Tim Hardwick

Tim is a Contributing Editor at MacRumors. His writing has appeared in over 30 newsstand print and online publications covering a range of topics. Originally from Liverpool, England, Tim can sometimes be found accessing a personal wi-fi hotspot on the Yorkshire Moors.



How to Check Your Apple Card Balance

Thursday August 15, 2019 6:14 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
Checking your Apple Card's total balance is as simple as opening the Wallet app on your iPhone and tapping your Apple Card. The Total Balance appears below your card, and includes all previous monthly balances and any interest charges you have, new spending from the current month, any payments and credits, and any pending transactions. Find Out Your Monthly Balance You can also check your monthly balance, which includes all of your spending and interest charges from the previous month, minus any payments and credits. Your monthly balance also includes any remaining balances from previous months. Here's how to view it. Launch the Wallet app on your iPhone. Tap your Apple Card. Tap the circular black Pay button. Your monthly balance is displayed inside the pay dial, which shows a green checkmark.The figure you see on this screen will automatically adjust to reflect any payments you make toward your monthly balance. Don't forget that if you pay your monthly balance in full each month by the due date, you won't be charged
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How to Use Apple Cash to Help Pay Off your Apple Card

Thursday August 15, 2019 6:13 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
If you've set up Apple Cash and verified your identity, you can use Apple Cash to help make an immediate one-time payment to your Apple Card. If your Apple Cash balance is less than the amount of your payment, the remaining balance will be taken from your nominated bank account. The following steps show you how to let your Apple Card use Apple Cash when making an immediate one-time payment. Launch the Wallet app on your iPhone. Tap your Apple Card. Tap the black Pay button. Choose an amount to pay by sliding the circular dial with your finger. Tap Pay Now. Tap your bank account. Toggle the Apple Cash switch to the green ON position. Tap the Back button. Press your iPhone's Side button to authenticate with Face ID, or use Touch ID or your passcode to make the payment.If you no longer want to use your Apple Cash balance to pay off your Apple Card, simply switch off Apple Cash using the same
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Google Assistant Will Soon Let You Assign Reminders for Friends and Family

Thursday August 15, 2019 4:36 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Google Assistant is about to gain a new reminder feature that allows you to get someone else to do your bidding. Called Assignable Reminders, the feature lets you set reminders for other people, so long as they are in your Google Contacts or opted in to your Family Group. You can create a reminder using your voice ("Hey Google") or text, and set it to be delivered to a phone or via a smart device at a certain time, or make it geo-location aware so it shows up when the person arrives at a particular place, like the home or office. According to Google, Assignable Reminders can be set to repeat, and you'll be able to check a history of reminders you sent to other people and any that have been assigned to you. For children under 13 to use assignable reminders, they must be granted access to the Assistant on Google Home by adults in the household, and all users can block someone from sending them Assignable Reminders. Assignable Reminders will roll out over the next few weeks in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. The feature will work on Google's smart speakers, Android devices, and iPhones and iPads with the Google Assistant app installed. Google's Assistant app is a free download for iOS, available on the App Store. [Direct Link]
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Apple WebKit Team Publishes Website Tracking Prevention Policy

Thursday August 15, 2019 3:49 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's WebKit team has published a "WebKit Tracking Prevention Policy" that details a range of anti-tracking measures it has developed and the types of tracking practices it believes are harmful to users. Inspired by Mozilla's anti-tracking policy, the document posted to the WebKit blog provides an insight into the anti-tracking features built into Apple's Safari browser that the team hopes to see in all browsers one day. This document describes the web tracking practices that WebKit believes, as a matter of policy, should be prevented by default by web browsers. These practices are harmful to users because they infringe on a user's privacy without giving users the ability to identify, understand, consent to, or control them.Apple introduced Intelligent Tracking Prevention in iOS 11 and in Safari 11 in macOS High Sierra 10.13 and has been working to develop ITP ever since. For example, in February Apple released iOS 12.2 and Safari 12.1 for macOS, both of which included ITP 2.1 featuring enhancements that block cross-site tracking. The new WebKit policy highlights Apple's continuing efforts to target all forms of cross-site tracking behavior, even if it's in plain view. WebKit will do its best to prevent all covert tracking, and all cross-site tracking (even when it’s not covert). These goals apply to all types of tracking listed above, as well as tracking techniques currently unknown to us. If a particular tracking technique cannot be completely prevented without undue user harm, WebKit will limit the capability of using the technique. For example,
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Huawei Delays Mate X Folding Phone Again

Thursday August 15, 2019 2:55 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Huawei has again delayed the release of its Mate X folding smartphone, which is now unlikely to come out before November. Speaking to TechRadar at a press event in China, the company said that there was "no possibility" that the device will make its September launch date. It's the second time Huawei has pushed back the release of the phone, which was originally supposed to arrive in June or July. The report doesn't reveal the reason for the delay, but it could be that the company is taking extra care not to replicate Samsung's mistake of unveiling a folding phone that's not fit for purpose. Samsung initially planned to launch the Galaxy Fold in the spring, but ended up delaying the launch after several reviewers experienced broken Galaxy Fold devices after just a few days. The Galaxy Fold is now set to launch in September – before the Mate X – after being delayed in order for Samsung to make some design changes. The Mate X uses what Huawei calls a "Falcon Wing" design with a stretchable hinge that allows the smartphone to transform from a 6.6-inch OLED smartphone to an 8-inch OLED tablet, making it bigger than the Galaxy Fold. It also folds in the opposite direction of Samsung's phone, so the display is visible on both the front and back of the device when collapsed down to smartphone view. The "wing" at the side houses the camera and allows the Mate X display to be notch free. Samsung is pricing its Galaxy Fold at $1,980, but the Mate X is even more expensive at $2,600. There have been some suggestions that Apple is exploring folding
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How to Make Apple Card the Default Card on Your Mac

Wednesday August 14, 2019 4:39 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
If you've signed up for Apple Card, you may want to use it to make some online purchases. The main thing to know is that you can purchase things online with Apple Card wherever you see the Apple Pay symbol in checkout. While Apple Card is chiefly made for use on iPhone, if you tend to do most of your online shopping on your Mac, then you'll want to set up Apple's credit card in macOS. Once you've done that, consider making it the default card on your Mac. That way it will be automatically selected whenever you use Apple Pay. It'll also make Apple Card your preferred card for Mac App Store, Apple Music, and Apple services. The following steps show you how. Launch System Preferences from your Mac's Dock, from the Applications folder, or from the Apple menu bar ( -> System Preferences...). Click Wallet & Apple Pay. Select your Apple Card from the Default Card pop-up menu at the bottom of the preference pane.And that's it. Note that for added convenience, you can also make Apple Card the default card on Your iPhone. Click here to learn how.
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How to Add Apple Card to Your Mac

Wednesday August 14, 2019 4:37 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
If you've just had your Apple Card application approved then you'll probably want to start using it right away. If you regularly do your online shopping from your Mac, then you'll need to get Apple Card set up in macOS. You can add Apple Card to a Mac with Touch ID if you're signed in to it with the same Apple ID that was signed in to iCloud on the iPhone you used to apply for Apple Card. The steps below guide you through this process. Beyond that, the main thing to remember is that you can purchase things online with your Apple Card using Apple Pay on your Mac wherever you see the Apple Pay symbol in checkout. Launch System Preferences from your Mac's Dock, from the Applications folder, or from the Apple menu bar ( -> System Preferences...). Click Wallet & Apple Pay. Click the plus (+) button. Select Apple Card, then click Next and follow the onscreen instructions. Using Apple Card on a Mac Without Touch ID If you want to use Apple Card on a Mac model that doesn't have Touch ID, you'll need to keep your iPhone or Apple Watch handy to complete any purchases. You'll also need to allow this verification on your iPhone first: Open the Settings app, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, then turn on Allow Payments on Mac
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How to Set up an Apple Cash Card on iPhone and iPad

Wednesday August 14, 2019 4:35 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple Cash (formerly Apple Pay Cash) is Apple's peer-to-peer payments service. You can use Apple Cash to make and receive payments in Messages, or you can get Siri to send money to a friend or family member. When someone sends you money, it goes on your virtual Apple Cash card, which is stored securely in the Wallet app on your iPhone or iPad. You can use the money on it to send to someone, make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, within apps, and on the web. Alternatively, you can transfer the money on your Apple Cash card directly to your bank account. There's no fee to send, receive, or request money using Apple Cash, and setting up an Apple Cash card won't affect your credit score. Furthermore, if you've applied for Apple's own-branded credit card – called simply Apple Card – you can use Apple Cash to help pay off your Apple Card balance. You can also take advantage of Apple Card's "Daily Cash" rewards system, where Apple pays out cash back bonuses on a daily basis. There's no limit to how much Daily Cash you can get, and it's paid daily into your Apple Cash card – if you have one. Here's what you'll need to set one up. What You Need to Get an Apple Cash Card To set up an Apple Cash card and send and receive Apple Cash, you must be at least 18 years old and live in the United States. You'll also need these things: An iPhone or iPad that can use Apple Pay and runs iOS 11.2 and later, or an Apple Watch running watchOS 4.2 and later. Two-factor authentication set up for your Apple ID. An eligible debit card loaded into the Wallet app. How to
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PSA: Apple Email Asks Users Who Signed Up for Apple Card Invite to Provide Correct Apple ID, Even if They Did Already

Wednesday August 14, 2019 4:16 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple customers who registered their interest in gaining early access to Apple Card were left confused last night after receiving an email from Apple asking for their Apple ID, despite having already provided it. Since early August, Apple users have been signing up on Apple's website to be notified early about the release of Apple Card. Apple has since sent out email invitations for an "Apple Card Preview" to some of those customers. However, it looks as though an error has cropped up in Apple's invite system as the second wave of customers starts to be processed. The latest Apple email sent out to customers claims that their "early-access invitation is waiting," but that the email address they used when they originally signed up for an Apple Card invite doesn't match an existing Apple ID on record. The message reads: You wanted to be one of the first to get Apple Card — a new kind of credit card created by Apple, not a bank. Good news: Here's your chance to experience Apple Card before everybody else, so you can help us get ready for the public launch. Your early access invitation is waiting, but we need your Apple ID to send it. The email address you provided does not match an Apple ID signed in to iCloud. Just complete a few simple steps so we can send your invitation.The email then provides steps for the user to check their Apple ID on iPhone and re-enter it at www.apple.com/apple-card to ensure they get notified, after which "invitations may take up to 48 hours to arrive." While it's important to stay vigilant and report phishing attempts to Apple, in
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How to See Your Daily Cash Rewards From Apple Card

Tuesday August 13, 2019 5:39 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
One of the benefits of Apple Card's rewards system is "Daily Cash," where Apple pays out your cash back bonuses on a daily basis rather than making you wait weeks for your cash back to show up on a statement. Apple Card offers three types of cash back rewards depending on how and where you use it. For purchases made from Apple's online store or any of its retail stores you get 3% cash back. This includes purchases made from the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple services. For purchases made using Apple Pay, Apple's digital mobile payment platform, you get 2% cash back. For all other purchases using the titanium Apple Credit Card, you get 1% cash back. There's no limit to how much Daily Cash that you can get, and it's either paid daily into your Apple Cash card (if you've set one up), or paid on a monthly basis as a credit on your statement balance. How to See Daily Cash Earned From Apple Card Launch the Wallet app on your iPhone. Tap Apple Card. Tap Monthly Activity or Weekly Activity. To see a previous week or month, swipe sideways.You can see all of the Daily Cash transactions from purchases for the selected week or month. If you tap Daily Cash, you can also see the amount of Daily Cash you earned for each of those transactions. How to See Daily Cash Added to Apple Cash Card Launch the Wallet app on your iPhone. Tap your Apple Cash card. Tap a transaction under Latest Transactions or find one by selecting "Transactions in [year]" and tap the transaction.The dates show your individual transactions with the amount of Daily Cash you received
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How to Make Apple Card the Default Card on Your Apple Watch

Tuesday August 13, 2019 5:36 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
If you've just had your Apple Card application approved then you'll likely want to start using it right away. Using your iPhone, you can make Apple Card purchases in retail stores wherever you see the Apple Pay logo or the contactless symbol. But if it's more convenient, you can always use your Apple Watch instead. To do so, you'll want to make Apple Card the default card on your Apple Watch. The following steps show you how. How to Make Apple Card Your Default Card Launch Apple's stock Watch app on your iPhone. Tap the My Watch tab. Tap Wallet & Apple Pay. Under Transaction Defaults, tap Default Card, then choose your Apple Card. Once you've made Apple Card your default card on Apple Watch, you can start paying for things with it. Simply double-click the side button and hold the display of your Apple Watch within a few centimeters of the contactless reader, and the transaction will be processed with an accompanying audible
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How to Create a New Window From a Link in Safari on iPadOS

Tuesday August 13, 2019 5:32 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
In iPadOS, Apple's Split View and Slide Over multitasking features allow you to use one app alongside another app, or view two documents at the same time in the one app. In the case of Safari, Split View or Slide Over can be used to reference two webpages side by side. You can even open a link in another window without navigating away from the original page. Here's how it works. Hold your iPad in landscape orientation. Launch Safari and find a webpage link that you want to open in a separate window. Touch and hold the link so that it pops out of the page, indicating it's selected. Now, drag the link to the edge of the screen, and either let go before it hits the edge to activate Slide Over, or drag it right to the edge to activate Split View mode. Note that you can also touch and hold a link to invoke a contextual menu which includes the option to Open in New Window. In iPadOS, you can also open multiple separate windows in the same app and manage them in an Exposé-style screen. With the app already open, simply tap its icon in the Dock, and iPadOS will reveal all of the open windows for that
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Revamped Apple Maps Rollout Extends to Northeast U.S.

Tuesday August 13, 2019 4:02 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's Maps app rebuild continues apace this week, with the company following its pattern of rolling out the enhanced maps in adjacent continental U.S. states. Last week we reported that revamped Maps had become available across Texas, Louisiana, and the southern half of Mississippi. Now the rollout is creeping up the northeast United States, taking in the likes of Washington D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine. You can spot the updated regions by looking for more landscape details like sports fields, parking lots, ground cover, foliage, pools, pedestrian pathways and the like. The data is gathered by Apple's own fleet of sensor- and camera-equipped vehicles, as well as first-party data gathered from iPhones using Apple's differential privacy. The combined data is also being made to ensure search results are more relevant. The improvements initially rolled out in Northern California in July 2018, followed by Hawaii and Southern California in November 2018, and Arizona, New Mexico, and the Las Vegas metropolitan area in April 2019. At WWDC 2019, Apple said the updated maps will roll out to the entire United States by the end of the year, followed by additional countries in 2020. (Thanks, Erik!)
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Twitter Testing Notifications for New Replies to a Specific Tweet

Tuesday August 13, 2019 3:13 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Twitter is currently trialing a new feature with iOS and Android users that lets them receive notifications of replies to individual tweets. As things are, the Twitter mobile app can ping you with alerts for all the tweets posted by an individual account, but the new feature in testing adds an extra level of granular control by notifying you only of replies to a particular tweet. The option is designed to make following the development of a conversation related to a specific tweet more straightforward, as this can sometimes be difficult if you don't already follow the original poster. You probably have notifications on for your must-follows. Now you can get notifications when there’s a new reply to a Tweet you’re interested in! We’re testing this on iOS and Android now. pic.twitter.com/MabdFoItxc— Twitter (@Twitter) August 8, 2019 The news follows several other features that have recently been trialed or rolled out on the social media platform, all with the aim of handing over more control to users and creating a "healthier service" by cutting down on abuse and harassment. They include a snooze button to temporarily silence notifications from the app, and a Hide Replies feature that lets users collapse replies to their tweets. The latter is designed to allow users to moderate conversations by keeping them on topic and hiding trolls where
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Parallels Desktop 15 Switches to Apple's Metal Graphics API, Gains Sidecar, Keychain, and Drag and Drop Support

Tuesday August 13, 2019 2:35 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Parallels today announced version 15 of its desktop virtualization software for Mac, offering DirectX 11 support via Apple Metal, native support for Sidecar in macOS Catalina, and several other enhancements. Parallels Desktop 15 is the first iteration of the cross-platform software to support DirectX 11 using Apple's hardware accelerated Metal graphics API. The switch to Metal should bring a noticeable performance boost – Parallels claims 3D graphics rendering is up to 15 percent faster, while Microsoft Office apps should launch up to 80 percent faster. The enhanced graphics support also expands the number of Windows apps that users can run on their Mac, such as Autodesk 3ds Max 2020, Lumion, ArcGIS Pro, and Master Series. Gamers meanwhile can look forward to running their favorite titles at faster speeds, with the likes of FIFA 19, Age of Empires Definitive Edition, Fallout 4, Madden NFL 19, Crysis 3, and Mark of the Ninja: Remastered all receiving special mention. Once macOS Catalina launches in the fall, Parallels' Sidecar support will mean users can wirelessly connect their iPad to their Mac to use as a second display in Windows. There's also new Touch Bar options for Apple Pencil, including Toggle between Pen, Eraser and Mouse modes. Parallels says support for additional Catalina features is currently in development and will be introduced around the release of macOS 10.15. Notably, the virtualization software is offering better integration with macOS more generally, such as the ability to use screenshot previews in Windows applications and the
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Unreleased Sonos Portable Bluetooth Speaker Revealed in FCC Filing

Monday August 12, 2019 4:04 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Sonos appears to have a portable Bluetooth speaker in the works. After a filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revealed the existence of the company's first Bluetooth speaker, Zatz Not Funny shared a photo of the device in question (below), which has a more rounded design than the Sonos One. In the filing for the unreleased product, Sonos calls it "a high-performance wireless speaker and part of the Sonos sound system. The device's primary function will be for streaming with Wi-Fi, but also features Bluetooth audio streaming and Bluetooth Low Energy, used for simplified setup." Like Apple and its HomePod, Sonos has used Bluetooth Low Energy in its devices before to make setup easier, but support for Bluetooth streaming would be a new thing in the Sonos lineup and allow users to play audio from any Bluetooth-enable device within range. The addition of Bluetooth support is particularly surprising given that Sonos has belittled Bluetooth audio listening experiences in the past. After the FCC filing emerged, The Verge had a chance to see more images of the speaker and has spoken to a person familiar with its capabilities. According to the source, the speaker is both taller and slightly wider than the Sonos One, and it supports hands-free voice commands from Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The portable speaker charges via a base station, and can also optionally be recharged over USB-C. There's also an integrated handle on the rear and a button that switches between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. As with other recent Sonos speakers, the portable
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Telegram Gains Silent Messages, Group Chat 'Slow Mode', Night Themes, and More

Monday August 12, 2019 3:09 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Encrypted messaging platform Telegram has received an update that brings a new silent messaging feature to the app, amongst other things. After applying the update, Telegram lets you send a message to someone and their device won't make an audible notification sound when they receive it, even if they forgot to enable Do Not Disturb mode. Holding the Send button reveals the new option to have a message or media delivered without sound. Telegram suggests the feature means you can now message friends freely even when you know they are sleeping, studying or attending a meeting. In the Group Permissions section, users will also find a new Slow Mode switch. With this enabled, members of a group chat are only able to send one message per the interval chosen by the group owner. Optional slow mode intervals span from 30 seconds to one hour. The idea behind the feature is to make conversations in the group more orderly, while raising the value of each individual message. Admins can keep it on permanently, or toggle as necessary to throttle rush hour traffic. Elsewhere in this update, group owners can now set custom titles for individual admins, videos now display thumbnail previews as you scrub through, and tapping on a timestamp plays the video from the right spot. There's also new animated emojis and new accent colors for the app's various night themes. Telegram is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]
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Triple-Lens Rear Cameras Rumored for Next iPad Pro Range, Dual-Lens for New Entry-Level iPad

Monday August 12, 2019 2:26 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's next-generation iPad could gain a dual-lens rear camera while the next iPad Pro range could get a triple-lens array, according to a rumor out of China. Japanese blog Mac Otakara cited a Chinese supply source over the weekend claiming the fourth-generation 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro devices will get the same multi-sensor array widely rumored to be coming to Apple's next iPhone range this year. Meanwhile, Apple's rumored new version of its entry-level iPad – a device with a slightly bigger 10.2-inch screen than the existing 9.7-inch model – will inherit the dual lens setup currently seen in the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The new iPads will launch in October, claims Mac Otakara's source, who also said that diagrams of related accessories are "floating around," but they declined to specify whether they are Apple accessories or third-party ones. Apple hasn't used dual-lens rear camera modules in any iPad, let alone triple-lens arrays, so bringing the multi-sensor systems to three new models in the same year would be a first for the company. In a February research note, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple plans to release two new iPad Pro models, a 10.2-inch iPad, and a refreshed iPad mini this year. A month later, Apple released an upgraded iPad mini in March alongside a new 10.5-inch iPad Air. Apple hasn't updated its third-generation iPad Pro lineup since October 2018 and its 9.7-inch entry-level iPad since March 2018, so we can reliably expect both to get some sort of refresh soon. Whether they will have the sort of
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How to Use Apple Card

Friday August 9, 2019 4:26 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
If you've just had your Apple Card application approved then you'll probably want to start using it right away. This article shows you how. If you've requested a titanium Apple Card, the good news is you don't have to wait for it to arrive before you can make purchases. You can pay with Apple Card using Apple Pay on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac. How to Make an Online Purchase with Apple Card You can make a purchase online with your Apple Card wherever you see the Apple Pay symbol in checkout. When you tap the symbol, the Apple Pay transaction sheet slides up the screen and the website is dimmed. Tap the blue chevrons on the right to change any details related to the transaction, including which card to use, your shipping address, the shipping method, and your contact details. Obviously you'll want to choose to pay using your Apple Card if it isn't already selected, but if you make Apple Card the default card to use with Apple Pay, it's automatically selected when you use Apple Pay. When you're sure that all your details are correct, double-click the Side button on your iPhone, and glance at the screen to authenticate the transaction with Face ID (older iPhones, use Touch ID or your passcode). How to Make an In-Store Purchase With Apple Card You can make Apple Card purchases in stores wherever you see the Apple Pay logo or the contactless symbol. To pay for something with Apple Card, double-click the Side button on your iPhone, glance at the screen to authenticate with Face ID (on older iPhones, put your finger on the Home button
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How to Make Apple Card the Default Card on Your iPhone

Friday August 9, 2019 4:25 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
If you've just had your Apple Card application approved then you'll probably want to start using it right away. You can purchase things online with your Apple Card wherever you see the Apple Pay symbol in checkout, and you can make purchases in stores wherever you see the Apple Pay logo or the contactless symbol. If you plan to use Apple Card for the majority of your purchases, then consider making it the default card on your iPhone. That way it will be automatically selected whenever you use Apple Pay. It'll also make Apple Card your preferred card for App Store, Apple Music, and Apple services. Keep reading to learn how. How to Make Apple Card Your Default Card Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Tap Wallet & Apple Pay. Under Transaction Defaults, tap Default Card. Select your Apple Card.On iPhone, you can also make Apple Card your default card in the Wallet app: Simply touch and hold your Apple Card, then drag it to the front of your card
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