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With TSA rolling out Digital ID verification at several airports across the country, now is an excellent time to set up your State ID on your Android device. A Digital ID, if you’re not familiar, simply involves uploading your personal identification documents, such as a state-issued ID, to platforms like Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet. It’s still advisable to carry a physical ID when traveling, but the digital version makes it faster to pass through checkpoints. Since most new Android phones have Google Wallet pre-installed, it’s the ideal option to set up your ID. That said, the feature is currently available in select states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, and North Dakota.
To create your ID, open Google Wallet and tap the blue Plus icon in the bottom right corner. Select ID > Driver’s license or state ID > Your current state of residence > Get started. You must take photos of the front and back of your physical state-issued ID and a video of your face for verification. It’s not the same as what TSA’s facial scan actually does, but more like a simpler version. Situate yourself in a well-lit room or environment, and pick a neutral surface — like a plain white or black countertop or table — to place your ID on. Once the media is uploaded, it can take a few minutes for the information to be reviewed and verified by your state’s transportation department.

You can also add a passport to Google Wallet

Solstock/Getty Images

If you’re not in one of the supported states, you can still add your passport to your Google Wallet and use it for the ID verification process. To add your passport to Google Wallet, you can pretty much follow the same steps. Open Google Wallet, tap the blue Plus icon in the bottom right corner, and select ID > ID pass > United States > Get started. These advanced screening technologies can help trim down airport lines significantly, maybe even making them a problem of the past. With digital IDs, you can scan your information at a checkpoint quickly and pass through without having to deal with agents, which saves time.
Notably, your ID pass is not the same as a Digital ID created using your state-issued identification; it’s merely a digital copy of your passport. This form of digital verification only works in the U.S. and the U.K., and is intended for domestic travel only. It’s also worth noting that it may not be available at all airports yet. Either way, it’s a solid alternative to get you through security checkpoints faster.

Google Pixel Watch 4 Upgrades
(Photo: Brent Rose)
Sleek Hardware and Stunning Display
Let’s start with the good news. The Pixel Watch 4’s hardware is beautiful, the screen is stunning, battery life and charging times are much improved, and it now includes satellite SOS emergency capabilities. It’s also smarter than ever, with a better AI assistant than we’ve ever seen on a watch (with some caveats).
The Pixel Watch 4 comes in two sizes—45mm (tested, $400), and 41mm ($350) for smaller wrists. Each comes with small and large silicone bands, plus a new stand-style charger.
The first thing Pixel Watch lovers will notice is the new Actua 360 Domed Display. Not only is the glass domed, but the screen beneath it is too, creating a subtle 3D effect. Combined with Google’s new Material 3 Expressive UI—featuring fluid animations, bubbles, and customizable watch faces—the watch feels lively and approachable.
You’ll also get 10% more screen area and 16% smaller bezels compared to the Pixel Watch 3, and the display now reaches a dazzling 3,000 nits of brightness. Text is easier to read, and workout stats are visible even in bright sunlight.
Finally, Good Battery Life
Battery life is now (finally) solid. Google claims 30 hours for the 41mm and 40 hours for the 45mm model, with Battery Saver Mode extending that to two or three days, respectively. This comes thanks to larger batteries, a smarter adaptive refresh rate (1–60Hz), Wear OS 6 optimizations, and a more efficient Snapdragon chip.
In testing, the 45mm model actually exceeded Google’s estimates—lasting just over 48 hours with the Always-On Display enabled. GPS use shortens runtime, but even with tracking, it averaged around 36 hours.
Connectivity and Safety
The Pixel Watch 4 now features dual-band GPS for more accurate tracking, especially in challenging environments. Its 4G LTE support allows you to send and receive calls and texts from your usual number—even without your phone. You can stream music, get directions, and interact with Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, completely phone-free.
New this year is Satellite SOS, for emergencies when you’re off-grid. If you’re injured or in danger, the watch can contact emergency services via satellite. It also includes fall detection and an experimental loss-of-pulse feature that can automatically call for help.
However, LTE reliability was inconsistent during testing; some messages refused to send until the watch was rebooted. Google has acknowledged the issue and is investigating.
Works Best with Pixel Phones
While the Pixel Watch 4 pairs with most Android phones, it works best with a Pixel, where features are most deeply integrated. Tested alongside the new Pixel 10 Pro, the two make a fantastic pair, especially with the phone’s stellar camera, long battery life, and built-in satellite texting.
(Photo: Brent Rose)
Faster Charging and Improved Dock
The new charging dock is a major step up. The magnetic stand snaps the watch into place on its side, turning it into a desktop clock while charging. It also charges impressively fast—from 20 percent to 96 percent in just 20 minutes.
One small gripe: the dock has a built-in cable instead of a detachable USB-C connection, making it trickier to pack or replace. It’s also still a proprietary charger (the third one in just four Pixel Watch generations) and doesn’t support standard wireless chargers like the Apple Watch.
Health Tracking and Fitbit Integration
This is Google’s second smartwatch since acquiring Fitbit, and the integration is finally starting to feel cohesive. Step counting, sleep tracking, and automatic activity tracking are all improved. If you start walking or running without hitting “start,” the watch will detect it and retroactively log your workout. You can also manually track 52 different activities.
Later this month, Google plans to launch a Gemini-powered AI fitness coach integrated into a redesigned Fitbit app. It promises personalized, adaptive training plans that adjust in real time based on your activity, recovery, or schedule. It will be available to Fitbit Premium subscribers ($10/month or $80/year), with six months free for new users.

Weaknesses of the Google Pixel 4 Watch
(Photo: Brent Rose)
Gemini AI: Smarter, but Not Perfect
This is the first Pixel Watch with Gemini, Google’s new AI assistant. It’s far better than Google Assistant or Siri, though still imperfect. Gemini occasionally mishears commands or fails without a strong LTE or phone connection.
Still, it’s by far the most capable watch assistant to date. It can start or stop activities, control music, send texts, answer questions, and even explain first-aid steps—all hands-free. You can activate it via the top button, “Hey Google,” or by lifting your wrist (though gesture detection is inconsistent). Gemini can also learn from context, for example, remembering what you mean by “Start Recorder” after you correct it once.
Still Weak on Sports and Outdoor Features
Here’s the biggest miss: sports and activity tracking remain limited and frustratingly uncustomizable. Running, one of the most common modes of activity tracking, offers just two data screens: Key Metrics (Distance, Time, Heart Rate, Pace) and HR Zone. You can’t add more screens or view a live map—despite Google literally making Google Maps.
The same limitations affect hiking, surfing, and other activities. You can’t adjust data fields mid-activity, and swimming—while improved—still lacks stroke recognition and offers weak haptic feedback when goals are met. These issues have persisted since the Pixel Watch 3, and Google has yet to fix them.
One win for the outdoors crowds: The Pixel 4 is now repairable, either by you via repair kits or by sending it to Google. That’s a big win for those of us who are rough on watches.
Small Software Inconsistencies
Some rough edges remain: Gemini’s voice changes mid-run to a robotic tone, music playback doesn’t pause during voice notes, and Bluetooth mic selection can be inconsistent with Pixel Buds Pro 2. These little disconnects keep the watch from feeling fully polished.
Verdict: The Best Android Smartwatch To Date, But Not Yet Great
Overall, the Pixel Watch 4 is excellent—and easily the best smartwatch for Android users. It’s stylish, responsive, and packed with smart features and reliable health tracking. But it still lags behind true sports and outdoor watches in customization, mapping, and workout functionality.
If Google finally addresses those gaps, the Pixel Watch could go from “very good” to “great.”

Mashable Light Speed

Another AI-driven button next to “Understand” is “Ask,” which suggests further queries helpful to any language learner. The app is able to use the translated phrase in a sentence, and it can tell you whether the usage is formal or informal. In other words, Google Translate may soon be able to provide the kind of context any language teacher will tell you is crucial for true understanding.
SEE ALSO:

Google Translate is using AI to help users learn languages

The two experimental AI buttons, which are not yet confirmed as an upcoming feature, replace a single button that allowed Android users to “ask a follow up.” Even that button doesn’t yet exist in the iOS version, so iPhone users might have to wait a while to see this feature if they ever get it at all. At least the iOS version was the first to get larger, clearer text, which has only just been added to the Android version.
Adding more “understanding” to Google Translate seems in line with the company’s stated plans to make the app more educational. This summer, Google announced Duolingo-style “language practice sessions” would be rolling out in beta form to Android and iOS users — starting with English-speaking users who want to learn Spanish. “We’re going far beyond simple language-to-language translation,” wrote Google Translate product manager Matt Sheets. Based on user feedback, Sheets said, the app now aims to help you “listen and speak with confidence on the topics you care about.” Adding more context-rich “understanding” would certainly boost that confidence. But whether these features are enough for Google to compete with Duolingo’s far more intensive language courses remains, for now, in the untranslatable future.

In just under two years, Adobe Firefly has revolutionized the creative industry and generated more than 22 billion assets worldwide. Today at Adobe MAX London, we’re unveiling the latest release of Firefly, which unifies AI-powered tools for image, video, audio, and vector generation into a single, cohesive platform and introduces many new capabilities.
The new Firefly features enhanced models, improved ideation capabilities, expanded creative options, and unprecedented control. This update builds on earlier momentum when we introduced the Firefly web app and expanded into video and audio with Generate Video, Translate Video, and Translate Audio features.
Originally launched as an image generation tool, Firefly has evolved into the ultimate creative AI solution, designed to be commercially safe from the ground up. Leading brands, including Deloitte, Tapestry, Paramount+, and Pepsi, have harnessed Firefly to streamline workflows and scale content production, resulting in faster time-to-market, better performing campaigns, and innovative, personalized experiences. Integration with professional tools like Photoshop web and Premiere Pro, along with persistent access to your history of generated content, allows you to efficiently transform concepts into finished assets across your favorite Creative Cloud applications.
With the debut of the new Firefly mobile app, coming soon to both iOS and Android, you can now transform ideas into stunning visuals with just a few taps, anywhere you go.

Coming soon, the new Adobe Firefly mobile app

Never let inspiration wait. With the Adobe Firefly mobile app, you will be able to generate amazing images and videos on the go, right from your iOS or Android device.
Whether you’re sketching out your next big idea or refining a design on the fly, the mobile app offers professional-grade, commercially safe content creation wherever you are. With advanced creative controls and seamless integration with Creative Cloud, you can start a project on your mobile device and pick up right where you left off on your desktop.
The Adobe Firefly mobile app is designed to keep up with your creative rhythm, ensuring that whenever inspiration strikes, you’re ready to generate eye-catching content anywhere, anytime.
The all-new Firefly mobile app will be available soon for both iOS and Android devices.
Push creative boundaries with the latest Firefly models
The latest Firefly release sets a new standard for visual content generation, with Firefly Image Model 4 delivering unmatched definition and realism for high-resolution images, while the Firefly Video Model enables dynamic, commercially safe video creation.
Introducing Image Model 4

Designed specifically for creative professionals who want the highest level of control with creative AI, Adobe Firefly’s Image Model 4 and Image Model 4 Ultra, generate stunning images with unprecedented accuracy. The latest models deliver significant improvements over Image Model 3, with enhanced prompt fidelity. Firefly now renders people, animals, and architectural elements with exceptional precision, clarity, and realism.
Image Model 4 — Ideal for rapid ideation and everyday creative needs, Image Model 4 excels at generating high-quality images quickly and efficiently. It’s perfect for creating simple illustrations, icons, and basic photo objects, covering 90 percent of typical creative requirements quickly and inexpensively.
Image Model 4 Ultra — When your projects demand more detail and realism, Image Model 4 Ultra is your go-to. This model shines in rendering photorealistic scenes, human portraits, and small groups, ensuring they look natural and lifelike. It’s designed for highly complex needs, when precision and clarity are paramount.
With the addition of Image Model 4 Ultra, the complete Image Model 4 collection gives creative professionals the flexibility to choose the perfect model for their distinct needs: rapid ideation or complexly rendered final assets. With the advanced Text to Image controls, you can apply aesthetic filters, select specific styles, and match compositions precisely — giving you complete creative customization power. This ensures that whether you’re exploring ideas or polishing a project, your workflow is always optimized based on your immediate goals.
This release of Firefly includes exciting new image generation features and enhancements that make the power of Image Model 4 accessible to creators of all levels.
Portraits:

Left: Prompt: Hyper-realistic, an Asian woman in her mid 40s with a couple age lines, hand to her face, in front of an oval framed mirror on the wall. She is looking at a reflection of herself the reflection is her with smoother skin and she looks happy. Right: Prompt: An award-winning photo of a stylishly dressed elderly woman wearing very large glasses, highly detailed features.

Left: Prompt: Portrait of older man with hope in his eyes. Right: Prompt: An African American man wearing a magenta beanie, standing at a crosswalk wearing a bright jacket, city in background.

Left: Prompt: A group of elderly friends enjoying nature, hiking and sharing laughter over a comic joke while trekking through the forest. Right: Prompt: A portrait of children enjoying their summer holiday while playing games outside with big smiles on their faces, surrounded by nature.

Animals:

Left: Prompt: A polar bear on ice in the early morning light with warm sunlight from the side. Right: Prompt: A herd of elephants gathered at a watering hole in a dense African forest. Soft, diffused light filters through the canopy, casting gentle shadows. Wide shot from a slightly elevated angle, capturing the elephants interacting and the lush surroundings. The mood is peaceful and familial, emphasizing the bond and social nature of elephants.

Architecture:

Left: Prompt: Architectural magazine image of a very modern building beside a pond. Right: Prompt: A luxury, modern two-story cabin deep in a secluded forest, glowing warmly against a dark sky.

Text for Commercial Imagery:

Prompt: A striking, high-contrast cinematic photo-style vertical collage that captures the essence of New York City. Each letter of ‘NEW YORK CITY’ is represented by a dynamic and vibrant scene, with different iconic landmarks and moments in time. The Empire State Building and Times Square dominate the background, while smaller scenes like bustling street life, yellow cabs, and people in various activities fill the foreground. The overall mood is energetic and lively, with an emphasis on the city’s vibrant spirit. The typography is bold and eye-catching, making the collage a stunning visual representation of New York City.

2D & 3D Illustrations:

Left: Prompt: Vector flat seamless border art background with mountains and lake in winter. Landscape banner in blue tones for art decorations, print for décor. Right: Prompt: Hot air balloon.

Left: Prompt: Cute glossy red bird, made with Image Model 4. Right: Prompt: 3d vector illustration of garden with a chibi cat lounging in sun.

Create clips in a click with Firefly Video Model
Creativity in motion takes on a whole new meaning with our commercially safe Firefly Video Model. Now officially out of beta, this commercially safe model powers Generate Video and enables you to create entirely new video clips to quickly and effortlessly communicate your creative intent. The Firefly Video Model delivers significant improvements over the beta version in photorealism, producing highly detailed and realistic videos. It also enhances text rendering, landscapes, visual and transition effects.
Aerial Footage:

Prompt: Slow tracking aerial wide shot of a river gorge surrounded by rocks on either side.

Prompt: Aerial slow tracking shot of the pyramids of Egypt, cinematic.

Humans:

Prompt: Cinematic closeup shot of an adorable toddler looking out of a window, her face full of childlike wonder. The lighting is gorgeous and sun-kissed, with dappled lighting on her face and a strong sunny backlight. Diffusion and light blooming, subtly blurring the edges of the scene. The color grade dreamy, sunny, warm. dreamy bokeh. Movement is subtle and soft and slow-motion. shot on film. Rainbow chromatic lens flare. Sunlight filters gently through the window, creating a delicate and ethereal atmosphere.

Prompt: The man looks out into the distance pensively.

Visual Effects:

Prompt: Slow explosion of fire against a plain black screen.

Text Rendering:

Prompt: The word -F I R E F L Y- in solid gold letters against a solid black backdrop grows green.

Claymation & Animation:

Prompt: 2.5D claymation old couple looks lovingly at each other on a couch while more hearts appear.

Prompt: Warrior princess looks at the camera once more before she turns away, hair flowing in the wind.

With the Firefly Video Model, you can generate stunning new video content up to 5 seconds long with simple text or image prompts, easily transition from text to image to video, or upload start and end frames to guide your video generation. Whether you need dynamic b-roll to fill gaps, engaging new elements for an existing shot, or entirely fresh video content, our advanced video capabilities are designed to integrate seamlessly into your workflow. With support for multiple resolutions up to 1080p, aspect ratios including 16:9, 9:16, and the brand-new 1:1, along with industry-leading camera controls, the Firefly Video Model ensures your story is told with perfect precision.
Image to Video generations now retain more detail from the original image. Users can preserve intricate textures, subtle color gradients and fine design elements throughout the generation process, creating a seamless transition from static image to dynamic video.
Transition Effects: Using simple black images for starting and ending keyframes, you can generate transition effects with Firefly Video Model. Take a look at the examples below.

For our Firefly Premium plan members, we are now offering unlimited access to our Firefly Video Model across Firefly applications. Experience the power to transform your creative vision into stunning videos without limitations, empowering you to bring your most ambitious projects to life with professional-quality results at your fingertips.

This release also introduces a suite of innovative new modules, designed to enhance your creative workflow:
Text to Vector

Quickly and easily generate a wide array of fully editable vector graphics — from icons to intricate patterns — using simple text prompts. This module accelerates your design workflow; use it to jump-start your next project or generate new graphics based on your style.
Iterate quickly on logo designs, create unique illustrations for social media campaigns, or develop custom patterns that align perfectly with your brand’s aesthetic. With Text to Vector, you can effortlessly experiment with different styles and variations, streamlining the process of generating high-quality graphics that reflect your unique creative vision.
Firefly in all your favorite Creative Cloud Apps
No matter where you start a project, Firefly is connected and accessible anywhere you are so you can move from ideation to production faster. Easily access your generation history for images and video in Firefly to pick up where you left off or export directly into Photoshop Web and Express — perfect for enhancing presentations with dynamic elements, creating engaging social media content, and streamlining your creative workflow across multiple platforms.
Jump-start your creative ideas with Firefly Boards

We all know that creative work today comes with tighter deadlines and a faster pace. Getting everyone on the same page before jumping into production can be tough. That’s why we’re excited to introduce Firefly Boards, formerly known as Project Concept. Now a part of the Firefly web application, Boards is a multi-player canvas with a generative-first approach to concept development and exploration.
With Boards (beta), you can quickly bring your ideas to life, confidently shape your creative vision, and refine everything in one place before seamlessly moving to production.
Here are three great ways you can use Boards:

Mood Boarding: Create mood boards and concept presentations in the same space, exploring different creative directions with ease.
Storyboarding: The infinite canvas gives you as much or as little structure as you need, making it perfect for all kinds of visual storytelling.
Creative Brainstorming: Arrange your content on artboards for easy sharing and collaboration with your team, clients, and stakeholders. Visually explore a variety of ideas and refine them together.

This dynamic, multi-player environment is designed to keep the collaboration flowing and ensure that inspiration never stops.
Diversify your creative options with non-Adobe AI Models
In response to community feedback, we’re excited to integrate non-Adobe AI models directly into our Creative Cloud ecosystem.
Now, alongside our own Firefly models, which are commercially safe and IP-friendly for production use, you can choose from a diverse range of specialized, non-Adobe models — starting with Google Imagen3 and Veo2, OpenAI GPT image generation, and Black Forest Labs Flux 1.1 Pro. We are also working with a number of other models that you will see in products in the coming months like fal.ai, Runway, Pika, Luma, and Ideogram.
Every generative AI model has a distinct aesthetic and we want to give users more choice and flexibility, especially during the concept phase, to use the right model for their project needs. Whether you need the impeccable quality and commercial safety of Adobe’s models or the unique capabilities and aesthetic styles of the non-Adobe models, you can effortlessly compare outputs to find the ideal style for your creative needs.
We’re making these models directly available in our creative apps, starting with Firefly. If you decide to use a non-Adobe model, switching will be seamless and we’ll always be transparent about which model you’re using. Content Credentials will be attached to all AI-generated content, ensuring transparency and trust. No matter which model you choose, you can always see whether it was created with Firefly or a non-Adobe model with Content Credentials.
Our commitment to responsible AI innovation
Adobe’s view is that AI is a tool for, not a replacement of, human creativity. We believe that generative AI can be developed responsibly, starting with respect for creators’ rights. Our approach to our commercially safe family of Adobe Firefly generative AI models is driven by our roots in the creative community and our respect for creators.
Ready, set, create
Whether you’re creating high-resolution images, dynamic videos, or interactive vector art, the latest Firefly release gives you unprecedented creative control and flexibility. Our innovative enhancements and new features empower everyone, regardless of skill level, to produce breathtaking visuals — anytime, anywhere.
Dive into Firefly today with our Firefly user guide that takes you from zero to creating in minutes! Master the art of perfect prompts for video generation with our field-tested best practices that will dramatically improve your results. Want to see it all in action? Our step-by-step tutorials show you exactly how to bring your creative visions to life.
And there’s even more to look forward to. We’re constantly improving our models and rolling out new innovations. We’d love to hear how you’re using Firefly and the impact it’s having on your creative workflows. Join us on Discord to help shape the future of creative AI.

Summary

At Adobe Max London 2025, Adobe announced that its adding a bunch of new AI-powered features to its content-creation app, Adobe Express.

Adobe Express now includes powerful AI-driven tools like Generate Video, Clip Maker, Dynamic Animation, and Generate Similar.

You can start projects in Express and seamlessly continue editing in other Adobe apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Lightroom.

The biggest issue with most Adobe tools isn’t the price. Instead, it’s the steep learning curve you need to overcome before you can actually use the tools without getting lost in menus. For instance, Adobe Photoshop is undoubtedly one of the best image-editing applications out there, but it’s primarily aimed at professional photographers and editors rather than novice users.
Adobe solved this in 2021 by launching Adobe Express, an all-in-one cloud-based content creation tool. From creators pumping out Instagram Reels and TikToks to students building yet another presentation for their economics class, Express caters to anyone who needs powerful creative tools without wanting to spend hours learning their way around an app’s complicated interface.

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6 ways Adobe Express transforms your creativity on your smartphone

Adobe Express makes creating content easy from your phone

Since its debut, Adobe has constantly added new features to Express to make content creation even faster for the average user, unsurprisingly, including a slew of AI-powered tools. Today, at its annual creativity conference, Adobe Max London 2025, the company announced a host of new AI-driven image and video editing features for Express. While there are plenty of exciting additions, the Generate Video feature is the one we’re most looking forward to.

Source: Adobe

Editing just got a whole lot easier with Adobe Express’s latest features

Adobe isn’t new to the AI video generation world. The company first showcased its AI Video Generator, powered by the Firefly Video model, at Adobe Max 2025, and released it to the public in February 2025. Similar to OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo 2 in Gemini Advanced, the Generate Video feature lets users create unique and commercially safe video content using descriptive text prompts.
While you could previously access the Generate Video tool through the Firefly web app or Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe is now adding it to Express as well. So, if you’re ever running low on inspiration or simply blanking on where to start, the Video Generator tool is a great way to hit the ground running.

AI video generation isn’t the only feature coming to Express, though. If you frequently post videos on social media apps, one of the best ways to increase engagement and build anticipation before uploading a full video is to post short snippets in the days leading up to your final post.
Traditionally, you’ve always needed to go through the hassle of manually splitting longer videos into shorter, snappier clips that build curiosity and hype. Adobe Express’s Clip Maker can help save you all this manual work and automate the entire process. The feature uses AI to turn long-form video footage, like podcasts, interviews, and demos, into social-length, shareable clips optimized for different platforms. If you’d like to breathe some life into a static image, Adobe Express’s new Dynamic Animation feature lets you add “playful, natural motion” to it with just a single click.
I’ve always been a huge fan of following a consistent theme for my Instagram feed. If you’re anything like me, you probably know how much of a struggle it can be to maintain a cohesive aesthetic and actually come up with images that’ll match it. Express’s Generate Similar feature aims to solve that, giving you the ability to create an entire cohesive collection based on a single image that follows your chosen theme, all within seconds.

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How to use Adobe Firefly AI tools on your Android phone

Access Adobe AI tools for free from your Android phone

All of these AI-powered features use Adobe Firefly, which is commercially safe and trained exclusively on Adobe Stock, licensed, and public domain content. This ensures you can use any content generated with it without worrying about receiving a terrifying legal notice!
Since Adobe Express is a companion app to Creative Cloud, it integrates seamlessly with other Adobe apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom. This means you can start editing in Express and easily continue your work in another Adobe app. All of these features are available starting today in Adobe Express.

I find myself with one over-arching thought: the iPhone 16e is being measured against other iPhones rather than the broader market. Within its press release, Tim Cook and his team are literally comparing Apples to Apples.

Selling To The iPhone 16e Community
There is some logic to that decision. If consumers are already part of Apple’s ecosystem—be it through music subscriptions, purchased apps, or data on Apple’s cloud-based servers— the bar is high if they want to switch away to Android. While not a captive audience, it’s certainly one with a significant attachment. Selling them another iPhone, a newer and better iPhone, either for themselves or for them to help introduce a family or friends into their world (which is Apple’s world) will be one of the key roles the iPhone 16e plays.

It works the other way as well; the Android ecosystem has just as much lock-in, but on that side there are multiple manufacturers constantly iterating and improving the platform so there is less of a single dominant viewpoint that must be accepted. How the iPhone 16e addresses them is for another time. For now, Apple’s focus is on selling to the converted.

The iPhone 16e Battery
If there’s one area where the iPhone SE always fell short, it is the size and endurance of the battery. Going back to 2016’s original, the first iPhone SE barely made it to the end of the working day without a top-up. It was a compromise many were happy to make for the fashionable smaller iPhone. Nine years later, all-day battery life is the bare minimum for even a mid-range phone.

Thankfully, “iPhone 16e has the best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone, lasting up to six hours longer than iPhone 11.” There’s a nice sleight of hand here that glosses over how much the battery life is improved over the iPhone 16. Instead, the numerical comparison goes to a smartphone that is six years old. I would expect a significantly better life for the battery over that timescale.

The iPhone 16e Modem
Part of that extended battery life comes from the tighter integration between software and hardware. Apple only needs to code iOS to work with the iPhone so it can hard code for its own Axx processors, and conversely, the Axx hardware can be designed with silicon specifically for iOS to access.

The same is now true of the modem. Previously, Apple was locked into using Qualcomm hardware. The iPhone 16e will be Apple’s first homegrown modem running Apple Silicon. The C-series of modems will play an increasingly important role in Apple’s hardware; for now, it’s vital that Apple emphasise the C1 modem’s difference.
How is it doing that? By pointing out that the C1 is “the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity.” The comparison here is again restricted to the iPhone, with the natural advantages of an Apple modem designed for one single phone rather than Qualcomm’s universal modem with its extra compatibility on a per-manufacturer basis. Given that, I would expect it to be more power-efficient. But how much more power efficient?
The iPhone 16e Silicon
Apple is also taking the time to reiterate the advantages of its silicon in the A18 chipset and its performance benefits. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the benchmark is not the A17-powered handsets launched in 2023 but back once more to the older iPhone 11 model and the A13 Bionic chipset.
“iPhone 16e is powered by Apple’s latest-generation A18 chip… The 6-core CPU is up to 80 percent faster than the A13 Bionic chip on iPhone 11.. the 16-core Neural Engine is optimized for large generative models and runs machine learning (ML) models up to 6x faster than A13 Bionic.”
The iPhone 16e Comparison
I’m still trying to work out why Apple has decided that the iPhone 11 is the best comparison for the iPhone 16e. 2022’s iPhone SE feels like the obvious choice, but there’s an argument that Apple wants to make a clean break between the SE and the e. The last SE was built around the iPhone 13, so there’s a stronger argument that consumers would be best served with that comparison. Going back nearly six years to the iPhone 11 allows the marketing to post some significant figures to show how advanced the iPhone 16e is.
Once the iPhone 16e goes on general sale on February 28, it will be possible to benchmark the new hardware against the Android-powered competition. Until then, we have Apple’s press release on how the iPhone 16e joins the rest of the iPhone 16 family.
To paraphrase a great man, “Apple will give it to you straight, like an apple cider that’s made from 100 percent apples.”
Now read how the iPhone 16e (née SE) can change the smartphone world…