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
Google Maps Now Lets You Chat With Gemini AI While Walking or Biking
Google Maps now lets you talk to Gemini while following walking or cycling directions. The latest update is an extension to the AI chatbot's existing conversational navigation feature in driving mode that rolled out in November.
You can now ask Gemini hands-free questions without leaving the navigation screen. While walking, for example, you can ask things like "Tell me more about this...
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Apple's New Split iPhone Launch Strategy Corroborated in Latest Report
Apple's rumored plan to split its iPhone launch cycle beginning this year has gained additional credibility, with a new report from Nikkei Asia corroborating earlier claims from The Information, Bloomberg, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
According to Nikkei's sources, Apple will prioritize its first foldable iPhone along with iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models for the second half of...
Enable Lockdown Mode on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Lockdown Mode is an optional security feature designed by Apple to provide maximum protection against highly sophisticated digital threats. When enabled on your Apple device, it greatly reduces exposure to complex attacks by restricting certain features and network connections. Keep reading to learn how to use it across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
For most users of Apple devices, the standard...
Apple Faces Lawsuit Over Continuity Camera Patent and Antitrust Claims
Apple this week got sued in a New Jersey Federal court by the maker of mobile video app Camo, alleging Apple stole its technology when the company integrated its Continuity Camera feature into iOS 16 in 2022.
Released by London-based Reincubate in 2020, the Camo app enables iPhone and Android smartphones to be used as webcams for desktop-based video calls.
Apple's Continuity Camera...
Apple Pushes Carrier Settings Update to Fix Telstra Issue on iPhones Running iOS 16.7.13
Apple has released a carrier settings update for Telstra customers in Australia that resolves the issue affecting iPhones running iOS 16.7.13, which was released and then made unavailable to download by Apple earlier this week.
The fix is delivered via a carrier bundle update, which adjusts network-related settings such as connectivity and calling features, without requiring an iOS update.
...
iPhone 16 Tops List of World's Best-Selling Smartphones in 2025
Apple's iPhone 16 was the best-selling smartphone globally in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research's latest report. Apple and Samsung devices dominated the top 10 list for the fourth consecutive year, accounting for 19% of overall smartphone sales.
Apple claimed seven of the top 10 spots, while Samsung captured the remaining three.
Launched in September, the iPhone 17 series achieved...
Google Chrome Gets Gemini Side Panel and Agentic Browsing Features
AI-powered browsing features have become a battleground among browser makers in recent months. OpenAI launched its Atlas browser in October, while Microsoft Edge and Opera have also introduced AI assistants and automated browsing capabilities. And now Google is upping the ante. The company has announced a slew of new AI features for Chrome, including a persistent sidebar for the Gemini chatbot...
Why Apple Just Updated an iPhone From 2013
Apple this week released iOS 12.5.8, a surprise update for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 – devices that launched in 2013 and 2014, respectively. It's the first software these aging devices have received in three years. So why did Apple bother?
It has to do with something called certificate expiration.
According to Apple's release notes, the update extends a security certificate required...
WhatsApp Launches Strict Account Settings for High-Risk Users
WhatsApp is rolling out a new optional security feature called Strict account settings, which is designed to protect users who may be targeted by sophisticated cyberattacks.
Similar in spirit to Apple's Lockdown Mode for iPhone, the feature is aimed primarily at journalists, activists, and public-facing figures. Once enabled, the setting locks various account options to their most...
Search Your Apple Account Purchase History on iPhone
In an age of digital ubiquity, knowing how to easily keep track of your online transactions is crucial, especially as an Apple user who frequently downloads apps, music, movies, and more from various Apple services.
Your Apple Account purchase history is a comprehensive log of all the content you've bought using your account, not just on your iPhone, but across all your Apple devices....
Apple Stops Signing Newly Released iOS Updates for Older iPhones [Updated]
Apple has stopped signing several iOS updates released earlier this week, preventing users from installing them even if they still appear in Software Update. The affected versions include iOS 12, iOS 15, iOS 16, and iOS 18.
On Monday, Apple released iOS 18.7.4, iOS 16.7.13, iOS 15.8.6, and iOS 12.5.8 for older iPhone models, along with iPadOS 15.8.6, iPadOS 16.7.3, and iPadOS 18.7.4 for iPad ...
iPhone 18 Pro Could Feature Teleconverter Alongside Variable Aperture
Apple's rumored new variable aperture camera system for this year's iPhone 18 Pro models has reached the sampling stage, according to a new claim from a Chinese leaker.
Posting on Weibo today, the account known as "Smart Pikachu" said the feature had entered late-stage engineering samples, while a teleconverter is also "under evaluation" for the device. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro...
Generate Apple Music Playlists With ChatGPT
Apple Music is now available as an extension within ChatGPT, meaning you can search for songs, create playlists, and discover new music through OpenAI's chatbot. Here's how to set it up and what makes it worth using.
What You Can Do With Apple Music in ChatGPT
ChatGPT's integration with Apple Music has the potential to change how you discover new music by letting you describe what you're...
iPhone Fold Rumored Display Size Has Samsung Preparing a Direct Rival
Samsung aims to produce around 1 million units of its upcoming "Wide Fold" device, in an attempt to directly rival Apple's rumored foldable iPhone expected later this year.
Samsung Wide Fold mockup (Image credit: UniverseIce)
According to Korea's ETNews, the Wide Fold will see Samsung's largest initial production run for a special model in the past three years. The device is said to feature a ...
Claude AI Now Lets You Use Slack, Figma, and Canva Within the Chat
Anthropic has announced new interactive tools in Claude that let users open and interact with other services and apps directly within the AI chat interface via the web and Mac app.
The update offers real-time collaboration with third-party apps like Asana, Slack, Figma, Canva, and more without requiring users to switch between tabs or apps.
The feature is powered by MCP Apps, a new...
ChatGPT's Apple Health Integration Flaws Exposed in New Report
A reporter for The Washington Post has put ChatGPT's new optional Apple Health integration feature to the test by feeding it ten years of their Apple Watch data. The results were not encouraging, to say the least.
Earlier this month, OpenAI announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a dedicated section of ChatGPT where users can ask health-related questions completely separated from their main...
Premium Subscriptions Coming to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp
Meta plans to test premium subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, the company has told TechCrunch.
The subscriptions will reportedly include exclusive features to aid creativity, productivity, and expanded AI capabilities.
Meta says each app will have its own distinct set of premium features, giving users "more control over how they share and connect, while keeping the...
Apple Developing Thinner Face ID for iPhone Air 2, Report Suggests
Apple is developing a much thinner Face ID hardware module in an effort to reduce the space its facial authentication system takes up in the iPhone Air, a known leaker on China's Weibo social media platform today suggested.
According to Instant Digital, Apple has requested an "ultra-thin" Face ID component from suppliers that will allow the device to accommodate an ultra wide-angle lens in...
Strava Apple Watch App Gains Route Navigation in Beta
Strava appears to be rolling out full route navigation and mapping to its watchOS app, bringing the long-awaited functionality to runners, hikers, and cyclists with Apple Watch for the first time.
The feature, which remains in beta, allows users to select a pre-loaded route, view elevation details, and follow directions directly from their wrist without having to look at their iPhone. Strava ...
TikTok Avoids US Ban as Joint Venture Deal Officially Closes
TikTok has announced that it has finalized a deal to establish a majority American-owned joint venture, allowing the app to continue operating in the United States indefinitely.
First agreed in December, the deal creates "TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC," which will be 80.1 percent owned by U.S. and global investors, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9 percent stake. Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu...
