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
Nokia to Acquire Health Tracking Firm Withings in $192 Million Deal
Nokia this morning announced it will buy French health tracking company Withings for an estimated $192 million, as the company seeks to re-establish itself in the consumer electronics market.
Withings makes iOS-compatible smart connected home products as well as a range of health and fitness wearables such as the Go activity tracker and its stylish Activité smartwatch range. The company's...
Read Full Article • 26 comments
Electric Car Challenger LeEco Calls Apple Product Design 'Obsolete'
The CEO of Chinese conglomerate LeEco has called Apple's product design "outdated" and "obsolete" in an international TV interview, following the company's unveiling of its first self-driving supercar in Beijing last week (via CNBC).
Jia Yueting is both CEO and chairman of LeEco (formerly LeTV), often referred to as the "Netflix of China", but which has a product range that spans smartphones,...
First Look Inside Pegatron's Secretive Shanghai iPhone Assembly Plant
Bloomberg has been granted an exclusive look inside a Chinese iPhone manufacturing plant where Apple claimed it has addressed cases of excessive overtime.
Pegatron Corp.'s sprawling facility on the outskirts of Shanghai covers an area equal to 90 football fields and employs some 50,000 people in the iPhone assembly process.
After accusations that employees were forced to work long,...
Decline in iPhone Shipments Could Make Apple Worst-Performing Top Five Smartphone Brand of 2016
Apple's global iPhone shipments will fall short of analysts' consensus estimates of 210 to 230 million units in the 2016 fiscal year, according to a new research note issued by respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a worst case scenario, iPhone shipments in 2016 are expected to reach just 190 million units, which is an 18% reduction in shipment growth and 3 million fewer iPhones than...
Steve Wozniak Says Apple Should Pay 50% Tax Rate
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has spoken out in favor of Apple and all other companies in the world paying the same 50% tax rate he does, calling anything less "unfair".
In an interview with the BBC published this morning, Wozniak, who left Apple in 1986, said that every company in the world should pay the same rate he pays as an individual. "I do a lot of work, I do a lot of travel and I pay ...
Rival Handset Makers Face Inventory Losses Following China iPhone SE Launch
The launch of the iPhone SE in China has squeezed market share from local brands causing handset makers to rein in their inventory stockpiling for future component shipments, according to sources in the supply chain (via DigiTimes).
The introduction of the relatively low-priced iPhone SE into the Chinese market has reportedly affected the performance of brands including Huawei, Xiaomi...
Apple Patents Lightning Compatible Wired-Wireless Headphone System
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published an Apple patent today that describes a hybrid analog/digital stereo headphone system capable of switching seamlessly between wired and wireless audio modes (via AppleInsider).
The patent for "Audio class-compliant charging accessories for wireless headphones and headsets" distinguishes the system from traditional headphones by its use of an...
Opera Web Browser for OS X Gains Free Unlimited VPN Feature
Norway-based company Opera Software has integrated a virtual private network (VPN) feature into the latest developer version of its free Opera web browser for OS X.
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel from the user's computer to the VPN server, hiding browsing activity from other users on the local network and enhancing security and privacy online. A VPN shields a user's real IP address,...
Intel to Cut 12,000 Jobs Amid Declining PC Market
Intel has announced a major corporate restructuring that will see 11 percent of its workforce laid off as the company intensifies its focus on its data center and smart connected computing businesses.
The move is being billed as a profitable and efficient evolution of the company away from its traditional PC sector base toward more high-growth areas, broadly defined as its cloud-powering...
Apple Backs Open Letter to Senators Criticizing Draft Encryption Bill
An open letter expressing "deep concerns" about a U.S. draft encryption bill that would force smartphone makers to decrypt data at the behest of the government was published yesterday, signed by four coalitions representing Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and other major tech companies.
The letter is addressed to the bill's sponsors, Senators Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein, and warns of...
Apple Wins Patent for Texture and Temperature Simulating Touch Surface
Apple has been granted a patent today for an invention that enables a touchpad or touch surface to simulate textures like cool metal and hot cement.
The patent, originally filed in 2013 and called "Touch Surface for Simulating Materials" (via Patently Apple), appears in a series of 62 others published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and includes details on the mechanisms that...
Apple Reportedly Running Secret Car Lab in German Capital
Apple is operating a secret vehicle research and development lab in the heart of Berlin, claims a report published in a German news outlet this morning.
According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (also known as F.A.Z.), Apple's clandestine facility employs between 15 and 20 "top class" men and women from the German automotive industry, with backgrounds in engineering, software, hardware, and...
Amazon Prime Video Now Offered as Standalone $8.99 Monthly Service
Amazon has repositioned its Prime Video service as a standalone $8.99 monthly subscription deal with the option to cancel at any time.
Prior to Sunday night, Amazon's video streaming service was only available to U.S. customers as part of the annual $99 Amazon Prime bundle, which qualified subscribers for free shipping from the company's online retail store, unlimited music streaming, and...
Best Buy, Staples Offering Up to $150 Off 12.9-inch iPad Pro Stock
For today only, Best Buy is offering $125 off its entire selection of 12.9-inch iPad Pros, including the 256GB WiFi + Cellular version in Gold, Silver, and Space Gray.
Apple's latest top tier cellular-equipped 12.9-inch iPad Pro is currently priced at $1,104.99, rather than the recommended retail price of $1,229, while the 128GB cellular version is tagged at $954.99, compared to Apple's RRP of ...
Apple's Recycling Initiatives Recover $40 Million in Gold
Apple released its latest annual environmental report yesterday, and some of the numbers included reveal just how much the company is able to recover from old devices.
Business Insider notes that Apple was able to recover over 61 million pounds of steel, aluminum, glass, and other materials from its computers and iPhones. Included in that total is 2,204 pounds of gold, which is well over a...
FBI Can't Reveal Exploit Used to Unlock San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone
The unidentified group that assisted the FBI in unlocking the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone has sole legal ownership of the exploit, making it highly unlikely to be shared with Apple, U.S. administration sources have revealed.
According to a report published by Reuters yesterday, the White House routinely reviews technology security flaws as part of its Vulnerabilities Equities Process to...
Starbucks iOS App Puts Loyalty First With New Rewards Features
Starbucks yesterday announced a new version of its iOS app, featuring an overhauled design that aims to offer a more personalized experience for its customers and highlight the benefits of its loyalty program.
A new homepage for the app puts the company's Stars rewards front and center, enabling users to keep track of how many stars they've accrued and redeem them more easily.
Collected...
Google Calendar Celebrates 10th Anniversary With iOS 'Goal' Events
Google is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Calendar service with the addition of a new feature in its iOS app that aims to help users meet personal goals.
The new feature uses machine learning in an effort to help users stick to projected goals by sending reminders and rescheduling around other events in their calendar if necessary.
Tapping on the new Goal option in the Add menu...
Immersive VR and 360 Video Editing Tools Coming to Adobe CC for Mac This Summer
Adobe has announced major updates to Premiere Pro CC and its other video apps, with VR workflows spearheading a new focus on immersive VR and 360 video experiences.
Set for an "early summer" release, the CC platform updates bring new VR capabilities to Adobe's flagship video editor, in the form of a "field of view" mode that allows editors to work with imported spherical stitched video and see ...
Siri Responds to Most Burning Question Asked by 'Game of Thrones' Fans
The first episode of the long-awaited season six of HBO series Game of Thrones premiered in Los Angeles over the weekend, and Siri is now giving cheeky responses to users who ask the personal assistant whether one of its principal characters, Jon Snow, has truly left this mortal coil.
Asking Siri, 'Is Jon Snow dead?' returns a number of possible responses, including:
Well, you know what...
