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
Spotify Mobile App Gains Podcast Timestamp Sharing Feature
Spotify has announced the availability of podcast timestamp sharing, a new feature of its mobile app that lets users share podcasts beginning at a particular moment.
Previously, it was only possible to share a podcast link to an entire episode on Spotify. Timestamp sharing means the shared podcast will play for the recipient from the time that the sender chooses, allowing them to highlight...
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UK Class Action Accuses Apple of Breaking Competition Law by Overcharging for Apps
A new legal case filed with the U.K.'s Competition Appeal Tribunal has accused Apple of breaching competition law by overcharging nearly 20 million customers for App Store purchases.
The collective action case alleges Apple's 30% commission on app sales and consumers' forced use of its own payment processing system generates "unlawfully excessive levels of profit," and calls for the company...
How to Pair a PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X Controller With iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV
With the release of iOS 14.5 and tvOS 14.5, Apple users can now connect their PS5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers to an iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Keep reading to learn how it works.
Since iOS 13 and tvOS 13, users have been able to connect popular console controllers to an iPhone or Apple TV to play Apple Arcade games and other iOS games, instead of having to spend extra money on...
What to Do If You Find an AirTag Making a Sound
Apple's AirTag item trackers are designed to keep tabs on personal possessions such as keys, wallets, backpacks, luggage and more using the Find My network on iOS devices.
If an AirTag is separated for a period of time from its owner, it will make a sound to alert those nearby. If you find an AirTag after hearing it make a sound, here's what you can do to help return it to its rightful...
Apple Awards iPhone Glass Supplier Corning Additional $45M From Advanced Manufacturing Fund
Apple today announced it is awarding its longtime iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch glass supplier Corning an additional $45 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund, building on its $200 million award in 2017 and $250 million award in 2019.
The combined $495 million investment will support Corning's ongoing research and development into "state-of-the-art glass processes, which led to the...
AirTag Successfully Hacked to Show Custom URL in Lost Mode
The inevitable race to hack Apple's AirTag item tracker has reportedly been won by a German security researcher, who managed to break into the device's microcontroller and successfully modify its firmware.
Yesss!!! After hours of trying (and bricking 2 AirTags) I managed to break into the microcontroller of the AirTag! 🥳🥳🥳/cc @colinoflynn @LennertWo pic.twitter.com/zGALc2S2Ph— stacksmashing ...
FTC Report Highlights Consumer Harms of Manufacturer Repair Restrictions
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has published an in-depth report looking at how the product repair restrictions that manufacturers put in place negatively impact consumers and small businesses in various ways.
Titled "Nixing the Fix," the report covers a litany of methods that companies use to limit the ability for customers and independent business to repair their products.
Focusing...
Analytics Suggest 96% of Users Leave App Tracking Disabled in iOS 14.5
An early look at an ongoing analysis of Apple's App Tracking Transparency suggests that the vast majority of iPhone users are leaving app tracking disabled since the feature went live on April 26 with the release of iOS 14.5.
According to the latest data from analytics firm Flurry, just 4% of iPhone users in the U.S. have actively chosen to opt into app tracking after updating their device...
How to Turn Off AirTag Item Safety Alerts
Apple's AirTag item trackers are designed to be attached to personal items such as keys, wallets, bags, and so on, so that the owner can keep tabs on said items and track them down using their iPhone or iPad, should they be misplaced.
Once an AirTag is set up on Apple's Find My network, only the owner is able to keep track of it using their iOS device. Apple has also implemented an...
Deezer Announces Siri Voice Control Support for HomePod
Music streaming service Deezer has announced that voice control support for Apple HomePod and HomePod mini speakers is now available for Premium, HiFi, Family, and Student subscribers.
The update means all paying subscribers with iOS 14.3 and later and the latest software on HomePod can ask Siri to play any song from Deezer's global catalogue of 73 million tracks. Voice control also allows...
Apple TV+ Thriller 'Servant' Nominated for 2021 TV Choice Award
Popular Apple TV+ original show "Servant" has been nominated for the Best Drama Series category in the upcoming 2021 TV Choice Awards.
Apple announced the nomination this week via its official "Servant" Twitter account. The TV Choice Awards is held annually, with winners awarded on the basis of a public vote, rather than being chosen by critics. "Servant" will compete with 62 other...
AirTag Precision Finding Interface Includes Hidden 'Developer Mode'
A frustrated AirTag owner has inadvertently discovered the existence of a hidden "developer mode" in the on-screen interface that Find My displays when the Precision Finding feature is activated to help locate one of Apple's item trackers.
Precision Finding is a feature that provides users with specific on-screen directions for finding a nearby AirTag. iPhones with a U1 chip, which includes ...
Found a Lost AirTag? Here’s What to Do
Apple's AirTag item trackers are designed to let users track their everyday possessions, such as keys, wallets, backpacks, and so on. If you find an AirTag that's been separated from its owner, here's how you can safely return it to them.
AirTags can be tracked by their owners in Apple's Find My app, which uses Bluetooth and other Apple devices to locate them. However, if an AirTag ...
BYU Study Suggests Night Shift Mode Doesn't Help iPhone Users Sleep
A new study looking at the effects of low-light functions on smartphone users' sleeping habits suggests that features like Apple's Night Shift mode don't actually improve sleep at all.
Introduced in iOS 9, Night Shift is designed to cut down on the amount of blue light that an iOS device puts out during the evening hours. The feature uses the clock and geolocation of an iPhone or iPad to...
Apple 'Likely' to Overtake HP as Leading All-in-One PC Vendor
Apple's new 24-inch iMac range could help it overtake HP as the leading all-in-one (AIO) computer brand vendor, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes.
The prediction is based on evidence suggesting that more affordable all-in-one PC brands are being impacted much harder by the global chip shortage as suppliers prioritize their shipments to support more premium products in the AIO...
Signal Shares the Instagram Ads Facebook Doesn't Want You to See
Encrypted messaging app Signal has had a series of Instagram ads blocked from the social media platform, after it attempted to show users how much data the Facebook-owned company collects about them and how it's used to push targeted ads.
In a blog post, Signal described how it generated the ads to show users why they were seeing them, simply by declaring upfront the information that the...
AirTag Owners Bemoan Inability to Let Others Track Their Items Via Family Sharing
Apple's new AirTag item trackers have been making their way into the hands of customers since Friday, and while the company has tried to describe the ways that they can be used to find lost items, many users are still surprised and disappointed to learn that the location of an AirTag can't be shared with other family members.
On the face of it, sharing the location of an AirTag via Apple's...
iPad Shipments to Stay Stable in Second Quarter Despite Chip Shortages
Apple's iPad shipments are expected remain stable in the second quarter of this year, despite the impact of global chip shortages, according to a new report.
The ongoing integrated chip shortage has been caused by supply chain issues that arose during the global health crisis and weather-related events like the freeze in Texas that shut down Austin chip plants.
As chip factories struggled ...
How to Use Precision Finding to Locate an AirTag With iPhone 11 and iPhone 12
Apple's AirTags are small, button-shaped devices that are designed to be attached to items like keys and wallets to allow these accessories to be tracked using Bluetooth right alongside Apple devices in the Find My app.
If you've set up an AirTag and attached it to an item, you can track said item in the Find My app, should you misplace it. Find My uses Bluetooth signals from a lost AirTag...
How to Put an AirTag in Lost Mode
Apple's AirTags are small, coin-shaped devices that can be attached to items like keys and wallets to allow these accessories to be tracked using Bluetooth right alongside Apple devices in the Find My app.
AirTags can be tracked using the Items tab in Find My, and just like your Apple devices, if one should become lost, you can put it in Lost Mode to locate it. If an AirTag is nearby, it...
