- Help
- Google+
Apple's flagship smartphone hasn't taken a year off from its updates since 2007, and barring a massive surprise, 2026 won't be different – but there will be a twist.
The Cupertino-based tech giant is widely expected to launch a new lineup of iPhones later this year, including the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and the rumored iPhone Ultra, the company's first-ever foldable. The regular iPhone 18, the 18e, and the new iPhone Air are likely to arrive early next year.
Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.
As we await the iPhone 18 — and its updated operating system, iOS 27 — tidbits of news and rumors continue to trickle out. The pace of leaks on the iPhone 18 Pro in particular is likely to increase after a massive hack exposed thousands of Apple's internal documents, reportedly including iPhone 18 Pro suppliers and tests.
We won't see any of the new Apple phones in the wild for months — but we can bring you the most substantiated and most likely updates in one place.
SEE ALSO: Apple reportedly working on anti-phone snatching security feature iPhone 18 lineup pricingIf you're in the market for a new iPhone, you should circle September in your calendar. That has been the month for Apple's big showcase event for a very long time, and there's no reason to believe Apple will change that in 2026.
Expect to see new Apple CEO John Ternus take the stage to introduce it; his term of office officially begins Sept. 1.
What he'll be introducing, alas, may put more of a dent in your wallet. Thanks to the ongoing RAM shortage caused by the AI industry (also known as RAMageddon), tons of smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles are seeing huge price hikes. Experts who've spoken to Mashable say that trend isn't going to stop anytime soon.
As the world's number one smartphone maker, Apple has some advantages over its rivals, but a price increase is definitely coming. We had hoped otherwise — Apple raised prices on its new MacBooks earlier this year, while also introducing a low-cost $599 laptop that put big pressure on its Windows rivals.
But then outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook took the unusual step of preparing us for a pricier iPhone. "Price increases are unavoidable," Cook told the Wall Street Journal in an interview. The Journal quoted an analysis showing that the memory chip components in the iPhone 18 Pro will cost Apple $150 more than those in the iPhone 17 Pro.
So should you expect the phones to cost just $150 more than their predecessors (see the iPhone 17 prices here)? You wish. There's the pesky fact that Apple is a for-profit company, and the iPhone is the #1 smartphone in the world for a reason, even though it's already pricier than Samsung's.
How much of an increase will Apple fans bear? We may be about to find out, but the Journal estimated $1,299 for the iPhone 18 Pro ($200 more than last year).
iPhone 18, 18 Pro, and 18 Ultra launch datesBarring a huge turn under Ternus, Apple will release the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Ultra in early September. Obviously Apple's first foldable iPhone is the biggest headline here, but the Pro models will bring numerous improvements too.
The iPhone 18, however, alongside the cheaper iPhone 18e, and the next-gen iPhone Air, are rumored to come next year, likely in March 2027.
iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro designAgain, Apple has not released any official teasers or other imagery for the iPhone 18 lineup yet, so anything reported to date could be wrong. Still, from the sum total of all reports, it sounds like Apple isn't really reinventing the wheel, design-wise. But Ternus, a hardware guy, is reportedly bringing the company's industrial design group into the center of the Apple fold.
Looking further into the future, the iPhone 20 is said to bring big changes, including a curved waterfall display.
Per our friends at CNET (Mashable and CNET are both owned by Ziff Davis), the display sizes will be roughly the same as last year:
iPhone 18: 6.3 inches
iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3 inches
iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9 inches
However, the display quality might be a little different this year. Prominent leaker Instant Digital shared on Chinese social media that Apple's brightness demands are unusually high this year, so it would be reasonable to expect much brighter displays than in previous years.
Some iPhone 18 models could also have a smaller camera bump compared to previous models. There are reports of a slightly redesigned Dynamic Island on the screen itself, with the pill-shaped notification hub potentially being made smaller in the iPhone 18 Pro models. One alleged leaked image purports to show an iPhone 18 Pro with a downsized Dynamic Island cutout.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Wondering about the iPhone 18 color options? For the iPhone 18 Pro, at least, it seems the color options have already leaked. Previous rumors indicated Apple was experimenting with a "deep red" color for the iPhone 18 Pro, and a new report from MacWorld backs that up. According to their reporting, the color lineup for the iPhone 18 Pro will be silver, gray, light blue, and a color called "dark cherry" — likely the deep red previously reported.
Sadly, we think fans of black iPhones are out of luck again.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. iPhone 18: rumored hardware featuresSo we know the software the iPhone 18 will run: iOS 27, introduced at WWDC 2026. Time to start talking about some of the internal hardware changes Apple is reportedly making to the iPhone 18 lineup.
For starters, it sounds like the lineup will have a standardized 12GB RAM count across the board. In previous years, the Pro models had 12GB of RAM, while the base model had only 8GB. According to Korean outlet The Bell, Apple will be upgrading the base model so that it matches the Pro models in that regard. It's also widely expected that Apple will adopt new A20 and A20 Pro chips for the base and Pro models, respectively.
It's also expected that the new iPhones will have a new C2 modem for improved cellular connectivity, and they may also have 5G satellite support. Also reported: a new N2 chip for better WiFi performance.
Latest iPhone 18 Pro rumorsFor the iPhone 18 Pro, the current expectation is that Apple will improve the battery size in the premium iPhone 18 models this year.
Leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo reported that the batteries could exceed 5,000mAh, which would be an improvement over the iPhone 17 Pro.
Instant Digital posted in a separate Weibo leak that the back glass of the iPhone 18 Pro has been altered, resulting in a new unified look, as opposed to the two-tone look of the iPhone 17 Pro. Whether that change will affect durability (or if it's just an aesthetic difference) remains to be seen.
Other differences include Apple's new A20 Pro chip inside, improved LTPO+ display, Apple's new C2 modem, 5G via satellite connectivity, and the improved N2 chip which should improve hotspot and AirDrop reliability.
What about the iPhone 18 Pro Max?Several reports out of China say the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a much larger battery — and be a bit of a chunky boy as a result.
We're not talking about a huge increase in weight and width: a quarter of a millimeter thickness and 7 grams more respectively. Still, every gram counts on the heftiest iPhone model you can get — so iPhone 17 Pro Max upgraders may want to check that their pocket linings can bear the larger bulk of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The iPhone 17 Pro has helped Apple break sales records in 2026. Credit: Stan Schroeder / MashableAre you an Apple superfan? Enter Mashable’s Big Guessing Game to win prizes.
iPhone 18 camera rumorsBloomberg's Mark Gurman, a source of many spot-on iPhone reports, says the iPhone 18 Pro, in particular, will have "some of the biggest camera hardware upgrades in the lineup's history."
Why? First, the telephoto camera has a larger aperture. But more important is the variable aperture.
First reported by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, variable aperture is a huge deal. It would let the iPhone 18 Pro camera capture different amounts of light for different situations — potentially leading to a huge leap in photo quality, if you know what you're doing.
For instance, the bokeh effect famously associated with portrait mode on iPhones would be possible in-camera rather than through software processing, resulting in more natural and generally better-looking shots.
What about AI Siri?Of course, one of the first things many users will want to know about the iPhone 18 when they get their hands on one: what is the new, revamped, AI-upgraded Siri experience like?
If you're feeling adventurous, you can try it yourself by installing the iOS 27 beta.
The new features include Siri becoming an actual chatbot with its own app. It's also able to understand what's on your screen, and it can help you write, create images, and edit photos.
For an overview of some of the best features Siri AI has to offer, go here. And for the best new features in Apple's iOS 27 public beta, check our roundup here.
Substack is introducing a new tool to help readers figure out whether content was written by a human or generated by AI. Announced in a blog post on Tuesday, the self-publishing platform's new feature is powered by AI detection tool Pangram, and is available on Substack posts, notes, replies, and comments.
SEE ALSO: Substack gives creators control of the conversation with new Reply Rules"Not everything made with AI is slop, and not all slop is made with AI," wrote Substack co-founder and CEO Chris Best. "The problem is when there is a mismatch between a reader’s expectation and reality, especially when they unwittingly invest their attention in something with no human thought on the other end."
Substack's AI detection tool is available now on web and in the iOS app, with Android to follow. To scan Substack content for AI contributions, simply click or tap on the "..." meatball menu, then select "Scan for AI text." A popup will then appear stating what percentage of the text Pangram has determined is AI-generated, AI-assisted, or human.
Substack's new AI detection feature does have some restrictions. Specifically, it will only work on Substack text passages longer than 100 words, and only those published after 8:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. on July 21. Attempting to scan Substack content published prior to this results in a popup stating that it's ineligible for AI detection.
Trying to check passages that are shorter than 100 words also surfaces a popup explaining that there isn't enough text for accurate AI detection. The popup on Best's own posts also offers an additional message: "I'm still figuring all of this out. (In the meantime these words are mine, for better or worse.)"
Pengram will only scan text for any AI authorship if the reader requests it. As such, it's up to users to take the initiative and investigate the provenance of what they're reading to the best of their ability. Best notes that the tool cannot detect if, for example, a human used AI to do research before writing a post.
Substack's AI-detection tool adds some new features for authors as well. Writers are now able to add a statement explaining how they wrote content, which will appear when readers use the AI detection tool on their posts. Authors can run Pengram's AI detection tool on their drafts and submit a report if they believe it has classified their content incorrectly. Interestingly, writers can also remove the flag themselves by completely disabling AI detection on their content, regardless of whether or not Pengram's detection was correct.
Credit: SubstackPangram itself uses AI to detect AI-generated text. However, rather than generative AI, it deploys a classifier neural network model trained to recognise and distinguish between human and AI-generated text. The company states that its algorithm's dataset of human authored text was gathered from sources published prior to 2021, before generative AI was widely used on the internet, to ensure no AI-generated text snuck its way in.
Best stated that Substack is looking into adding more AI-focused features in the future, depending upon user interest and feedback. This includes allowing users to set preferences for the content Substack recommends to them, suggesting that we may eventually see the option to filter out AI-generated content altogether.
A recent study by digital marketing firm Graphite found that the number of online articles that are primarily AI-generated is now equal to the number written by humans. Multiple publications have been called out for using AI to generate articles over the last few years, several of which were laden with errors. In some instances, these AI-generated articles were attributed to fake, AI-generated authors or the publication's "staff."
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintPossessive.
SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerWHOSE
Hurdle Word 2 hintA small, round fruit.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerGRAPE
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Hurdle Word 3 hintTo intrigue.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 22 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 21, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answerPIQUE
Hurdle Word 4 hintTo follow.
Hurdle Word 4 answerABIDE
Final Hurdle hintTo yearn for.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerCOVET
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch college football.
As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: You can't golf here
Green: Sports movies
Blue: Stadiums
Purple: Break this
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Places Where an Errant Golf Shot Lands
Green: Sports Films, With "The"
Blue: College Football Stadium Nicknames, With "The"
Purple: ___Break
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #667 is...
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?Places Where an Errant Golf Shot Lands: BUNKER, OUT OF BOUNDS, POND, ROUGH
Sports Films, With "The": FIGHTER, KARATE KID, NATURAL, WATERBOY
College Football Stadium Nicknames, With "The": BIG HOUSE, FLATS, HORSESHOE, SWAMP
___Break: FAST, HYDRATION, SERVICE, TIE
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play PipsIf you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 22, 2026The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for July 22, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 22 PipsNumber (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 4-0, placed horizontally.
Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.
Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 22 PipsLess Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.
Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 22 PipsEqual (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-5 placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-5 placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.
Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.
Equal (4): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.
Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.
Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed horizontally.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally.
Number (13): Everything in this space must add up to 13. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love to hit the course.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for July 22, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Breakout
Green: On the course
Blue: Social media terms
Purple: An exotic animal
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
Here are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Symptoms of an allergic reaction
Green: On a golf scorecard
Blue: Platform-specific posts
Purple: Features of a zebra
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #1137 is...
What is the answer to Connections todaySymptoms of an allergic reaction: HIVES, ITCHING, RASH, REDNESS
On a golf scorecard: HOLE, PAR, SCORE, STROKES
Platform-specific posts: PINS, SNAPS, TWEETS, VINES
Features of a zebra: HOOVES, MANE, TAIL, WHITE STRIPES
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a trivia lover.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 22, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: "What is..."The words are related to games.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words describe a famous game show.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is In Jeopardy.
NYT Strands word list for July 22Board
Category
Wager
In Jeopardy
Question
Buzzer
Answer
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a truck driver.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 22, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for July 22, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:A truck.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter R appears twice.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
LORRY
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
More than a thousand new surveillance towers will be erected along U.S. borders, according to a recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assessment by the Government Accounting Office.
The expanded autonomous surveillance plan, including tech upgrades to existing towers overseen by DHS, is estimated to cost around $1 billion and aims to be finished by 2034. Upon completion, the country's borders will boast 2,300 surveillance towers — it currently operates around 830, the Electronic Frontier Foundation reports.
SEE ALSO: Google's AI Search is a minefield for schoolsThe expenditure is part of the Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) consolidated Integrated Surveillance Tower (IST) program, which operates a network of intel-gathering towers and surveillance that detect "items of interest" along the border and in nearby towns. The towers are integrated into a central system accessible by agents.
"It’s not just a barrier. A lot of people miss that [it] has technology built into it," said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott during an April budget hearing with lawmakers regarding the agency's plans.
Building on years of work to outfit border regions with technologically-advanced security systems, the White House has proposed millions in infrastructure for a "smart" border wall, including autonomous and AI-powered surveillance towers that alert agents to potential security threats. In 2025 and 2026, more than $240 million was allocated for the IST program. The 2027 budget steered another $97 million toward the construction of 95 new towers over the next year.
Disclosure Day, which hit theaters in early June, marks a return to sci-fi for legendary director Steven Spielberg. Not just sci-fi, but specifically alien-themed sci-fi. It also reunites him with many of his longtime collaborators, including screenwriter David Koepp, who also wrote Jurassic Park and War of the Worlds. In other words, if you're a Spielberg fan, it's a must-watch.
The best ways to watch 'Disclosure Day' at a glance: Watch now Buy or rent 'Disclosure Day' on Prime Video $19.99 or $24.99 Shop Now Watch now Buy or rent 'Disclosure Day' at Apple TV $19.99 or $24.99 Shop Now Watch now Buy or rent 'Disclosure Day' on Fandango $19.99 or $24.99 Shop Now Watch later Peacock Premium yearly subscription $109.99/year (save $21.89) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Students and Young Adults $5.99/month for 12 months (save $5/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Active Military and Veterans $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4/month) Get Deal Watch later Instacart+ (includes Peacock Premium for free) $99.99/year (save $109.99/year) Get Deal Watch later Walmart+ (includes Peacock Premium for free) $98/year (save $109.99/year) Get Deal"With Disclosure Day, I experienced the distinctive thrill of watching a master filmmaker do what he does best," Mashable's Kristy Puchko cheered. In her review of the film, she called it "a dizzying mix of action, humor, adventure, sci-fi, and wonder."
Unfortunately, it underperformed at theaters, despite an 80 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating. Universal Pictures is hoping to find a wider audience this month, as the alien thriller is officially making its at-home debut. Here are all the streaming details you need to know to watch Disclosure Day.
What is Disclosure Day about?Disclosure Day follows cybersecurity administrator Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor), who is on the run from a military-industrial corporation called Wardex after he steals sensitive files that he seeks to reveal to the world. I'm not saying it's aliens, but it's definitely aliens. He teams up with TV meteorologist Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt), and they fight "not just for the future of humanity, but also humanity's understanding of the universe," as Mashable's entertainment editor puts it in her review.
Check out the official trailer below.
How to watch Disclosure Day at home Credit: Universal PicturesAs of July 21, Disclosure Day is available to watch at home. You can buy it or rent it at digital-on-demand retailers for as low as $19.99, or you can wait a little longer to stream it on Peacock. See all the details below.
Buy or rent it on digitalA little over a month after its theatrical release, Disclosure Day made its digital debut on July 21, 2026. This means you can buy or rent the movie from on-demand retailers for $24.99 or $19.99. If you choose to rent, you'll get 30 days to watch the film and just 48 hours to finish it once you start. If you choose to buy it, then it's yours to keep and watch as many times as you want.
Here are some quick links to rent or purchase the film. Note that these prices will drop in the coming weeks.
Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
Fandango — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
Google Play — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
Prime Video — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
While no specific streaming date has been officially announced, we can make an educated guess that Disclosure Day will make its streaming debut on Peacock in September 2026. We'll update this story with the latest information once it's revealed.
While the cheapest Peacock subscription costs just $7.99 per month, it unfortunately won't grant you access to theatrical releases. You'll need at least Peacock Premium, which costs $10.99 per month, to stream Disclosure Day. Before you sign up, be sure to check out some of the best ways to save some money on a subscription below.
The best Peacock streaming dealsBest Peacock deal: Save up to $33 on an annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription $109.99 per year or $169.99 per year (save 17%) Get DealThe best way to save money on a streaming subscription on any given day is by opting for the annual plan instead of the monthly plan. Paying for a year of Peacock Premium or Premium Plus up front saves you up to $33.89 per year.
Peacock Premium (with ads) costs $10.99 monthly, which adds up to $131.88 for 12 months. If you pay for the annual plan, however, it'll only cost you $109.99 — a savings of $21.89. Likewise, the Premium Plus plan costs $16.99 per month, which adds up to $203.88. The annual plan, on the other hand, costs just $169.99 — a savings of $33.89. You'll essentially be getting two months of streaming for free by opting for an annual subscription.
Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers: Free Peacock Premium for eligible accounts Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock / Xfinity Peacock Premium Free for select Xfinity customers Learn MoreNothing beats free. If you're an Xfinity customer and have yet to check if you get Peacock for free, I highly recommend heading to Xfinity.com for more details. Here's a brief breakdown:
Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.
NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.
New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.
Both students and young adults (ages 18 to 24) can take $5 per month off a Peacock Premium subscription all year long. Verify your student status or age through SheerID and generate a unique promo code to knock the price down to just $5.99 instead of $10.99. Just a heads up that once the promo year is up, you'll be charged full price unless you cancel.
Best for first responders, medical professionals, military, and teachers: Save $4/month Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $6.99 per month (save $4 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Military $6.99 per month (save $4 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4 per month) Get DealFirst responders, medical professionals, teachers, and military personnel can all unlock Peacock Premium subscriptions (with ads) for a discounted rate of $6.99 per month by verifying professional status through SheerID. If you continue to meet verification qualifications, then you can renew your subscription at a discounted rate each year. Prices are subject to change year to year.
Best for Instacart users: Free Peacock Premium with Instacart+ subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart / Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $109.99/year) Get DealAn Instacart+ membership ($99.99 per year) unlocks a free Peacock Premium subscription ($109.99 per year value) on top of free grocery delivery, lower fees, and credit back on eligible pickup orders. You'll even get a free two-week trial to kick things off. Pro tip: Sign up for your trial of Instacart+ when Disclosure Day debuts on Peacock so you can watch it for free. Just be sure to cancel before you're charged the full amount. We recommend setting a calendar alert to remind you.
Best for Walmart shoppers: Free Peacock Premium for Walmart+ members Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Walmart+ $98 per year Get DealOne of the best ways to score streaming services for free is by signing up for a Walmart+ membership. A $98 Walmart+ subscription unlocks either Peacock Premium or Paramount+ Essential as a free perk — and you can switch every few months. Since Peacock Premium is a $109.99 value, the $98 Walmart+ membership is already a better deal than paying for Peacock on its own. With Walmart+, you'll also get free shipping with no order minimums, fuel discounts, a Scan & Go checkout tool, and early access to deals during Walmart's major shopping events.
Spotify is giving music videos their own Top 50.
On Tuesday, July 21, Spotify launched its first global chart dedicated to music videos, ranking the 50 most-watched videos on the platform each day. Artists can also pitch new videos directly to Spotify's editorial team for the first time, giving them a chance to appear on playlists including Best New Videos, Live Performances, and Today's Top Videos.
The features arrive after a steady expansion of music videos across Spotify, including full-length uploads, personalized recommendations, and early premieres from artists like BTS, Jelly Roll, and Taylor Swift. Artists can also now upload their own videos through Spotify for Artists.
SEE ALSO: Spotify adds editor videos to New Music Friday. We asked its curators why.Add it all together, and Spotify is beginning to resemble a version of MTV built for the streaming era, complete with exclusive premieres, countdowns, and ever-changing rankings. There may not be a VJ telling viewers what comes next, but there is an AI DJ if you're into that sort of thing. Otherwise, Spotify's editors and recommendation algorithms fill the role.
Spotify has built its own music video countdownThe new Music Video Charts Global ranks videos by daily stream counts, refreshes daily at 6 p.m. ET, and lives in Spotify's Charts and Music Video Playlists hubs. Every Tuesday, the company will also highlight the week’s top 10 videos across its social media accounts.
Shakira and Burna Boy claimed the chart’s inaugural No. 1 with "Dai Dai," the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which just surpassed 130 million total streams on Spotify.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.For anyone who remembers MTV countdown shows, the idea should feel familiar.
But Spotify’s version comes with a more modern, personalized layer. Its Videos For You playlist, the platform's first personalized music video playlist, recommends videos based on an individual user's listening habits. Someone who wants a broader view of what is popular can visit the global chart, while everyone else can receive a lineup tailored to them.
Videos can also appear on Spotify’s Home screen, artist profiles, release pages, editorial playlists, and the Now Playing view. Followers may receive push notifications when an artist releases a new video, increasing the likelihood that a listener will encounter it.
Spotify is also using early releases to give fans a reason to watch music videos inside its app rather than automatically heading to YouTube.
On July 17, 2026, BTS premiered the video for "NORMAL" on Spotify and kept it exclusive to the service for its first 48 hours. Spotify said the release set a platform record for the most-streamed K-pop music video in a single day. BTS currently occupies six of the top 10 positions on Spotify's inaugural Global Music Video chart.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Jelly Roll gave Premium subscribers a similar 48-hour first look at “Hands Up,” which was filmed at San Quentin State Prison. Fans in Spotify's beta markets could watch both premieres on mobile, desktop, or television by playing either song and selecting "Switch to video."
Taylor Swift took a slightly different approach with "Opalite," releasing its video on Spotify and Apple Music in February 2026 before bringing it to YouTube — rumored to be because YouTube pulled itself from the U.S. charts in January 2026.
A new option beyond YouTube This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.For years, YouTube views helped determine where songs and albums appeared on the Billboard charts. That ended in January 2026, after YouTube and Billboard failed to agree on how those views should be counted.
The dispute centered on Billboard's decision to give more weight to streams from paying subscribers than to those on free, ad-supported services. YouTube argued that the formula undervalued its viewers, but Billboard kept its methodology. YouTube subsequently withdrew its U.S. data, and its views no longer contribute to either chart.
That does not make YouTube any less useful for reaching fans. More than 2 billion logged-in users watch music videos on the platform each month, according to the company. YouTube Music also offers more than 100 million songs alongside official videos, live performances, remixes, covers, Shorts, and fan uploads, much of it available without a paid subscription.
That enormous audience brings in money, too. YouTube paid more than $8 billion to artists, songwriters, labels, and publishers between July 2024 and June 2025. Its Music and Premium services had more than 125 million subscribers globally, including users in free trials. Some online consider YouTube the reigning champion among music video platforms — that hasn't changed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.What has changed is the automatic assumption that every major music video should appear on YouTube first. Spotify also says its eligible music videos can earn royalties and qualify for charts, though chart eligibility depends on the release and the chart's rules.
Smaller artists can upload videos, tooThe biggest premieres may bring fans into Spotify’s video section, but artists do not need a BTS-sized rollout to appear there.
Until recently, music videos primarily reached Spotify through labels, distributors, or services such as DistroVid, a paid video-distribution tool operated by independent music distributor DistroKid. Artists use the service to send music videos to platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Vevo without going through a record label. That changed on June 17, when Spotify began allowing artists in its beta program to upload full-length videos directly through Spotify for Artists.
Nearly 100,000 artists now have access to the feature, and everyone else can join a waitlist. Labels and distributors will remain Spotify's primary delivery route for music and video, but participating artists no longer have to rely on either to get a video onto the platform.
They also have more options than producing a traditional music video. Spotify accepts live performances, acoustic and studio sessions, and covers, all of which can earn royalties and may qualify for its charts, giving artists room to work with the content they can realistically produce.
Spotify pointed to indie rock band The Runarounds as one example of how that can translate into additional listening. According to the company, people who watched the band's live cover of "Valerie" went on to stream 67 percent more of its wider catalog than people who only heard the audio. They also listened to 21 percent more individual tracks.
For artists already making video content, Spotify gives that work another chance to reach listeners and lead them directly into the music.
Spotify says watching leads to more listeningSpotify is investing in video because the company says viewers tend to keep listening after the screen goes dark.
According to Spotify’s latest data, users stream a song 64 percent more frequently during the three weeks after watching its full-length video than comparable listeners who only heard the audio. They are also 1.4 times more likely to save it, share it, or add it to a playlist.
That interest can spread. Spotify also says viewers stream 57 percent more of the artist's catalog during the same period. Among "super listeners," its name for an artist's most active monthly listeners, streaming increases by 62 percent after watching a video. Spotify adds that equals more than an hour and 40 minutes of additional listening on average.
The company has therefore built video directly into the standard listening experience. When a song has a video available, users can select “Switch to video” without restarting it. They can then switch back to audio at the same point. The process keeps every part of the interaction within Spotify: a user can hear a song, watch a video, save it, and continue exploring the artist’s music without leaving the app.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.It also gives Spotify another way to keep users engaged as it expands beyond its original music-streaming business. The company already offers audiobooks and video podcasts, and by late 2025, almost 500,000 video podcast shows were available on the platform.
Some listeners would still rather Spotify stick to audioSpotify's growing focus on video has created some friction with people who open the app simply to listen. WIRED reported that videos had sometimes played automatically, consuming additional data and battery life. In other cases, the video replaced the album recording with audio containing dialogue or sound effects.
Spotify has since added settings that let users disable music videos, Canvas animations, and video podcasts, giving audio-only listeners a way to remove most of the app's visual features.
Even so, finding a particular music video can still be hit or miss. WIRED also found that Spotify's catalog appeared inconsistent, with some videos available while others were missing.
The bigger question is whether Spotify can persuade listeners to become viewers. If it can, the next breakout music video may begin not with a YouTube search, but inside a personalized Spotify playlist.
A federal judge in San Francisco has granted final approval to a $1.5 billion settlement between Anthropic and a class of authors who accused the AI company of illegally downloading their copyrighted books, closing out what the court called the largest copyright class action settlement in history.
U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín signed the order on July 20, resolving claims brought by lead plaintiffs Andrea Bartz, Kirk Wallace Johnson, and others over Anthropic's use of pirated libraries LibGen and PiLiMi to build its book collection. Notably, the underlying dispute centered on how Anthropic acquired the books, not on whether training AI models with copyrighted material is lawful.
SEE ALSO: Anthropic to provide California government with AI toolsIn an earlier ruling cited throughout the order, the court had already determined that the use of training itself constituted fair use.
Per the settlement, authors and publishers whose pirated books ended up on Anthropic's "Works List" can claim roughly $3,000 per book — about four times the usual minimum for copyright infringement cases. More than 91 percent of eligible works, over 440,000 books, have already been claimed. Anthropic also has to delete the pirated files it downloaded.
The settlement only releases Anthropic from liability for how it acquired the training data in the past — not from future lawsuits over what the chatbot generates, or new claims going forward. Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín was explicit that the settlement does not release claims for future harm or claims "based on the output of AI models."
The court overruled all 54 objections and comments filed by class members and third parties, including requests to expand the list of covered works, add non-monetary remedies like source attribution, or even deletion of Anthropic's models entirely. Per the court's judgment, those requests went beyond what this lawsuit could address.
With the order finalized, the case is officially closed, though the court will keep an eye on how the money actually gets distributed to authors.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is finding new fans in more places than the stadium.
According to new data from the league, views across its YouTube channels increased 41.7 percent through the first 10 weeks of the 2026 season, reaching 11.2 million. Watch time climbed nearly 50 percent, while subscribers grew 17.9 percent.
Those gains are part of a strong first half of the season for the NWSL. Attendance is up, the league’s social following has expanded, and merchandise sales have increased. New clubs and a wider mix of broadcast and streaming options are also creating more ways for people to follow the league.
So, who are these new fans, how are they discovering the NWSL, and what is turning their interest into a lasting connection with the league?
Who is watching the NWSL?The NWSL's audience is broader than the young, predominantly female fan base often associated with women's sports.
Nielsen estimated that the league had 39.3 million fans in the United States in 2025, up from 30.8 million in 2023. On ESPN, women accounted for nearly half of the NWSL audience for the second consecutive season, while viewership among women ages 18 to 34 increased 30 percent year over year. The league’s average audience on ESPN Deportes also more than doubled from 2024, rising 109 percent.
Women now account for nearly half of the league's audience on ESPN, while women ages 18 to 34 are among its fastest-growing viewer groups. Spanish-language viewership is also rising, introducing the league to more fans across the United States.
That growing audience is increasingly visible in the stands. Mashable senior reporter Matt Binder attended a recent Gotham FC match at Citi Field, where more than 40,000 people came to watch the team play — the biggest women's sporting event in New York history.
"There were way more younger girls there than even young boys at any NYCFC game I've been to," Binder said.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.For young fans, following a team goes far beyond attending matches. NWSL clubs and players share highlights, interviews, training videos, and behind-the-scenes content across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. This lets fans stay connected between games while drawing in new supporters.
YouTube and social media are becoming a larger part of the NWSLNWSL's recent YouTube gains are part of a broader increase in viewing across its media lineup. Through Week 10, match coverage generated more than 1 billion minutes viewed across broadcast, streaming, and digital platforms.
The platform has played a similar role across other women's sports, giving leagues and athletes an additional way to reach younger viewers. Matt Hochberg, who runs Hochberg Sports Marketing, a FIFA-licensed women’s soccer agency, described the platform as a key growth driver for several women’s leagues.
"Women’s sports fans skew younger [and] digital-first," Hochberg wrote in an X post about the NWSL's YouTube gains, adding that the audience is also attractive to brands trying to reach the same demographic.
The league's broader social audience is growing, too. Its combined following increased 24 percent year over year to 3.1 million across six major platforms. According to the NWSL, fans are engaging with highlights, behind-the-scenes access, player-focused stories, and other league content.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Individual players also bring massive audiences of their own. Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle, Sophia Wilson, and Mallory Swanson have each built social followings of hundreds of thousands of fans that reach far beyond their NWSL clubs.
U.S. national team players are only part of that equation. The NWSL included players from 55 national teams in 2025, allowing clubs to reach fans who already follow those athletes in their home countries. Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga, for example, represents Malawi and has become one of the NWSL's biggest stars after winning back-to-back league MVP awards.
More fans are attending matchesThe NWSL's digital growth comes as attendance is also increasing. Clubs averaged 11,044 fans per match during the first half of the 2026 season, up 10 percent from the same period last year. The league reached one million attendees faster than in any previous season and is on pace to average more than 10,000 fans for the fourth consecutive year.
The season's largest crowd arrived in Denver back in March 2026, where expansion club Denver Summit FC hosted the Washington Spirit at Empower Field at Mile High. The match drew 63,004 fans, setting a league attendance record and becoming the largest crowd for a professional women's sporting event in the United States.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Denver Summit and Boston Legacy FC both joined the league in 2026, expanding the NWSL to 16 teams. The additions created local clubs for fans in two new markets and gave the league more matches, players, and storylines to feature across its platforms.
Matches are available through CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video, ION, Victory+, and the league's NWSL+ service. Highlights and other clips then extend the life of those games across YouTube and social media.
Fans are also buying more merchandiseThe league's retail numbers offer another sign of increased engagement.
Combined merchandise sales across NWSL clubs rose 72 percent during the first half of the season compared with the same period in 2025. Sales through NWSL Shop increased 207 percent.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.The league didn't disclose total revenue, but attributed the growth to rising demand for club merchandise, player products, and league-branded apparel.
There's also been plenty for fans to follow on the field. Every NWSL club has defeated a higher-ranked opponent at least once this season. At the midway point, the league has recorded 10 percent more upsets than during the same period last year, and twice as many matches have been decided in the final 15 minutes.
Those late goals and upsets create a steady stream of can't-miss highlights. For the NWSL's growing fan base, sometimes one highlight is all it takes to get the ball rolling.
Leaving Love Island USA can give a contestant the kind of audience most aspiring creators spend years trying to build. By the time Islanders get their phones back, they may have millions of new followers, brands filling their inboxes, and television producers considering where they could appear next.
But leaving the villa does not necessarily mean they are free to accept every opportunity waiting for them.
That could matter for Mackenzie "Kenzie" Annis, whose commitment to practicing her splits throughout Season 8 inspired fans to campaign for her to join Dancing With the Stars. Professional dancer Ezra Sosa encouraged the idea beneath Annis' first post-villa TikTok.
"The mirrorball is CALLING your name," Sosa commented.
"SHUT THE FRONT DOOR," Annis replied.
Turning that exchange into an actual trip to the ballroom may require more than an invitation from ABC. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Love Island USA contestants enter a one-year exclusivity period that can limit their television appearances, brand partnerships, and other commercial work after the show.
Because Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+, outside Peacock’s NBCUniversal family, Annis may need approval before she can compete. Her situation provides a useful look at what happens after Islanders leave Fiji, when sudden internet fame collides with the contracts they signed before anyone knew their names.
What happens after Islanders leave the villa?Love Island USA places a group of singles in a Fiji villa, where they date, compete in challenges, and try to remain coupled up long enough to win. Viewers follow their relationships almost every night on Peacock, discuss each episode online, and vote on who stays, leaves, and ultimately takes home the prize.
The contestants experience the season very differently. Like the casts of Big Brother, The Traitors, and many other reality shows, Islanders are largely cut off from the outside world while filming. They do not have their phones, cannot check social media, and have no way to see which conversations, outfits, or facial expressions have become memes.
An Islander can therefore enter the villa as a relatively unknown person and return home several weeks later as a major online personality. Season 8 generated more than 4 billion social video views and ranked as the No. 1 social program during its run, according to NBCUniversal. Winner Trinity Tatum emerged from the season with more than 3 million Instagram followers.
That kind of attention quickly attracts agents, managers, publicists, brands, and television producers. Representatives generally have about 10 days to meet with the most sought-after Islanders before the contestants begin receiving interview requests, sponsorship opportunities, and choosing representation.
It also forces Islanders to absorb several weeks of memes, criticism, fan edits, and public discussion about decisions they made without knowing how viewers would respond. Trinity asked viewers to stop directing "hate & ignorant comments" at Zach Georgiou, called him one of the most "amazing" people she met in the villa, and reminded fans that the Islanders are "people just like everyone else."
All of this happens just as they begin deciding how to turn their new audience into a career. Their options, however, may be more limited than they initially appear.
How does the Love Island USA exclusivity period work?According to a report, Love Island USA contestants are subject to a one-year exclusivity period, and ITV America, the show's production company, must approve their brand partnerships. The contracts also govern which television appearances contestants can make, meaning an Islander may receive an offer without having the sole authority to accept it. Former Season 4 contestant Deb Chubb supported their claims, saying in a June TikTok: “contract-wise, you can't go on any shows a year after the finale.”
The full terms of the current agreements have not been made public, but available reporting suggests the restriction is more complicated than a blanket ban on television appearances.
These restrictions are not unique to Love Island USA. A publicly available Survivor agreement defines an exclusivity period lasting one year after the finale and requires contestants to obtain permission for certain media appearances. Contracts used by RuPaul’s Drag Race have also included one-year exclusivity clauses, while allowing contestants to participate in live performances and personal appearances.
The agreements can also help networks manage conflicts with advertisers. If a company already sponsors Love Island USA, for example, Peacock may not want one of the show’s contestants immediately promoting a competitor. A source told THR that limited noncompete provisions have become standard in reality casting and can give networks veto power over outside brand and commercial deals.
Networks frequently recast personalities from their own franchisesDancing With the Stars has featured a steady supply of contestants from ABC’s The Bachelor franchise, including Matt James, Gabby Windey, Charity Lawson, Joey Graziadei, and Jenn Tran over five consecutive seasons. Disney personalities and stars from Hulu, another Disney-owned platform, also regularly appear in the ballroom.
Season 34, for example, included Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt from Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, while Disney Channel actor Chandler Kinney competed during Season 33.
Netflix takes a similar approach by treating its unscripted shows as a connected "Netflix Reality Universe." Contestants who become popular on Love Is Blind, Too Hot to Handle, The Circle, and The Ultimatum are regularly brought back for crossover programs such as Perfect Match and Battle Camp; some later become hosts or receive shows built around them, including Too Hot to Handle breakout Harry Jowsey’s Let’s Marry Harry. This lets Netflix keep recognizable personalities on the platform after their original seasons end.
Peacock and NBCUniversal have their own growing reality ecosystem. Former Islanders can return for Love Island Games, compete on The Traitors, or appear in Love Island: Beyond the Villa, which follows cast members as they navigate their relationships and careers after leaving the show.
Season 6 Islander JaNa Craig joined NBC's Destination X less than a year after leaving Fiji, for example, while fellow Season 6 contestant Rob Rausch later competed on and won Peacock’s The Traitors. A third season of Beyond the Villa is expected in 2027, creating another potential destination for members of the Season 8 cast.
For contestants, that means one successful reality show can lead to several more opportunities, but the network that introduced them may have the first say in where they appear next.
Could Kenzie still compete on Dancing With the Stars?The exclusivity period may complicate Annis' chances, or those of any other Islander hoping to strap on their dancing shoes, but it does not necessarily keep them out of the ballroom.
Two celebrities announced for Season 35 show that NBCUniversal is willing to let some of its reality personalities compete on Dancing With the Stars. Maura Higgins, who became known through the British version of Love Island before appearing on Peacock's Love Island Games and The Traitors, will join the cast alongside Bravo's Ciara Miller. Miller stars on Summer House, hosts Love Island USA: Aftersun, and also competed on The Traitors.
Christine Cowan, the NBCUniversal executive who oversees casting across Bravo, NBC, and Peacock, said during the ATX TV Festival panel "How Familiar Faces Drive Fandom" in May, that the company had allowed Higgins and Miller to participate.
"We want them to be happy, and we want to continue our relationship with them," Cowan said.
Cowan characterized Dancing With the Stars as a one-off opportunity rather than a permanent departure for a competing entertainment company. She also said NBCUniversal makes its talent available to outside productions under certain circumstances.
Do the restrictions help or hurt Islanders?For contestants, the arrangement brings both opportunities and tradeoffs.
ITV America sets rules for how contestants choose representation and offers a list of preferred managers and agents. This guidance can help someone navigating sudden fame evaluate offers, negotiate contracts, and avoid jumping at the first deal that lands in their inbox.
Staying in NBCUniversal's orbit can open doors to more television opportunities. The company has several programs ready to transform a successful Islander's season into a longer reality TV career.
The downside becomes apparent when the best opportunity comes from outside the network. The weeks right after a finale are when contestants get the most attention from viewers and brands. Another network might want to cast an Islander while the season's still buzzing, or a company might want to build a campaign around a viral moment or catchphrase that’s currently making the rounds online.
Those offers may not remain available for a year or even a month. Requiring approval can reduce contestants' control over the audience and the opportunities they gained on the show.
Leaving Fiji may end an Islander's search for a connection, but their relationship with Peacock could just be getting started.
Last year, Best Buy ran its Black Friday in July sale as direct Prime Day competition. But with Prime Day being in June in 2026, Best Buy couldn't exactly call its competition sale Black Friday in July (the retailer went with Tech Fest instead). But that just means we get two major Best Buy sales this summer — just one month after Tech Fest slash Prime Day, Best Buy's Black Friday in July sale event is bringing even more heat.
The sale is live now through Sunday, July 26. Best Buy is likely to drop new doorbusters more than once, so be sure to check back over the next few days.
SEE ALSO: The 6 best open earbuds stay put, sound great, and keep us aware of the worldBlack Friday in July deals span all of the categories you expect from a Best Buy sale: TVs, iPads and MacBooks, unlocked phones, smartwatches and fitness trackers, you know.
In true Black Friday fashion, there's a whole landing page dedicated to deals that are 50% or more off — actually, way more than one page, considering more than 8,000 items are half off. If you're not trying to make any big purchases, this section is still a great spot to stock up on necessities like AirTags, charging cords and portable chargers, screen protectors, or phone cases.
We've pulled out just a few of our favorite 50% off deals from that list, though you should peruse on your own to see this variety for yourself:
50% off TVs Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 65-inch A3G Designer Series QLED 4K Art TV with Flush Wall Mount $599.99 at Best BuyX has officially rolled out a rebuilt version of its Android app, following through on a project the company first teased roughly a year ago.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.In an August 2025 post on X, Head of Product Nikita Bier announced he was recruiting what he called the "Android Dream Team," describing the effort in characteristically hyperbolic terms and asking engineers to help "rebuild the X Android app" from the ground up. The recruitment push came as users had periodically flagged bugs and performance issues with the app in the months since; for instance, tapping tweet links from other apps, like WhatsApp, would incorrectly load the main timeline instead of the intended post.
Nearly a year after Bier's initial call for engineers, Bier announced on July 20 that the rebuild was complete, calling it one of the largest engineering projects in the company's history. He described the new app as faster, smoother, and more reliable, and said the updated foundation would let the team ship new features more quickly going forward.
An X spokesperson elaborated on the changes in an email statement to Mashable: "X modernized the foundation so everything is faster, smoother, and more reliable, including scrolling, loading, and notifications."
Beyond the underlying performance improvements, the update doesn't appear to introduce new user-facing features at launch. The company is framing this release as an infrastructure overhaul, with the spokesperson reiterating that Bier's posts on X, including support for hosting Spaces and better performance on older devices, are expected in future updates.
Google has introduced two additions to its Gemini "Flash" lineup, along with a specialized cybersecurity model, 3.5 Flash Cyber, while holding off on releasing a long-awaited Gemini 3.5 Pro.
In a July 21 blog post, Google announced Gemini 3.6 Flash and Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite, describing them as built to give developers the "efficiency, low latency, and reliability" needed to run AI agents at scale. The post also detailed Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber, a specialized model paired with Google's CodeMender security agent.
Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.
The announcement also included a brief update on Gemini 3.5 Pro, which Google says "is currently testing with partners," with general availability "as soon as it's ready." The post added that Google has already begun training runs for a future Gemini 4 model.
At the Google I/O event in May, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced that Gemini 3.5 Pro would launch in June. Since then, Anthropic and OpenAI have launched new frontier models, Fable 5 and GPT-5.6 Sol, while the Chinese AI lab Moonshot recently launched Kimi K3, a more affordable but still competitive open-source AI model. It's against this backdrop that Google announced its new trio of Gemini models.
SEE ALSO: Where is Gemini 3.5 Pro? The AI model announced at Google I/O is still MIA.According to the post, Gemini 3.6 Flash is positioned as the company's general-purpose "workhorse" model, offering improvements in coding, knowledge work, and multimodal tasks compared to 3.5 Flash. Google also priced the model lower than 3.5 Flash, at $1.50 per million input tokens and $7.50 per million output tokens. Google released benchmark evaluations of Gemini 3.6 Flash, showing improvements in a variety of domains.
Credit: GoogleGemini 3.5 Flash-Lite, meanwhile, is billed as the fastest model in the 3.5 series, reportedly capable of 350 output tokens per second, per Artificial Analysis figures cited in the post, at a lower price point of $0.3 per million input tokens and $2.5 per million output tokens. Google writes that the model is intended for high-throughput, latency-sensitive workloads like agentic search and document processing, and that it outperforms the prior Flash-Lite generation across agentic benchmarks.
Credit: GoogleThe most narrowly targeted release, Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber, is designed specifically to detect and patch software vulnerabilities and is being deployed inside CodeMender, Google's code security agent. Per the post, the model will not be broadly available; Google says it plans to offer it exclusively to governments and select partners through a limited-access pilot, citing the dual-use risks associated with a model capable of finding security flaws.
Google also said the newly released 3.6 Flash model includes expanded safety measures to resist jailbreak attempts related to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear misuse, as well as cyber offenses, while aiming to avoid unnecessary refusals for legitimate use cases.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
SAVE $1,180.02: As of July 21, get the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus for $1,618.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $2,799. That's a discount of 42%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus $1,618.98 at AmazonWe're right in the middle of one of the stormiest seasons of the year. Summer thunder and lightning can ruin a beach trip or even a staycation if your power goes out. Be ready for any challenge with the help of a portable power station that can easily get you powered up again should anything happen. We've found one that's well worth grabbing while it's available at a significant discount.
As of July 21, get the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus for $1,618.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $2,799. That's $1,180.02 off and a discount of 42%.
SEE ALSO: Portable power stations explainedThis power station offers 3600W of output (7200W in parallel), with 3584Wh capacity that's expandable up to 21kWh per unit or 43kWh with multiple units. That means it can keep a 3-person household for over 2 weeks, which should be plenty of time to get things in order should the power be out for an extended period.
It's simple to plug in and charge, and it has 6,000 cycles as well as a 10-year lifespan. Jackery claims it will work and remain reliable in a variety of conditions as well, even during severe cold and blizzards. And when it's been depleted, it's simple to charge. You can bring it from 0 to 100% in just 2 hours when charging with AC+DC.
If you want to make sure you're ready no matter what happens with the weather and your electricity, this power station is well worth picking up while it's discounted.
Back in the day, the pinnacle of skincare was St. Ives Apricot Scrub. While we still have access to that miracle facial product, tech has made significant advancements in the world of beauty. We have hair dryers that don't cause heat damage, red-light masks for improving skin texture, and at-home hair-removal devices.
If you're looking to set up the ultimate at-home beauty and self-care salon, you've probably heard of Dreame. The brand offers a wide range of beauty-focused products (and excellent robot vacuums, too) that are much more affordable than some competing brands.
Just in time for back to school and fall health focus, Amazon has discounts across the board on Dreame beauty tech. Here are some of the best deals to shop today.
Best hair dryer deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame Pocket $84.95 at AmazonIf you're not one to splurge on the Dyson AirWrap, you have tons of dupe options that are much more affordable. While it comes with fewer accessories, the Dream Pocket is a great option if you're looking for portability. The dryer itself has a lightweight design that folds up nicely into the included travel pouch. The Dreame Pocket with a styling nozzle, diffuser nozzle, and case is on sale at Amazon for under $85 as of July 21.
Best red-light mask deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame Chrona Photon Anti-Aging Skincare Mask $224.99 at AmazonIf you've been looking for a red-light mask, you've noticed they tend to come with steep price tags. Thankfully, Amazon has the Dreame Chrona Photon Anti-Aging Skincare Mask on sale for under $225 today. That's a 25% discount off the list price at Dreame of $299.99.
The Dreame mask has five targeted light modes in a soft and flexible silicone mask that's designed for ultimate comfort. Of course, it comes with FDA clearance and it's SGS tested. The cordless design can get up to 90 minutes of use before needing to recharge.
Best hair removal device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame Astra IPL $314.10 at AmazonInstead of taking countless trips to the salon, get the Dreame Astrl IPL hair removal device, and do it all at home. Its highlights include 35J pro standard IPL energy, a 5.4 centimeter treatment window, and special cooling technology. Choose between 10 intensity levels or go with smart-glide mode for continuous pulses without the need to press a button.
At full price from Dreame, the Astrl IPL sells for $399.99 but Amazon has it on sale for $314.10.
Take a New York Minute to Review Your Recovery Plan Don Henley is right: everything can change in a New York...
I Lost all of my Photos In every disaster I have ever responded to from here to...
Boston's most important responders: Bostonians The people of Boston are to be congratulated for being...
3 Values Your Business Continuity Plan Should Have Your business lives with risk every day from competitors...
Take a New York Minute to Review Your Recovery Plan Don Henley is right: everything can change in a New York...
Digital Privacy: A Catch 22 Mobility, convenience, accessibility and real-...
3 Values Your Business Continuity Plan Should Have Your business lives with risk every day from competitors...
I Lost all of my Photos In every disaster I have ever responded to from here to...