Entertainment
Nearly a quarter of iPhone users say green bubbles are a dating dealbreaker, new survey reveals
If you’re an Android user, and you’ve been sensing some deep tensions between yourself and iPhone users, you may not be imagining it. According to a new survey conducted by All About Cookies, some iPhone users “think less” of others represented as a green bubble while texting, which often depicts Android users.
Conversely, a notable number of Android users have considered switching to iPhone. Not necessarily because they believe that it’s a better device, but because they’ve felt pressured or ridiculed into making the change.
For this study, All About Cookies surveyed 1,000 anonymous adults in July 2024 via Pollfish, a market research survey tool.
iPhone users: How do they really feel about Android owners?
Among the iPhone users surveyed in the study, nearly a quarter — 22 percent — admit that they look down on users that send “non-iMessage texts” (e.g., Android users). However, 78 percent of iPhone-owning participants say they don’t feel superior to green-bubble senders.
Survey results based on 1,000 participants
Credit: All About Cookies
Interestingly, 23 percent of iPhone users get turned off when they discover that a potential love interest comes up as a green bubble in their first text conversation, calling it a “dealbreaker.”
Credit: All About Cookies
The survey looked at how male and female participants differed in their responses. One question asked, “Would it be a dealbreaker for someone you were interested in to use a non-Apple phone?” Thirty-one percent of men said yes; 16 percent of women said the same.
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Android users felt marginalized, according to survey
The survey discovered that 52 percent of Android users were “made fun of at some point” by iPhone users for their mobile device; 36 percent said they were “negatively judged.” Twenty-six percent confessed to feeling embarrassed about their Android device.
Additionally, 30 percent of Android users considered switching due to peer pressure, the survey revealed.
Android, iPhone users seek other apps for better cross-platform experiences
While there’s some friction between Android and iPhone users, the survey found that both camps are seek equal footing by exploring more seamless messaging platforms (e.g., WhatsApp).
Forty-two percent said yes when asked, “Have you ever switched to a third-party messaging app to accommodate non-iOS users?”
While Apple hasn’t shown any indication that it will drop the green bubbles any time soon, the Cupertino-based tech giant now supports RCS messaging (also known as Rich Communication Services) in Messages with the launch of iOS 18.
Without RCS Messaging support, Android and iPhone users experienced some foibles while messaging each other. For example, videos and pictures appeared blurry and low-quality due to heavy media compression. Plus, there are no read receipts nor typing indicators. However, as mentioned, that is now changing with iOS 18.
Expect higher-quality media sharing and other modern messaging features between iPhone and Android users, thanks to iOS 18. The only thing that won’t be featured with iPhone-supported RCS is end-to-end encryption, though the GSM Association (Global System for Mobile Communications), which is at the helm of the RCS standard, is working to bring end-to-end encryption to both mobile operating systems.
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for April 19, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re constantly changing.
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.
By 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.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Small change
The words are related to changes.
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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe fine-tuning.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is There I Fixed It.
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NYT Strands word list for April 19
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There I Fixed It
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Adjust
-
Modify
-
Alter
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Improve
-
Tweak
-
Refine
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.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 19, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you can never sit down.
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.
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.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
To rise.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
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Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
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…
STAND
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.
Entertainment
Hurdle hints and answers for April 19, 2026
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.
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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.
Hurdle Word 1 hint
The edge.
Hurdle Word 1 answer
BRINK
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Hurdle Word 2 hint
Moody.
Hurdle Word 2 Answer
POUTY
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Hurdle Word 3 hint
America’s bird.
Hurdle Word 3 answer
EAGLE
Hurdle Word 4 hint
A platform.
Hurdle Word 4 answer
FORUM
Final Hurdle hint
Cheapskate.
Hurdle Word 5 answer
MISER
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
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NYT Strands hints, answers for April 19, 2026
