Tim Hardwick
Tim is a Senior Editor at MacRumors and has been writing for the site since 2016. Formerly a magazine journalist, his work has appeared in over 30 newsstand print publications and online brands covering a range of topics, from the latest trends in technology to the mysteries of ancient history.
Based in the UK, Tim's current role at MacRumors involves editorial oversight and how tos, in addition to covering daily news and contributing occasional reviews. Tim can be reached at tim@macrumors.com, Telegram (@waxeditorial) or Twitter.
Based in the UK, Tim's current role at MacRumors involves editorial oversight and how tos, in addition to covering daily news and contributing occasional reviews. Tim can be reached at tim@macrumors.com, Telegram (@waxeditorial) or Twitter.
Tim Hardwick's Articles
Twitter Ends Threaded Conversations Tests After Negative User Feedback
This year, Twitter has been testing threaded replies for some iOS and web users, with the aim of making it easier to see how conversations evolve. However, it turns out the new-look, Reddit-style replies were actually more confusing for users of the typical conversation interface, and the company has decided to roll back the changes. Those who trialed the new layout for replies saw lines and ...
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Apple Could Be Forced to Include a Charger with Every iPhone Sold in Brazil
Apple will be required to include a power adapter with every iPhone sold in São Paulo, Brazil, the state's consumer protection agency has declared. The public agency Procon-SP contacted Apple in October and asked the company to explain why it was no longer providing charging accessories with its new iPhones. Apple responded by touting the environmental benefits of no longer including a...
Ecobee SmartCamera Firmware Update Adds HomeKit Secure Video Support
Ecobee has updated its SmartCamera to support Apple's HomeKit Secure Video, which allows the cameras to capture and store recordings securely in iCloud. The firmware update means SmartCamera owners have another option aside from Ecobee's $5-a-month subscription for video recording and movement notifications. With HomeKit Secure Video, video footage is encrypted and stored in iCloud...
Apple Launches Redesigned Accessibility Site and New Support Videos
Apple today is honoring International Day of Persons with Disabilities with a re-launch of its Accessibility site and a new collection of tutorial videos highlighting the accessibility features of its software. As spotted by iMore, the redesigned site is made up of four broad sections that showcase many of the accessibility features across Apple's product range, with new categories covering...
Vodafone Germany Provides Apple TV 4K With Every GigaTV Contract
Germany's largest TV provider Vodafone has announced that its GigaTV service is now available bundled with an Apple TV 4K, which is on loan to customers for the duration of their contractual period (via Macerkopf.de). Both new and existing Vodafone Deutschland customers will receive the Apple TV 4K, and Apple's single sign-on process for GigaTV extends to iPhone and iPad, allowing users to...
Google Authenticator iOS App Gains New Export Accounts Option
Google has updated its 2FA Authenticator app for iOS with a new account transfer feature that makes it much easier to transfer two-factor authentication codes to a new iPhone. 2FA adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts by requiring a randomly generated six-digit code after you've entered your password. Google's app generates codes for your accounts on the fly, but until now...
Multiple iPhone 12 Users Report Sudden Drops in 5G and LTE Cellular Coverage
Since Apple launched the iPhone 12 in October, an increasing number of users of the new smartphone have been reporting persistent drops in cellular coverage. Multiple reports of dropped 5G and LTE connectivity have appeared on Reddit, on Apple's support forums, and on the MacRumors forums, with many people suffering issues when walking or in transit and some seeing the same problem when...
How to Boot in Safe Mode on an Apple Silicon Powered Mac
Macs introduce a new system for accessing recovery and security options at startup. This article explains how to use the new boot and recovery interface to start up your computer in safe mode. What is Safe Mode? Starting up your Mac in safe mode can help you determine whether an issue you're experiencing is caused by the software that loads every time your Mac starts up. It does this by...
How to Install Rosetta on an Apple Silicon Powered Mac
Macs powered by Apple silicon, such as the MacBook Pro models featuring M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Pro Max chips, can run both iOS apps and Mac apps, but they can also run x86-64 software that's been built to work on Intel architecture, thanks to something called Rosetta 2. Rosetta 2 is the translation layer that enables a Mac with Apple silicon to use apps built for an Intel-based Mac. The...
Consumer Group Sues Apple in Belgium and Spain Over iPhone Throttling
An EU consumer advocacy group has filed class-action lawsuits against Apple in both Belgium and Spain for "unfair and misleading commercial practices" related to the iPhone performance management system it introduced in iOS 10.2.1 without informing customers. Brought by Euroconsumers, which describes itself as the "world's leading consumer cluster organization," the suits allege that the...
iOS 14.2 Quietly Added FaceTime 1080p Support to iPhone 8 and Later Models
Back in early November, Apple released iOS 14.2 and announced with it a slew of new features for iPhones, but one thing it didn't mention was the apparent addition of support for 1080p FaceTime calls on iPhone 8 and later devices. The little-known fact was discovered by MacMagazine, which found that Apple quietly updated the specs pages for devices like iPhone XR shortly after the release of ...
Spotify's Annual 'Wrapped' Feature Looks Back on Your 2020 Listening Habits
Spotify's annually hosted Wrapped experience went live today, offering subscribers a look back at their listening habits over the year. Delivered this year via the mobile app and in a Stories-style format, the company's year-in-review offers a microcosm of your listening over the last 11 months, including top songs, artists, genres, and podcasts. Users then move onto a short quiz where...
iOS Wi-Fi Exploit Could Have Let Hackers Remotely Access Nearby iPhones
Earlier this year, Apple patched an iOS vulnerability that potentially could have allowed hackers to remotely access a nearby iPhone and gain control of the entire device. Devised by Ian Beer, a researcher at Project Zero, Google's vulnerability research team, the exploit used a vulnerability in Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL), Apple's proprietary mesh networking protocol that enables...
How to Reinstall macOS on an M1 MacBook Air, M1 MacBook Pro, and M1 Mac Mini
If you experience issues running macOS Big Sur on your M1 MacBook Air, M1 MacBook Pro, or M1 Mac mini, or you want to start afresh with a new installation of the operating system, you'll need to boot into macOS Recovery, which is done slightly differently on Apple Silicon Macs compared to Intel machines. Keep reading to learn how to start up in macOS Recovery and reinstall macOS 11 Big Sur on ...
How to Transfer Files Between an Apple Silicon Mac and Another Mac
If you have a newer Apple Silicon Mac and an older Intel Mac lying around, you can connect the two using Sharing Mode, so that the older Mac appears as an external hard disk to your new machine. Sharing Mode on Apple Silicon Macs replaces the older Target Disk Mode found on Intel Macs, and can be used similarly to transfer data between two Macs. Mac Sharing Mode turns the system into an SMB...
How to Use Apple Diagnostics to Test Your Mac
Formerly known as Apple Hardware Test, Apple Diagnostics is a system-integrated feature on newer Macs running macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey that can check your Mac for hardware issues. This article explains how to use it on Apple silicon Macs and Intel Macs. If you think your Mac has a hardware problem, you can use Apple Diagnostics to help you determine which hardware component might be ...
How to Adjust or Disable Font Smoothing in macOS Big Sur
If you recently installed macOS Big Sur and you're wondering why the text looks blurry on your display, it could be because font smoothing is enabled by default. This article shows you how to disable it with a simple Terminal command. Before macOS 11 Big Sur came along, Apple offered the ability to disable font smoothing in the General tab of System Preferences. Unfortunately for some,...
Swiss Apple Reseller Suggests MagSafe Duo Charger Launches This Month
When Apple revealed the MagSafe Charger for iPhone 12 in October, it also announced a MagSafe Duo Charger that would be coming in the future, but it didn't specify a release date. However, a Swiss Apple authorized reseller claims the MagSafe Duo Charger will officially launch as soon as this month. Digitec Galaxus is a popular store in Switzerland and is allowing customers to pre-order the...
WhatsApp Update Adds Custom Wallpapers for Individual Chats, Sticker Search, and More
WhatsApp has released a major update to its iPhone app that brings unlimited custom wallpapers to individuals chats for the first time. The new ability to set custom wallpapers for different chats is an effort to make it easier for users to distinguish and identify them in the blink of an eye. WhatsApp says there's no limit on the number of custom wallpapers users can assign to different...
Apple Expands Partnership With (RED) to Combat HIV/AIDS and COVID-19
This World AIDS Day, Apple has announced an expanded partnership with (RED) to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa while simultaneously protecting those communities from COVID-19. Apple says it will direct 100 percent of eligible proceeds from (PRODUCT)RED purchases to the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response to help provide services and treatment to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. In...
