you’re out and about, or want the best possible sound, Bluetooth cans are a must.

At their full price of $529 / £399 this performance is a little disappointing, but at their regularly discounted price of $429 / £319 or less they're a much more compelling option in the smart glasses space.

If you won’t be advantaged by the myopia adjustment, though, you’ll probably prefer one of their competitors, such as the more affordable and impressive RayNeo Air 3S which feature on our best smart glasses list. But the convenient adjustments are a massive benefit that shouldn’t be ignored by people who would benefit from them.

(Image credit: Future / Hamish)Rokid Max 2: Price and availability

• Available in the US and UK for $529 / £399
• They can often be found discounted

The Rokid Max 2 AR glasses are available in the US and UK priced at $529 / £399, though you can often find them discounted for $429 / £319 at sites including Rokid’s own store.

If you get them for full price you’re probably overpaying compared to some of their rivals (at least in the US), but at a discounted price the Rokid Max 2 AR glasses are a very competitive option.

You can turn the glasses into a more standalone device by picking up the Rokid Station – an Android TV puck for the specs – for an additional $199 / £159 (though we’ve often seen this discounted to $139 / £109)

• Value: 3.5/5

Rokid Max 2: Design

• Lightweight and comfortable design
• Myopia adjustments between 0.00D and -6.00D
• Polarized outer lens and cover to cut out background distractions

We’ve been here before. These Rokid Max 2 smart glasses, like others of their kind, look a lot like sunglasses, albeit with thicker frames, and a few details which become noticeable on closer inspection.

There's a USB-C port at the end of the left arm for connecting them to compatible devices via their USB-C to USB-C cable. There are control switches on the right arm for volume and screen brightness, and replaceable nose clips, so you can find the best fit for your face.

They’re comfortable to wear – at 2.65oz / 75g they’re very lightweight, and can be easily worn for hours at a time.

Plus, to help the glasses’ image stand out while you’re using them, you have two backdrop options.

The more open choice are the glasses’ polarized lenses. These cut out background distractions but still allow some light in – perfect for keeping an eye on your surroundings while you watch a show.

(Image credit: Future / Hamish)

You can also outfit the specs with their lens cover to block out all light and enjoy an improved (but more closed off) visual experience. There’s much less background light to compete with the image, giving it a sharper look and brighter colors, though you will have to be okay with being cut off from the outside world.

I’ve become quite used to electrochromic dimming tech in these sort of glasses, which has its advantages – chiefly it’s easier to swap between full immersion and full passthrough in a pinch – but the Rokid Max 2’s approach has proved itself as the next best thing in my testing thanks to its simplicity yet effectiveness.

Something the Rokid specs bring to the table which is fairly unique is built-in myopia adjustment. A dial above each lens allows you to adjust the screen in real-time from 0.00D to -6.00D.

This won’t be ideal for every user, but it’s certainly a handy upgrade that will mean fewer people will need to buy an optional lens upgrade to make the smart glasses usable.

• Design: 4.5/5

Rokid Max 2: Performance

• Uses Sony micro-OLED panels
• 120Hz refresh rate, 600-nit brightness, full-HD image
• Mediocre audio

(Image credit: Rokid)

With Sony micro-OLED panels – which in conjunction with the optical setup boast a 120Hz refresh rate, 600-nit brightness, and 100,000:1 contrast ratio – the full-HD image these glasses can produce is really good.

That's especially the case when you use the lens cover as a backdrop. With a complete lack of background light the image can seriously pop, with good contrast and bright colors, that, combined with a 50-degree field of view that leaves space for a giant virtual screen, create an immersive private cinema experience.

I used the Rokid Max 2 glasses to watch several shows and films including Captain America: Brave New World and Dandadan, and played games by connecting the specs to my PS5 – using them, among other things, to collect the last few Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 trophies I was missing.

Audio-wise the glasses aren’t bad, but they’re nothing to write home about either.

Their performance is passable if you’re in a quiet space, but they can feel a little lacking at times, with dialogue and music coming through the built-in speakers feeling as if it's been hollowed out. My advice: pick up a pair of the best Bluetooth headphones along with these specs (if you don’t already have some) if you want to get the best experience.

Not only will this improve the sound, it’ll help you to minimize ambient noise if you wear the smart glasses while traveling on a plane or train, which are the best places to use these kinds of AR specs.

(Image credit: Future / Hamish)

The only let-down performance-wise is that the optical system the glasses use can mean the image is disrupted by reflections.

The glasses use lenses to reflect the OLED screen’s image into your eyes, but that same lens can also reflect your chest into your view as well. In darker environments it’s less noticeable, and unless you’re wearing something very loud it’s generally not too distracting, but since testing the Xreal One Pros which use a different (and better) lens setup I’ve found the issue is much more pronounced on other glasses, and that's certainly the case here.

That said, the Xreal One Pros cost considerably more, and if you haven't tried those specs and been spoiled by their new approach to AR optics, which minimizes issues with reflections, you shouldn’t find too many reasons to get frustrated by the Rokid Max 2 and other glasses with the older style of lenses.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Should you buy the Rokid Max 2 glasses?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Performance

Performance-wise the Rokid Max 2 glasses are, in a word, fine. We've seen and heard worse, we've seen and heard better.

3.5/5

Design

The myopia adjustment helps elevate the Rokid Max 2 experience for prescription-glasses users, but they're not quite flawless in other areas.

4.5/5

Value

If you can pick up the Rokid for a discounted price it’s much better value; at its list price it’s a less appealing option compared to the competition.

3.5/5

Buy them if…

You have prescription glasses
If you need eye glasses and a prescription in the 0.00D to -6.00D range these specs have in-built myopia adjustment that’ll save you having to pay extra for a lens insert to use these smart glasses.

You travel a lot
Smart glasses are perfect for travelers – I use them all the time while commuting to work on the train, or when I fly.

You want privacy
These glasses can help you hide what you’re watching from people around you while still letting you see the screen, making it perfect for binging that comfort watch you’re embarrassed to admit you like, or to get some work done while commuting without having people peeking over your shoulder.

Don't buy them if…

You’re getting them at full price
The glasses seem to be perpetually on sale at Rokid’s own store, and the reduced cost is a much better deal than paying full price.

You want the best specs possible
The Rokid Max 2 glasses are good, but there are better options out there, though they will generally cost you more.

You want 4K
If you’re waiting for 4K quality visuals you’ll need to keep waiting, as like every other pair out there the Rokid Max 2 glasses are full-HD only.

Also consider

Xreal One
The Xreal One AR smart glasses cost more at $499 / £449, and offer a better HD image and enhanced Bose audio.
Read our Xreal One review

RayNeo Air 3S
These budget smart glasses punch well above their weight with an overall quality that's generally on a par (even slightly better in some ways) than these Rokid glasses, though they do have downsides.

Read our: RayNeo Air 3S reviewView Deal

Meta Quest 3
While not a direct competitor to these AR smart glasses, the Quest 3 is an XR product you should consider if you want to experience what VR and MR have to offer – it’s simply superb.
Read our Meta Quest 3 reviewView Deal

How I tested the Rokid Max 2 AR glasses

To review the Rokid Max 2 glasses I tested them over a two-week period, using them in a variety of environments including at home, on a plane, and on the train.

I mostly used the glasses with my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 to watch movies and shows, but using an HDMI-to-USB-C cable I was also able to use the Rokid Max 2 to enjoy some gaming through my PS5, which allowed me to test their refresh rate and input delay, and see if the specs helped or hindered my gaming abilities.

• First reviewed June 2025

After the U.S. took military action against three nuclear sites in Iran, reaction across the political spectrum was swift with many Democrats decrying the president's "unilateral" strikes.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

Er, I mean comedy.

Israel said Sunday that it has recovered the bodies of three more hostages taken in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that ignited the ongoing 20-month war in the Gaza Strip.

(Image credit: Ohad Zwigenberg)

So far, any chemical and radioactive contamination seems confined to the nuclear sites hit by U.S. bombs

Five-time winners Los Blancos take on the winless Mexicans in Charlotte.

• Adobe wants to help decide how your brand shows up inside ChatGPT and other AI bots
• LLM Optimizer promises SEO-like results in an internet where search engines no longer rule
• Your FAQ page could now influence what AI chatbots say about your brand to customers

Popular AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are increasingly replacing traditional search engines in how people discover content and make purchasing decisions.

Adobe is attempting to stay ahead of the curve by launching LLM Optimizer, which it claims can help businesses improve visibility across generative AI interfaces by monitoring how brand content is used and providing actionable recommendations.

The tool even claims to assign a monetary value to potential traffic gains, allowing users to prioritize optimizations.

Shift from search engines to AI interfaces

(Image credit: Adobe)

With a reported 3,500% increase in generative AI-driven traffic to U.S. retail sites and a 3,200% spike to travel sites between July 2024 and May 2025, Adobe argues that conversational interfaces are no longer a trend but a transformation in consumer behavior.

“Generative AI interfaces are becoming go-to tools for how customers discover, engage and make purchase decisions, across every stage of their journey,” said Loni Stark, vice president of strategy and product at Adobe Experience Cloud.

The core of Adobe LLM Optimizer lies in its monitoring and benchmarking capabilities, as it claims to give businesses a “real-time pulse on how their brand is showing up across browsers and chat services.”

The tool can help teams identify the most relevant queries for their sector and understand how their offerings are presented, as well as enabling comparison with competitors for high-value keywords and uses this data to refine content strategies.

A recommendation engine detects gaps in brand visibility across websites, FAQs, and even external platforms like Wikipedia.

It suggests both technical fixes and content improvements based on attributes that LLMs prioritize, such as accuracy, authority, and informativeness.

These changes can be implemented “with a single click,” including code or content updates, which suggests an effort to reduce dependency on lengthy development cycles.

It is clear the best SEO tool tactics may need to adapt, especially as AI chat interfaces do not operate with the same crawling and ranking logic as standard web browsers.

For users who already rely on the best browser for private browsing or privacy tools to avoid data profiling, the idea that businesses are now optimizing to appear inside chatbots could raise questions about how content is sourced and attributed.

Adobe insists that the tool supports “enterprise-ready frameworks” and has integration pathways for agencies and third-party systems, though the wider implications for transparency and digital content ethics remain to be seen.

You might also like

• These are the best AI website builders around
• Take a look at our pick of the best internet security suites
• How to grow your ecommerce business with AI

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the American operation an "outrageous, grave and unprecedented violation" of the United Nations Charter and international law.

(Image credit: Ozan Kose)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, June 22 (game #742).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #743) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• HISTORICAL
• OLD FASHIONED
• SKINNY
• BELL
• SUN
• FLARE
• LITERARY
• MOM
• OLD MAN
• COCKTAIL
• FAREWELL
• YOUNG ADULT
• COLLINS
• BOYFRIEND
• SPECULATIVE
• SHOT

NYT Connections today (game #743) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Denim styles
• GREEN: On the library shelves
• BLUE: The importance of Ernest
• PURPLE: Receptacles for a drink

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #743) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: KINDS OF JEANS
• GREEN: FICTION CATEGORIES
• BLUE: WORDS IN HEMINGWAY TITLES
• PURPLE: ___ GLASS GLASSWARE

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #743) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #743, are…

• YELLOW: KINDS OF JEANS BOYFRIEND, FLARE, MOM, SKINNY
• GREEN: FICTION CATEGORIES HISTORICAL, LITERARY, SPECULATIVE, YOUNG ADULT
• BLUE: WORDS IN HEMINGWAY TITLES BELL, FAREWELL, OLD MAN, SUN
• PURPLE: ___ GLASS GLASSWARE COCKTAIL, COLLINS, OLD FASHIONED, SHOT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

The first thing I thought when I saw today's Connections was 'alcoholic drinks' – not because I'm obsessed (I'm not a big drinker), but because OLD FASHIONED and COLLINS could both be types of COCKTAIL. But the presence of COCKTAIL itself suggested that was misdirection, so I looked elsewhere.

HISTORICAL, LITERARY, SPECULATIVE and YOUNG ADULT all seemed like examples of FICTION CATEGORIES and indeed my hunch was correct, giving me green.

Next, I thought FLARE, SKINNY and BELL might all be related to jeans, or types of trouser style – but didn't know what the fourth would be, so kept looking.

And I kept looking. And looking.

With nothing else suggesting itself I returned to that potential group and tried a succession of words – MOM, OLD FASHIONED and OLD MAN – but got it wrong each time. Turns out BELL was wrong, and what I should have had was BOYFRIEND, FLARE, MOM and SKINNY – but I've never heard the term BOYFRIEND JEANS and so lost my fledgling streak.

With hindsight I probably should have given up on that angle sooner, but neither WORDS IN HEMINGWAY TITLES or ___ GLASS GLASSWARE were groups I would ever have got, so it wouldn't have made any difference.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, June 22, game #742)

• YELLOW: NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT BULLETIN, FLASH, REPORT, WIRE
• GREEN: NOUNS FROM A FAMOUS LINE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE HAPPINESS, LIBERTY, LIFE, PURSUIT
• BLUE: HBO SHOWS ENTOURAGE, EUPHORIA, INSECURE, SUCCESSION
• PURPLE: WHAT “LEFT” MIGHT MEAN DEPARTED, PORT, PROGRESSIVE, REMAINING

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, June 22 (game #476).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #477) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Breaking up the band

NYT Strands today (game #477) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• PAGE
• TICK
• SPLAT
• PRAM
• SACK
• SCAM

NYT Strands today (game #477) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #477) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #477) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #477, are…

• CHEAP
• TRICK
• TALKING
• HEADS
• SMASHING
• PUMPKINS
• SPANGRAM: ROCK GROUPS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Today's Strands took me to my happy place, given that I was a music journalist for years in the 2000s and spend a lot of time at concerts or on Spotify in my free time.

All three of the 'broken up' bands here have made it on to playlists of mine; I never got to see TALKING HEADS, but have seen David Byrne live, playing their songs, and can recommend that anyone who gets the chance does the same thing.

SMASHING PUMPKINS also play a part in one of the greatest of all Simpsons episodes, Homerpalooza, in which the band's frontman introduces himself with the words 'Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins' and Homer replies 'Homer Simpson, smiling politely.' It works better in context, honest.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, June 22, game #476)

• SMELLY
• PUNGENT
• REEKING
• FOUL
• RANK
• MALODOROUS
• SPANGRAM: THAT STINKS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, June 22 (game #1245).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1246) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1246) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1246) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. Two of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1246) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1246) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• F

• S

• E

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1246) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1246, are…

• PIXEL
• FJORD
• STEAL
• EXIST

When I solved STEAL early on I thought this might be a simple one, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Over the next three words I had to battle multiple uncommon letters – X twice and J, and an incredibly uncommon combination of FJ at the start of FJORD.

This must have been one of the toughest Quordle puzzles in ages, so I was mightily relieved to eventually solve it.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1246) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1246, are…

• MANGO
• ROUND
• PAYER
• TWEED

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE
• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO
• Quordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORST

It’s rare to see almost all Apple fans agree on something simultaneously, but when the Camera Control feature launched alongside the iPhone 16 line in September, hate for the additional button was swift and fierce (just take a look at some of the Reddit threads on the subject).

At the risk of angering the mob, I do not count myself among these Camera Control naysayers. In fact, Camera Control is one of my favorite features of my current iPhone, the iPhone 16 Plus.

Before I explain why I fall on that side of the debate, I will admit that Camera Control is far from perfect. I do agree that its positioning is a tad nonsensical, and it would work a great deal better if it were placed in a more natural spot, similar to a typical shutter button.

Still, I know that I’m not completely alone in my overall love for the photography-first button, with others on TechRadar having noted that it can be helpful at times, or even incredibly useful for a very specific purpose.

So, now that we’re well over half a year into Camera Control's existence, and it looks set to remain part of the iPhone’s toolkit for generations to come, I think it’s worth taking another, closer look at the feature see what it does right, and how Apple might look to improve things on the iPhone 17.

Taking iPhone’s cameras to the next level

(Image credit: Apple)

I know I’ll never be able to take a picture on my iPhone 16 Plus that could hold a candle to something taken on one of the best cameras, but the simplicity of smartphone photography is what wins over, time and time again.

Being able to quickly whip out your phone and take a snapshot never gets old, especially when those images are saved in the cloud for future reference or instantly available for sharing with friends on social media. Still, I'd be lying if I said that the physical experience of taking those shots feels superior on a phone.

In my efforts to try and bridge that gap, I’ve amassed a small collection of smartphone accessories over the years that try to recreate the traditional shutter button experience. I’ve got the portable ShiftCam SnapGrip, as well as the company's more robust SnapGrip Pro attachment. But as with any accessory, these tools do diminish the compact nature of a smartphone, which is why the introduction of Camera Control felt like the answer to a problem I'd been trying to fix.

No longer would I need to carry these add-ons about my person; now I could just use the wonderfully clicky button that Apple had built into the body of its latest handsets.

The introduction of Camera Control felt like the answer to a problem I'd been trying to fix.

Not only that, but part of the reason why I enjoy using a physical shutter button, as opposed to just poking the touchscreen, is that the delayed resistance between the movement of my finger and the picture being taken forces me to be a bit more considerate in the shots I take.

Holding the phone a bit more tightly in order to frame the shot and account for any movement when pressing Camera Control gives you a moment of pause to assess whether or not you’re actually taking a picture of something that interests you, or you’re simply doing so for the sake of it. With this in mind, Camera Control has helped me not only to take fewer pictures (and save my iPhone’s storage in the process), but also feel happier with the shots that I do take.

Because of the way in which Camera Control lets you jump between the photographic styles on the iPhone 16, it’s also allowed me to experiment a bit more with the types of pictures I take.

For example, an indoor shot that might look a tad mundane in color can actually look a great deal better when taken in black and white. Particularly, the Stark B&W mode is now my go-to option because of how it really saturates the monochrome palette to capture your attention.

How can Apple improve Camera Control?

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I firmly believe that Camera Control has had a solid first outing, but looking towards how it could be used in the iPhone 17 range, I think that there are some easy wins that Apple could claim to turn around the general consensus.

As I mentioned before, the positioning of Camera Control has to change. If Apple could just move the button closer to the bottom right-hand corner of the iPhone, it would make using the feature so much easier, although I concede that it might require tweaking the resistance to avoid accidental presses.

What would really take Camera Control to the next level, however, is an app, or a set of built-in guides, that can teach folks who don’t know that much about manual photography how to properly adjust aspects like depth and exposure.

As much as I loved having quick access to those components via Camera Control, I haven’t felt confident enough to make use of them, which is why some help for beginners like myself would go a long way towards showing people how they can really maximize Camera Control to their own benefit.

Until such software comes to pass, you can always check out our list of the top five Camera Control tips you need to know, as well as our guide on how to customize Camera Control to better suit your needs.

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Suunto Ocean: Two-minute review

Suunto has been working hard in recent years to innovate when it comes to smartwatches, and its latest dive watch carries on that trend with colossal improvements over its predecessor, the Suunto D5 (a watch that I personally own and dive with, so one that I’m pretty au fait with).

Like the outgoing model, the Suunto Ocean has a relatively small 1.43-inch AMOLED display, which works out to be 36mm. That sounds small, but the high-definition, circular display with automatic brightness adjustment makes it feel more similar to my 49mm Apple Watch Ultra 2 in terms of readability, so don’t be put off by this.

All models benefit from strong sapphire crystal glass, but the stainless steel case doesn’t offer as much protection from accidental dings as something like a Garmin Fenix 8, which is available for a similar price with titanium. We’d like to see titanium used in future Suunto models for better longevity, which is clearly an important consideration for the Finnish company Suunto quotes 11.63 CO2e emissions for the Ocean’s production, which are offset via a reforestation project. For reference, Apple claims 12kg of CO2e for the Ultra 2 with the Alpine or Trail Loop bands (not the bands built for scuba diving), so Suunto’s work to reduce emissions here is commendable if we take it at face value.

Among the 95+ activities you can track, in addition to sleep and recovery tracking, the main reason you’ll be considering a Suunto Ocean is for its dive-specific capabilities, including support for air and nitrox all the way up to 100% oxygen. You can configure five different gasses, but if you’re into pushing the limits, you’ll notice a lack of support for more advanced systems like rebreathers or trimix (a blend of oxygen, helium and nitrogen).

(Image credit: Craig Hale)

Handily, if you’re upgrading from a Suunto D5, then you’ll be pleased to know that the Ocean works with that same transmitter. If you’re buying new, then the Suunto Tank Pod is sold separately for around half the price of the watch (prices below).

Away from all the technical stuff, the Suunto Ocean is also a great option for freedivers and holidaymakers who just want to track their snorkeling expeditions with one of the best swimming watches. It’ll track you all the way down to 60 meters, which is above recreational limits. That said, the watch itself is physically rated all the way down to 100 meters, so it would be nice just to have that same amount of support for diving activities. After all, why cap it?

Our favorite Suunto Ocean feature is a new one to the industry – sure, if you're an experienced diver, those familiar dive profiles are extremely helpful to help you identify trends, patterns and potential causes for concern throughout your dive, but the watch will also use data from its sensors, like the gyroscope, to map out your dive in 3D.

In our experience, it wasn’t always completely accurate, but you’d expect this from a first-generation product. Even having an idea of where you’ve been on a map throughout your 40-minute dive is nothing short of a game-changer because it helps you to visualize an environment that offers very limited visibility when you’re in it (sometimes centimeters rather than meters).

Even though it handles land-based activity and sleep tracking, the Ocean’s battery life far exceeds the D5’s 6-12 hours of dive tracking. Suunto now claims 40-60 hours of dive tracking, or up to 16 days of regular smartwatch mode. That’s considerably more than the 30 hours’ dive tracking offered by the ultra-high-end Garmin Descent Mk3i.

On that note, the Suunto Ocean ships with an old-school USB-A charger, which doesn’t quite live up to modern standards. We’d like to see it upgraded with a USB-C connection, given that the world is moving that way. Remember that Suunto is all about reducing its carbon footprint, and that should extend to e-waste.

(Image credit: Craig Hale)

Our test watch also arrived with a short strap, which wasn’t long enough to go around a drysuit sleeve and might not be so good for wetsuits either. Given that it’s designed for diving, it would be good to have a longer strap included in the box. Still, you’ll want that shorter strap for when you’re not diving.

Just like any other piece of diving equipment I test, the Suunto Ocean had several outings at the dive club where it was inspected (in great detail) by many members. In this case, it led to a sale, with one member choosing to upgrade after witnessing the crisp, color display underwater and hearing about the impressive land activity tracking and battery life.

I think that just about summarizes my experience living with the Suunto Ocean, too – it’s the perfect blend of (relative) affordability, function and design, so it’s a really easy one to recommend to any recreational diver.

Suunto Ocean: Specifications

Component

Suunto Ocean

Price

$899 / £725 / AU$1,399

Dimensions

49.9 x 49.9 x 13.2 mm

Weight

99g

Case/bezel

Polyamide/stainless steel

Gas mixes

Up to 5 gases (Oxygen 21 - 100%)

GPS

GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS

Battery life

Up to 16 days (40-60 hours diving mode)

Connection

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

Water resistant

Yes, 60m depth

Suunto Ocean: Price and availability

(Image credit: Craig Hale)

• $899 / £725 / AU$1,399
• Suunto Tank Pod: $439.95 / £320 / AU$549

Suunto’s flagship dive watch, the Ocean, costs $899, which puts it on the more affordable end of fully fledged smartwatches. It’s more than the Suunto D5 ($649), but it does the work of two separate watches and still manages days of battery life, so you could save some cash versus buying two separate systems.

Suunto Ocean: Scorecard

(Image credit: Craig Hale)

Category

Comment

Score

Value

There aren’t many watches that can do this much at this price point.

5/5

Design

It looks very smart and clean, but it might not be as durable as titanium-clad rivals.

4/5

Features

You’ll be able to do everything you need, unless your next stage is tech diving with advanced gas mixes.

4/5

Performance

An extremely user-friendly interface with huge battery life improvements.

5/5

Suunto Ocean: Should I buy?

(Image credit: Craig Hale)Buy it if...

You want something that’s easy to use

You get a few key shortcut buttons and an extremely simple operating system that anyone could learn within minutes.

You want to keep an eye on your spending

Diving is an expensive hobby, but you can cut costs with smart purchases like this Suunto Ocean.

You’ve got an eye on the environment

Suunto makes bold claims about its sustainability – a should-be core value of any diver.

Don't buy it if...

You need more advanced features

You’ll need to get a more advanced watch if you want to entertain advanced gas mixes or rebreathers.

You want the last word in premium

There’s no denying this is a very well-designed watch, but its materials are pretty ‘normal’.

Also consider...

Garmin Fenix 8

A high-quality all-in-one dive watch for true outdoor enthusiasts.

Read our Garmin Fenix 8 review

Garmin Descent Mk3i

Industry-leading features in an extremely premium package.

Read our Garmin Descent Mk3i review

First reviewed: June 2025

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(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

• CapCut’s new terms let it use your face and voice in ads without paying you
• Uploading to CapCut now means giving up control of your content forever, even unpublished clips
• Using CapCut means you agree to the new terms automatically

CapCut, widely touted as one the best free video editors by creators and marketers for its powerful editing features, has quietly made a major change to its Terms of Service which should worry users everywhere.

This change means users will be handing over rights, not just to their footage but also to their face, voice, and creative efforts - all without compensation.

This has unsurprisingly triggered concerns, with critics warning the move effectively hands over perpetual control of your content to the platform.

Your content will become their permanent property

“CapCut now includes broad language granting them a worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, modify, adapt, publicly perform, and create derivative works from your content,” Claudia Sandino, Director at Omnivore, says.

The revised terms don’t just apply to public posts; the company also claims rights over user-generated content, including voice, face, and likeness, whether the video is published or not.

“If you upload a video of yourself, or even just a voiceover, they can legally use that in an ad or other media without notifying or compensating you,” Sandino warns.

More troubling is the “perpetual” nature of this license; CapCut retains the rights even after a user deletes their account, as Sandino notes, “CapCut goes further than most by claiming usage rights over content that creators often assume is private or controlled."

For a tool often considered by many as the best video editing app, these terms are out of step with what users expect from creative software.

The legal position of such terms remains unclear for many - although creators technically own their likeness and voice under right of publicity laws, enforcement becomes difficult once a user agrees to these sweeping terms.

“Most creators aren’t aware that uploading a clip, even a draft, could legally waive their rights,” Sandino cautions.

The fact there is no opt-out further complicates the situation for professionals using CapCut for commercial or client work.

CapCut users currently have limited options, and anybody who uses it is agreeing to the updated terms by default, so some may want to switch to more creator-friendly platforms like Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve.

CapCut, owned by ByteDance and often grouped with contenders for the best video editing software, now risks alienating its user base by shifting from a tool to a distribution engine.

Ethically, companies like CapCut should disclose terms in clear language, offer opt-outs, and compensate creators when their content is monetized.

“Using their work without consent or payment isn’t just unethical, it’s exploitative… this affects the future of creative ownership as a whole,” Sandino added.

Via HelloPartner

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