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
iOS 26: Turn Off Preferred Routes in Apple Maps
In iOS 26, Apple Maps quietly learns your daily driving patterns to help you beat traffic, but you might not want it tracking your regular routes. Here's how to disable the feature.
Using on-device Apple intelligence, Maps learns the routes you prefer to use to get to locations you visit frequently, such as work, home, and school. The app tracks when you typically visit these places and...
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5 Reasons to Skip the iPhone 17 Pro (and Wait for iPhone 18 Pro)
Apple unveiled its new iPhone 17 series in September, and the iPhone 17 Pro models feature a new-look design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive.
If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to the...
iOS 26: Turn Photos Into 3D Spatial Scenes
In iOS 26, Apple's Spatial Scenes feature can transform ordinary photos into dynamic, three-dimensional pictures that respond to your movements. By adding depth and subtle motion to flat images, this clever AI-powered feature can bring to life photos in your iPhone's library – and your iPhone doesn't need Apple Intelligence to make use of it.
Spatial Scenes in the Photos App
Spatial Scenes...
iPhone 17e: All the Rumors So Far
Earlier this year, Apple released the $599 iPhone 16e – a budget-friendly late addition to its iPhone 16 series and a replacement for its long-running entry-level iPhone SE line. Given the iPhone 17 lineup has now launched, can we expect an iPhone 17e anytime soon?
If you're holding out for a more affordable device with the 17 moniker attached, here's everything we know so far about the...
Here Are All the New iPhone Ringtones in iOS 26
In iOS 26, Apple has quietly included seven new ringtones to alert you to calls, messages, and other audible notifications. Keep reading to learn what's new and how to hear the new sounds.
The iconic "Reflection" ringtone – introduced in 2017 alongside the iPhone X – now has multiple alternate versions in iOS 26. While the original tone retains its familiar pellucid xylophone melody, the ...
iPhone 17 Models Come With These New Features
Apple launched its new iPhone 17 lineup and ultra-thin iPhone Air in September 2025. The iPhone 17 is Apple's most affordable flagship iPhone, sold alongside the higher-end iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The iPhone 17 series brings a host of new features and enhancements. Here's a rundown of the biggest upgrades and changes:
iPhone 17
Display Changes
The iPhone...
Epic: Apple's Updated App Marketplace Install Process Proves 'Scare Screens' Deterred Users
Epic Games has claimed that Apple's revised installation process for third-party app marketplaces in the EU demonstrates that the company was deliberately undermining competition through "deceptive design."
In a blog post published Wednesday, the Fortnite developer revealed that user drop-offs during Epic Games Store installations plummeted from 65% to 25% after Apple streamlined the process ...
Apple's Rumored MacBook Pro Redesign: 6 New Features Anticipated
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small ...
Apple Files Motion to Dismiss xAI Lawsuit Over ChatGPT Deal
Apple has filed a court motion to dismiss Elon Musk's lawsuit alleging the company conspired with OpenAI to stifle competition in the AI market, arguing the antitrust claims are based on "speculation on top of speculation."
In a Texas filing Tuesday, Apple's lawyers defended the company's decision to integrate ChatGPT into iOS, claiming it did nothing wrong in selecting OpenAI as its initial ...
iOS 26: Reduce Loud iPhone Sounds With This New Toggle
Apple has added a new audio control in iOS 26 that lets you dampen overly loud sounds coming from your iPhone speaker without sacrificing audio quality. The "Reduce Loud Sounds" toggle compresses your iPhone's volume range, making loud sounds softer while preserving quieter details.
If you frequently switch between apps with wildly different volume levels, watch videos with inconsistent...
AirPods Pro 3: How to Pair With Non-Apple Devices
AirPods Pro 3 are designed to connect instantly with Apple devices, but they still work as standard Bluetooth earbuds. That means you can pair them with virtually any device that supports Bluetooth audio – from Samsung Galaxy phones to gaming consoles. Here's how to set up the connection in seconds.
Note that this manual pairing method also comes in handy if your AirPods Pro 3 don't show...
Logitech's New MX Master 4 Mouse Features Haptic Feedback
Logitech today announced an updated version of its MX Master series mouse, the MX Master 4, which features haptic feedback and introduces a few other changes while remaining largely faithful to the original design.
Apart from cleaner-looking frosted buttons and a more minimalist bottom, the MX Master 4 looks very similar to the S3. The feel is, however, slightly different – the new model...
Opera's Agentic AI Browser Neon Launches With Subscription Model
Opera today launched its subscription-based, AI-focused Neon browser, which joins a growing field of companies touting agentic browsing capabilities.
Opera first previewed Neon in May and is now gradually rolling out invites to waitlist members. Available to early access users at $19.99 per month, Neon aims to go beyond traditional browsing by using AI to execute tasks directly within the...
Apple Watch Sleep Apnea Notifications Now Available in Korea
Apple has expanded its sleep apnea notification feature to Apple Watch users in South Korea, the company announced today.
Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often leading to poor rest. The Apple Watch detects signs of the disorder by using its accelerometer to track subtle wrist movements associated with irregular breathing patterns. When...
WhatsApp for iOS Now Supports Live Photos Sharing
WhatsApp has confirmed the introduction of Live Photos support on iPhones running its encrypted chat platform, allowing users to send and receive images captured in the format.
Introduced in 2015, Apple's Live Photos capture 1.5 seconds of video and audio before and after you take a picture, with the aim of adding a little bit of life and movement to still images.
In a blog post on Monday ...
LG UltraFine 6K (32U990A) TB5 Display: Pre-Orders Open September 30
Pre-orders for LG's new UltraFine evo 6K display (model 32U990A) with Thunderbolt 5 support will begin on September 30, according to a major U.S. retailer listing.
LG first revealed the 32-inch display at CES 2025 in January, teasing its status as the first monitor to support Thunderbolt 5. At the time, LG only provided high-level specs, but left pricing, availability, and full technical...
Two New Apple Displays Nearing Mass Production, May Launch This Year
Apple plans to release two new external monitors either later this year or in early 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple is nearing mass production of the new Mac external monitors, which will be the first time the company has revisited the product category since debuting the Apple Studio Display in 2022.
The two...
iOS 26: Track Emailed Orders in Apple Wallet
In iOS 26, Apple Intelligence makes the Wallet app's order tracking feature genuinely useful by scanning your email for shipping details.
The ability to track orders in Apple Wallet isn't new – it's actually been around since iOS 16. But if you've never noticed it before, don't worry. Most people haven't used it either.
The feature initially struggled because it relied on merchants to...
iOS 26: Use Visual Intelligence With iPhone Screen Content
In iOS 26, Apple has extended Visual Intelligence to work with content that's on your iPhone, allowing you to ask questions about what you're seeing, look up products, and more.
Visual Intelligence started out in iOS 18.2 as a Camera Control button function that can describe what you are looking at, get details about a restaurant or business, translate text, and the like.
But in iOS 26,...
iOS 26: Customize Your iPhone Home Screen Wallpaper
With iOS 26, Apple gives you more control than ever over how your Home screen looks and feels. For example, as part of the new Liquid Glass redesign you can now make app icons and widgets clear. You can also now set the wallpaper directly from the Home screen, whereas previously you had to go into Settings.
Bear in mind that the new Liquid Glass design means the wallpaper you choose...
