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
WhatsApp Rolls Out Voice Chats for Large Groups
WhatsApp is rolling out a new voice chats feature in groups that lets users start voice calls without disturbing everyone in the group. Previously in WhatsApp group chats, the only option was to start a voice call, which rings every member in the group. If no-one joins, the call doesn't go ahead. In contrast, voice chats can be initiated in a group without anyone joining, and users are...
Read Full Article • 17 comments
iPhone 14 Users Get Free Emergency SOS via Satellite for Another Year
Apple today announced that its Emergency SOS via satellite service is being extended for an additional free year for existing iPhone 14 users. Apple originally gave new iPhone 14 owners two free years after device activation, which would have expired in November 2024. Emergency SOS via Satellite is now free for two more years starting today or at the time of activation of any iPhone 14...
How to Get Live Sports Scores on Your iPhone Lock Screen
iPhones running iOS 16 or later include a feature called Live Activities that you can use to follow sports scores in real time on your Lock Screen, so you don't miss a thing. Keep reading to learn how it works. Introduced in iOS 16, Live Activities are lingering interactive notifications that provide real-time updating information directly on an iPhone's Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island ...
iPhone 16 May Feature More Power-Efficient Samsung OLED Display
Next year's iPhone 16 could feature a more power-efficient display thanks to a new OLED material set that is reportedly being developed by Samsung specifically for Apple. A material set includes a variety of components for OLED screens, such as capping layers (CPL), which adjust the optical characteristics of the screen. Each component is produced by a specialist manufacturer and supplied to ...
Delete Your Threads Profile and Stay on Instagram - Here's How
When Meta launched Threads in July, one of the complaints users had about the platform was that it was impossible to delete your Threads profile without also deleting your Instagram account. Up until now, the only alternative was to "temporarily" deactivate your Threads profile. This option makes your posts and interactions with others invisible on the platform, but it leaves your posts on ...
14 macOS Tips to Make Your Life Easier
One of the neat things about using a Mac is that macOS features various levels of interaction and customization, but many of us only ever scratch the surface of what's possible. If you regularly perform certain actions on your Mac, often there's another way of doing it that's easier, only it's not so obvious unless someone points it out to you. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for ...
Apple Launches Tap to Pay on iPhone in France
Apple has announced Tap to Pay on iPhone in France, allowing independent sellers, small merchants, and large retailers in the country to use iPhones as a payment terminal. Tap to Pay first arrived in February 2022 in the US, and allows iPhones to accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets. All transactions are encrypted, and...
All the Hardware Apple Still Sells With a Lightning Port
Apple introduced the Lightning port in September 2012 with the launch of the iPhone 5. The connector was a significant change from the previous 30-pin connector used in Apple devices, offering a smaller, more efficient connection that could be inserted either way up, enhancing ease of use. In September 2023, over a decade later, Apple caught up with the rest of the industry and removed the...
AI-Infused iOS 18 Lauded as 'Ambitious and Compelling' by Apple Execs
Apple internally believes its iOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11, and tvOS 18 updates next year will be "ambitious and compelling," thanks to major new software features and designs in the works for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac. That's according to the latest information relayed by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. While little is known about the specifics, many of the changes are...
Apple Wi-Fi 6E Support: What iPhone and Mac Users Need to Know
Wi-Fi 6E, the latest advancement in Wi-Fi technology, offers several benefits when enabled on your iPhone or Mac, but it can also cause problems. This article explains what Wi-Fi 6E is, which Apple devices support it, and how to turn it off if you encounter issues. What is Wi-Fi 6E? Wi-Fi 6 operates on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, while Wi-Fi 6E also works over the 6GHz band for increased...
iPhone App Sideloading Coming to Users in the EU in First Half of 2024
iPhone users in the EU next year will be able to download apps hosted outside of Apple's official App Store to comply with European regulations, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Otherwise known as sideloading, the change coming sometime in the first half of 2024 will allow customers to download apps without needing to use the App Store, which will mean developers won't need to pay...
Kuo: Larger 12.9-inch iPad Air Coming Early 2024 Amid Lineup Refresh
Apple will add a new larger 12.9-inch iPad Air to an entirely refreshed iPad lineup coming next year, with two iPad Air models taking priority in Apple's launch roadmap, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In his e-in-2024-650a5fc9bbee">latest outlook, Kuo predicts that Apple will compensate for this year's lack of movement in its iPad lineup by updating all existing models, starting...
M3 MacBook Air Launching Next Year: What to Expect
Apple sells three versions of MacBook Air: A cheaper previous-generation 13-inch model with M1 chip, and 13-inch and 15-inch models equipped with the newer M2 chip. The question is, when will Apple discontinue the M1 MacBook Air and replace its top-of-the-line 13-inch and 15-inch machines with M3 equivalents? The existing 15-inch MacBook Air arrived earlier this year in June, which is not...
Five Ways You Can Charge AirPods Pro
Apple's latest AirPods Pro 2 sport the same uniquely Apple design but with more improved and more powerful features under the hood, including better noise canceling, adaptive Transparency, Touch volume controls, and a built-in speaker for the case to help you locate it with Find My. For more flexibility when traveling with second-generation AirPods Pro, Apple has also made its signature...
8GB RAM in M3 MacBook Pro Proves the Bottleneck in Real-World Tests
Apple's new MacBook Pro models are powered by cutting-edge M3 Apple silicon, but the base configuration 14-inch model starting at $1,599 comes with just 8GB of working memory. In 2012, Apple launched the first MacBook Pro with Retina display, which also started with 8GB of RAM. Of course, Apple now uses integrated chips with unified memory architecture, which is why the company feels confident in ...
OLED iPad Pros, MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs to Launch in That Order
Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models with OLED displays will be followed by sequential OLED MacBook Pro and OLED MacBook Air launches over the next three years, according to analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Technology Research. In a new investor memo seen by MacRumors, Pu said Apple intends to update the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with OLED screens sometime in 2026, which...
More UK Bank Cards Now Show Account Balance in Apple Wallet
Apple in iOS 17.1 began allowing iPhone users in the UK to view the account balances of select bank cards and credit cards in the Wallet app, and now several more banks have added support for the feature. Apple added the transaction and card balance functionality to the Wallet app in October as part of its Connected Cards feature, but initially only a handful of bank cards were compatible. ...
Signal Tests Sharing Public Usernames in Place of Phone Numbers
Encrypted messaging app Signal has announced it is testing public account usernames so that users don't have to share their phone number to connect through the service. Currently, signing up to Signal requires that you share your phone number with other users when connecting with them. While the new method still requires an account to be associated with a number during setup, it is not...
Apple Could Pay 'Total Political Crap' $14 Billion Tax Bill to EU After All
Apple has suffered a setback in its €13 billion ($14 billion) tax dispute with Brussels after an advisor to the EU's highest court said the company's victory in an earlier ruling should be thrown out (via Financial Times). Giovanni Pitruzzella, advocate-general of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), said on Thursday that Apple's win in the EU General Court "should be set aside" because it...
iPhone 16 Likely to Get Exclusive AI Features in iOS 18
Apple at WWDC 2024 will reveal a turbo-charged version of Siri powered by large language models (LLMs) that will debut in iOS 18, but some new cutting-edge generative AI features could be exclusive to iPhone 16 models, according to a new rumor. Last month, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman revealed that Apple is developing a large array of features that use generative AI, including a "smarter...
