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 Meet Videoconferencing Will Be Free for Everyone From Next Month
Google has announced that its Meet videoconferencing service will be free to use for anyone with a Google account from next month.
Following a gradual rollout through May, Meet will no longer be exclusive to paying G-Suite members, and will remain open to Google account holders until September 30, 2020.
Google Meet offers many of the features that have made Zoom so popular in recent...
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Apple to Pay $18 Million to Settle California Lawsuit Claiming Apple 'Broke' FaceTime on Older iPhones to Save Costs
Apple has agreed to pay $18 million to settle a California class-action lawsuit that accused it of intentionally breaking FaceTime in iOS 6 to force users to upgrade to iOS 7.
According to the lawsuit, originally filed in 2017, Apple forced users to upgrade so it could avoid payments on a data deal with Akamai.
Apple used two connection methods when it launched FaceTime in 2010: a...
Apple Tweaks German Speaking Voice for Siri on iPhone, iPad, and HomePod
Apple appears to have updated the speaking voice of Siri on devices in Germany, based on reports compiled by iphone-ticker.de (via ifun.de).
According to the website, several readers have reported Siri's German speech comes across as more natural and melodic than before, especially on HomePod, although the changes are subtle, with better pronunciation and different inflection depending on...
Counterpoint: Strong iPhone 11 Demand Driving Growth of Apple's Marketshare in India
Apple was the third-fastest growing brand in India's smartphone market in the first quarter of this year, according to new data from Counterpoint Research.
Apple achieved 78 percent growth as the overall market in the country grew 4 percent year on year during Q1 2020. OPPO shipments grew 83 percent year on year in the same quarter, while realme grew 119 percent.
Overall smartphone...
Newly Discovered macOS Image Capture Bug Can Fill Up Hard Drives With Empty Data
A bug has been discovered in Apple's macOS Image Capture app that needlessly eats up potentially gigabytes of storage space when transferring photos from an iPhone or iPad to a Mac.
Discovered by the developers of media asset management app NeoFinder and shared in a blog post called "Another macOS bug in Image Capture," the issue occurs when Apple's Mac tool converts HEIF photos taken by iOS...
Ulysses 19 Brings Material Sheets, Mouse Support on iPad, Keywords in Markdown Files, and More
Popular writing app Ulysses received its eighteenth major update today, adding some notable new features and bringing full mouse and trackpad support on iPadOS.
As mentioned, version 19 of Ulysses adds native support for Apple's new iPad mouse and trackpad features, which were announced on March 24 as part of iPadOS 13.4.
What that means in practice is that the round cursor changes...
How to Group Video Chat With Up to Eight People in WhatsApp
WhatsApp has upgraded its end-to-end encrypted video call feature, which now allows groups of up to eight participants to chat together, up from the previous limit of four.
WhatsApp has been gradually developing its group video call capabilities through beta builds, as rival video call services like Zoom, FaceTime and Skype have exploded in popularity amid the ongoing stay-at-home measures....
Westpac Becomes Last of Australia's Four Big Banks to Support Apple Pay
Westpac has become the last of Australia's big four banks to announce Apple Pay support for its customers. The country's oldest bank revealed on Tuesday that it had enabled the new service, following similar moves by ANZ, the Commonwealth Bank, and National Australia Bank.
"We are pleased to announce that Westpac customers can now use Apple Pay to make fast and secure payments. This comes at...
DigiTimes: Global Smartphone Market Facing 15% Decline in 2020
The global smartphone market is unlikely to recover from the impact of the global health crisis in the second quarter of 2020, according to DigiTimes.
Global smartphone shipments are expected to contract by 15% on year to 1.15 billion units in 2020, as major brands including Samsung Electronics, Huawei and Apple all have slashed their shipment targets for the year in the wake of coronavirus...
Report Revives Rumors of 5G iPhone With Under-Display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner
Economic Daily News on Monday revived rumors that this year's 5G iPhone will feature under-display fingerprint scanner technology.
According to a machine translation of EDN's Chinese-language report, touch panel maker GIS, OLED display maker BOE and Qualcomm are collaborating on the ultrasonic technology, which could feature in at least one of the high-end models in Apple's 5G iPhone...
Germany Now Favors Apple-Google Contact Tracing API Over Home-Grown Solution
Germany said on Sunday it will use Apple and Google's decentralized contact tracing API, reversing course on its original intention to use its own solution to track the spread of coronavirus.
Last week, the German government said it would use its own home-grown technology for smartphone-based tracing of infections, based on a design that would hold personal data on a central server....
How to Control an iPad With an External Keyboard Using Accessibility Shortcuts
If you have difficulty using the touchscreen on an iPad, you can control one via a connected keyboard using Apple's range of accessibility shortcuts. To learn how to connect a Bluetooth keyboard to iPad, click here, or keep reading to learn how to enable full keyboard access.
Before you follow the steps below for remapping keys, make sure your keyboard is connected to your iPad.Launch the Set...
How to Remap Modifier Keys on iPad When Using a Keyboard
With the release of iPadOS 13.4, Apple expanded its support for keyboards by allowing users to remap certain modifier keys so that they serve different functions.
This ability is especially useful if you're using a third-party Bluetooth keyboard, because its keyboard layout may be different from Apple's own Smart Keyboard. But even if you own an Apple external keyboard or the Magic Keyboard...
How to Adjust Backlight Key Brightness on a Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro
Apple's Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro offers one of the best typing experiences available for Apple's most powerful tablets. It even includes a built-in trackpad that takes advantage of cursor support in iPadOS 13.4 and later.
The only real drawback of the Magic Keyboard is that the layout lacks a row of function keys. That means users have no dedicated key for adjusting some system settings,...
iPhone SE Now Available as First Pre-Orders Delivered to Customers
The second-generation iPhone SE was announced last week, and with pre-orders taking place on April 17, the first deliveries of the new device have started arriving for customers around the world. Apple has also begun taking orders in several of its online regional stores.
Photo by MacRumors forum member Aneres11
The original iPhone SE was a budget 4-inch iPhone before being discontinued in...
Apple Highlights Four Causes Users Can Donate to Instantly With Apple Pay
Apple has begun promoting Apple Pay as a way for people to donate to several causes amid the ongoing global health crisis. Apple has highlighted four causes in particular that users can donate too with Apple Pay. All the fundraising appeals are on behalf of GoFundMe.org.
America's Food Fund, launched by Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs, and Apple, is working to ensure that all people...
Apple Says Recently Discovered iOS Mail Vulnerabilities Pose No Immediate Threat, But a Patch Is in the Works
Apple has responded to a recent report on vulnerabilities discovered in its iOS Mail app, claiming the issues do not pose an immediate risk to users.
Earlier this week, San Francisco-based cybersecurity company ZecOps said it had uncovered two zero-day security vulnerabilities affecting Apple's stock Mail app for iPhones and iPads.
One of the vulnerabilities was said to enable an...
Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Contact Tracing API Available From April 28
Following a conference call with Apple CEO Tim Cook, EU industry leader Thierry Breton has said in a statement that Apple has a "responsibility" to make sure that contact tracing apps work on its iPhones, reports Reuters.
Image via @ThierryBreton It is "the responsibility of companies such as Apple to do their utmost to develop suitable technical solutions to make the national apps work....
How to Use Custom Virtual Backgrounds in Skype Video Calls
Skype has introduced support for custom backgrounds in video calls, following the recent popularity of an equivalent feature in Zoom.
The option to use custom backgrounds is part of the version 8.59.0.77 update for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Web, which began rolling out on April 16. As Skype's release notes describe the feature:
"Want to look like you're calling from the beach, or from space?...
Facebook Launches Messenger Kids in Dozens More Countries, Makes it Easier for Parents to Connect Kids With Friends
Facebook has announced the launch of Messenger Kids in over 70 more countries as well as several new features for parents to help their children connect with friends and family during the global health crisis.
The new features include Supervised Friending, which gives parents the option to allow their kids to accept, reject, add or remove contacts.
When a child takes a friending action,...
