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
Australian Retailers Back Banks' Right to Negotiate With Apple
Australian retail giant Coles, the Australian Payments Clearing Association (APCA), and the Australian Retailers Association have all expressed their support to allow some of the country's banks to collectively negotiate with Apple over access to its NFC-based digital payment technology (via ZDNEt).
Last month, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank (NAB), and Westpac lodged a joint...
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Woz Laments No Headphone Jack on iPhone 7, Sees USB-C as Future of Audio
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has predicted a consumer backlash if Apple drops the headphone jack in the upcoming iPhone 7 in favor of an all-in-one Lightning connector for audio output, charging, and accessory connectivity.
"If it's missing the 3.5mm earphone jack, that's going to tick off a lot of people," claimed Woz, speaking to The Australian Financial Review.
"I would not use...
Apple Patent Details Visual-Based AR Navigation Device
Apple has been granted an augmented reality navigation patent stemming from its acquisition of AR startup Flyby Media earlier this year (via AppleInsider).
The patent was published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under the title "Visual-based inertial navigation", and describes a system that allows a consumer device to position itself in three-dimensional space using data from...
Amazon Working on Echo $5-a-Month Music Streaming Service
Amazon is working on a $5-a-month music subscription service that will be exclusive to owners of the company's internet-connected Echo speaker.
According to Recode, Amazon is planning to introduce the service in September alongside another music streaming service that costs $10 a month, to compete more directly with the likes of Apple Music and Spotify.
Industry sources say the company has...
Samsung Could Sell Refurbished Smartphones in the U.S. By Next Year
Samsung is planning to launch a new program selling refurbished used versions of its smartphones as early as next year, according to sources who spoke to Reuters.
The Korean tech firm is seeking ways to sustain its earnings after the company posted its best profits for two years following a restructuring of its mobile lineup. With the smartphone market plateauing, Samsung hopes that selling...
Privacy Advocates Cite NSA Hack as Vindication of Apple's Fight With FBI
Privacy advocates have claimed the breach of hacking tools and exploits apparently stolen from the National Security Agency has vindicated Apple's stance in its dispute with the FBI earlier this year.
Last week, reports emerged that a hacker group called the "Shadow Brokers" had allegedly stolen a cache of the NSA's top espionage tools and offered to sell them to the highest bidder.
The...
Ride Hailing Firm Lyft Courted Apple in Attempted Sale
Ride hailing company Lyft recently approached several companies including Apple in an attempt to sell itself, according to a report by The New York Times.
The second-largest ride hailing firm in the U.S. held talks with or contacted Apple, Amazon, General Motors, Uber, Google, and Didi Chuxing over a potential sale, but was unable to find a buyer, said the newspaper's sources.
G.M., one of...
Facebook Announces Video-Based Social App 'Lifestage' For High Schoolers
Facebook has released a new teens-only social app called "Lifestage" that asks users to create profiles by uploading video clips instead of filling in text fields.
The standalone app is aimed at high school kids aged 21 and under, and doesn't require a Facebook account. Users are asked to select their high school and are then shown video profiles of people at the same school or ones nearby, as ...
Taiwan Component Makers Refuse to Lower Quotes For iPhone 7 Parts
Apple's demand that overseas suppliers lower their quotes for iPhone 7 parts and components has been met with resistance from makers, according to Taiwanese website DigiTimes.
Apple is said to have asked downstream part and component suppliers, excluding TSMC and Largan Precision, to reduce their quotes for iPhone 7 devices by as much as 20 percent, even though order volumes for new phones are ...
Australian Banks Denied Request to Negotiate Over Apple Pay
An Australian antitrust regulator has denied a request from three of the country's biggest banks to collectively negotiate a deal with Apple over the use of third-party digital wallet software on its iPhones (via AppleInsider).
Last month, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank (NAB), and Westpac lodged a joint application with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) to...
Team Collaboration Platform HipChat Adds Group Video Calling Feature
Team messaging app HipChat has announced a new group video chat feature for premium users of the platform.
The video conferencing option, set to roll out over the next few weeks, means HipChat Plus account holders can initiate a virtual meeting with another person and add up to 10 others to the call using an invite URL.
Users also have the ability to share their screen during a video...
Twitter Rolls Out 'Quality Filter' to Block Abuse and Automated Content
Twitter has announced a new "Quality Filter" feature that enables users to filter notifications so that they only see "quality tweets" and mentions from people they follow.
The feature initially rolled out as a test and was created partly as a means to combat users' exposure to abusive trolls, but Twitter says the filter is now available to everyone.
"Last year we began testing a quality...
Apple Pay Comes to Clydesdale Bank, Yorkshire Bank, and 'B' Customers in the U.K.
Apple has added Apple Pay support for customers of Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank in the United Kingdom.
Apple's official list of participating banks in Europe has yet to updated, but the two banks independently confirmed news of the added support via Twitter and on their websites.
The support also covers the two banks' new co-operative digital banking service, called simply "B", which ...
Instagram Apes Snapchat Again With New 'Events' Channel
Instagram has introduced a new "Events" channel in the Explore section of its app that highlights user photos and video clips captured during specific events from around the world.
Currently only available in the U.S., the new channel implements an algorithm to curate media from events like sports games and concerts, based on a user's preferences and habits, according to a post on the...
Alleged Leaked Images Depict Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Flex 2
Alleged leaked images of two new upcoming products from Fitbit were published by TechnoBuffalo yesterday.
The images claim to show promotional shots of the wearable company's Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Flex 2, both of which have been rumored since trademark applications for the Mark II devices were discovered earlier this year.
The image of the Fitbit Charge 2 shows a larger screen than...
Ford Announces Plans For Fully Autonomous Self-Driving Car By 2021
Ford Motor Company has announced its plans to build a fleet of fully automated driverless vehicles for commercial ride-sharing by 2021, according to Reuters.
The company said it was increasing its investments in technology firms and tripling its investment in semi-autonomous systems, which would entail doubling the size of its Palo Alto research team while expanding its campus in Silicon...
Apple Expands iTunes Carrier Billing to Japan as Rollout Gains Pace
Apple today added Japan to its list of countries eligible for iTunes carrier billing, suggesting the company is set to fast-track its expansion of the payment feature to regions across the globe (via Mashable).
Japan becomes the fifth market to accept the transaction method, which allows users to charge iTunes content purchases directly to their cellphone bill instead of registering a bank...
Google Releases New Video Calling App Called 'Duo'
Google has announced a new one-to-one video calling app for iOS and Android called Duo, which the company says aims to take the complexity and frustration out of video calling.
Users of Duo sign into the app using just their phone number and Google then sends them a confirmation text. After that, users can video call anyone in their contacts list who also have Duo installed.
Google says...
Patent Granted: Steve Jobs' Remote Control App For a Yacht
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today granted a patent application that details a remote control device for a marine vessel, a concept that Steve Jobs was originally credited the inventor of (via PatentlyApple).
The patent, titled "Remote motion control using a wireless mobile device", was filed in 2013 and has just been granted, now registered under Apple and Savant Systems. Savant is a...
Apple Rolls Out iTunes Carrier Billing Feature to Switzerland and Taiwan
Apple has green-lighted its carrier billing feature for iTunes users in Taiwan and Switzerland, allowing them to charge app and media transactions directly to their cellphone bill (via Mashable).
The two countries join Germany and Russia in allowing customers to pay for music, movies, apps, books (excepting Taiwan, since Apple doesn't sell books there), Apple Music memberships, and other...
