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
iPhone Fold's Outer Display Could Be Smaller Than iPhone Mini Screen
Apple's first foldable iPhone may turn out to be smaller on the outside than many people imagine. According to a new report from The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the iPhone mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales.
Given that consumers passed on the compact screen that...
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M5 MacBook Pro Gets Easier Battery Replacement Process
Apple has made the battery replacement process easier for the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro, allowing users of its self-service repair program to replace just the battery, without removing other internal components.
Before now, manual battery replacement on what is currently Apple's only M5-powered MacBook Pro required swapping out several modules alongside the battery itself. However, the new...
Make Your iPhone Display Flash for Alerts
Unlike some Android phones, iPhones don't have a dedicated notification LED that lights up when you get a call, text, or other alert. What iPhones do include is an optional Accessibility feature for the deaf and hard of hearing that blinks the rear camera flash and provides a visual cue for incoming notifications. And in iOS 26.2, Apple has added the ability to flash the front display, too....
Apple Explores iPhone Chip Packaging in India for the First Time
Apple is in talks with suppliers to manage iPhone chip assembly and packaging in India for the first time, reports The Economic Times.
"Exploratory conversations" are said to have taken place with semiconductor company CG Semi, which is constructing one of India's first outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facilities in Sanand, Gujarat.
From the report, citing people with...
Apple Best Positioned to Weather DRAM Price Surge, Says Counterpoint
Apple and Samsung are best equipped to handle rising memory chip costs that could drive down global smartphone shipments by 2.1% in 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research.
Image credit: iFixit
In its latest projection for the smartphone market next year, the firm has downgraded its forecast from a previously expected 0.45% growth, citing a memory shortage that has pushed...
How Apple May Be Lining Up an All-Screen iPhone for 2027
Apple will debut next-generation under-screen camera technology in its first foldable iPhone expected next year, before adapting the tech for its all-screen 2027 iPhone, according to prolific Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station.
The Weibo-based account claims Apple is adopting this strategy – foldable first, 20th anniversary iPhone second – to gauge consumer reaction to the under-screen...
Leaked iPhone 16 Pro Prototype Runs 'iOS 19' That Never Existed
An iPhone 16 Pro prototype running an internal build labeled "iOS 19" has apparently leaked, offering a rare glimpse at the operating system Apple developed before scrapping the name entirely and introducing the controversial Liquid Glass design with iOS 26.
First reported by AppleInsider, the prototype appears to reveal what iOS 26 could have looked like if Apple had stuck with sequential...
X App for iOS Now Includes Widgets for Lock Screen and Home Screen
X (Twitter) has rolled out a set of widgets for its iOS app, enabling users to add feeds to their Home screen as well as a real-time notification count to their Lock Screen.
The Home screen widget offers only one kind, called "X News Highlights," which displays headlines of what's trending on the social media platform. The widget is available in three sizes.
There's more to be said for...
Kindle App Now Includes AI Assistant for Character and Plot Questions
Amazon has added a new feature to its Kindle app on iOS that uses artificial intelligence to answer questions about the book you're reading, the company has announced.
Available in the U.S. only, "Ask This Book" is described as an "expert reading assistant" that allows users to highlight any passage in what they are reading and ask questions about plot details, character relationships, and...
UK Wants All iPhones to Block Explicit Images Unless You Prove Age
Apple and Google will soon be "encouraged" to build nudity-detection algorithms into their software by default, as part of the UK government's strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, reports the Financial Times.
According to the report, Home Office officials want device operating systems to prevent any nudity from being displayed unless users can verify that they're adults...
Here's Why There Won't Be an iPhone Flip Anytime Soon
Apple's decision to skip the clamshell form factor for its first foldable iPhone already appears to have been justified, several months before the rumored device is even expected to launch.
Counterpoint Research projects foldable panel shipments will jump 46% in 2026, driven almost entirely by book-style devices like Apple's upcoming "iPhone Fold," which is said to feature an outer display...
Apple Pay Faces Swiss Antitrust Investigation Over NFC Access
Switzerland's competition authority has launched a preliminary investigation into whether Apple's terms for granting third-party access to NFC technology on iPhones violate its antitrust laws.
The Secretariat of the Swiss Competition Commission opened the probe on December 10 to examine whether rival mobile payment apps can compete fairly with Apple Pay for contactless payments in stores.
...
'iPhone Fold' Arrival Expected to Cement Book-Style Era for Foldables
Foldable smartphone panel shipments are projected to jump 46% year-over-year in 2026, with Apple's entry into the market serving as the main catalyst, according to Counterpoint Research's latest Foldable-Rollable Display Shipment Tracker.
"Apple is the key driver as it starts to procure panels for its first foldable iPhone," said Counterpoint's Guillaume Chansin. The research firm expects...
Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition.
The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
'Dead Cells' Free for a Limited Time on Epic Games' iOS Store in the EU
Epic Games launched its mobile store for iPhone and iPad in the EU last year, and it has since established a popular program of weekly game giveaways. This week, it is making one of the most awarded indie action games of recent years free to download for a limited time.
Dead Cells is an action-platformer from developer Motion Twin that combines elements of traditional side-scrolling combat...
The Biggest Sports Movie of the Year Is Now Streaming on Apple TV
Acclaimed sports thriller "F1: The Movie" starring Brad Pitt is now available to stream on Apple TV.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer alongside Formula 1 icon Lewis Hamilton, the film casts Pitt as a veteran driver chasing one last shot at glory.
According to Deadline, the film has surged to $629 million at the global box office, making it the...
Google Rolls Out Gemini AI for Chrome on iPhone and iPad
Google is rolling out Gemini integration for its Chrome browser on iPhone and iPad, a move that brings AI feature parity with its web and desktop versions.
The company teased built-in Gemini in Chrome for iOS in September, and the feature is now rolling out gradually across the United States. For Gemini to work in Chrome, you'll need version 143. When you've updated, make sure you're signed...
Opera Neon Browser Drops Waitlist, Adds Deep Research Agent
Opera today opened access to its agentic Neon browser, allowing anyone to subscribe to the app for AI power users. Opera Neon has been available in a closed "Founders" phase since it launched on October 2, but the waitlist has now been removed.
Costing $19.90 per month, Neon aims to go beyond traditional browsing by using AI to execute tasks directly within the browser. Neon can open and...
Apple Studio Display 2 Code Hints at 120Hz ProMotion, HDR, A19 Chip
Apple's next-generation Studio Display is expected to arrive early next year, and a new report allegedly provides a couple more details on the external monitor's capabilities.
According to internal Apple code seen by Macworld, the new external display will feature a variable refresh rate capable of up to 120Hz – aka ProMotion – as well as support for HDR content. The current Studio...
Apple Faces Scrutiny as Sanctioned Entities Slip Through App Store Controls
Apple's App Store has been unlawfully hosting dozens of apps tied to U.S.-sanctioned companies, according to a new watchdog report (via The Washington Post).
The Tech Transparency Project, a non-profit advocacy group, flagged 52 apps in the App Store that had links to entities found on the Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs), a designation that prohibits U.S....
