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 9.3 'Most Stable New Release in Years', Says Analytics Firm
Despite its much-publicized problems, Apple's iOS 9.3 is showing a lower crash rate than all active iOS builds, an app analytics firm reported yesterday (via AppleInsider).
According to California-based Apteligent, over the past eight days iOS 9.3 has had a crash rate of only 2.2 percent, making it the most stable iOS release in circulation. Apple's new iOS also beat the latest version of...
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Apple Chip Suppliers Report Slowing Orders for Q2 2016
Chip orders from Apple for the second quarter of 2016 have been notably slow, according to unnamed sources in the integrated circuit supply chain (via DigiTimes).
Overall, chip orders placed by Apple for Q2 are expected to be only slightly higher than those for Q1, despite the launch of the company's 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro earlier this month.
First-week sales of Apple's new...
Amazon Bans Sale of Potentially Dangerous USB-C Cables
Amazon has tightened restrictions on the sale of USB-C cables and adapters on its online store in an effort to protect customers from risky substandard products (via The Verge).
The online retailer added non-compliant USB-C cables to its list of prohibited items, following a flood of potentially damaging third-party cables onto the market. The new note on Amazon's page of undesirables...
'Next-Generation' Apple Store Opens in Memphis
Apple officially opened one of its first Jony Ive-inspired "next-generation" retail stores in the U.S. over the weekend.
The new-look store is located at the Shops of Saddle Creek South in Germantown, a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, and shows off some of the new design elements, as shown in photos provided to AppleInsider.
The store is described as having a high-flung ceiling lined with...
Apple Website Gains 'Mix and Match' Apple Watch Gallery
Apple this week updated the Apple Watch section of its website to make it easier for customers to try out different watch styles and find the look they want.
Cult of Mac notes that Apple has replaced the old basic scrolling Gallery section of the site with a more flexible one consisting of three tabs that enable users to mix and match Cases, Bands, and Faces.
Visitors to the Gallery can...
Apple Promotes Microsoft Office 365 as iPad Pro 'Accessory'
Following the unveiling of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro at Apple's media event on Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook described the device as the "ultimate PC replacement". As if to underline that belief, the company has included a subscription option for Microsoft Office 365 in the iPad Pro ordering process on its website.
It's unclear exactly when Apple added the Microsoft productivity suite to the online...
FBI Enlists Israeli Firm Cellebrite to Unlock Shooter's iPhone
Israeli mobile software developer Cellebrite is helping the FBI in its attempt to unlock the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino shooter investigation.
That's according to a story filed by Reuters this morning, based on a report in Wednesday's copy of Israeli daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. If the software company succeeds then the FBI will no longer need the help of Apple, the...
iOS Users in Japan Gain Apple Maps 'Nearby' Feature
Apple has extended the 'Nearby' feature in its iOS Maps app to serve users in Japan, bringing access to local points of interest such as bars, restaurants, health services and shopping centers.
AppleInsider reports that 'Nearby' is now active across the country, despite Apple having not yet updated its Maps feature availability web page to reflect the change. Apple reportedly introduced...
Apple in 'Advanced Talks' to Acquire GPU Supplier Imagination Technologies [Update: No]
Apple is reportedly in "advanced talks" to acquire British microchip designer Imagination Technologies, according to The Verge this morning.
The information is said to come from "a source with knowledge of the discussions". When asked for comment, Imagination Technologies refused to deny the planned takeover.
The report follows the UK firm's announcement just last week that it was making...
Apple Tackles E-Waste With iPhone Recycling Robot 'Liam'
At its media event on Monday, Apple kicked off by discussing its efforts to reduce waste and improve its renewable energy infrastructure, marking a heightened focus on the company's environmental responsibilities.
As part of the presentation, the company also unveiled a robotic system it has developed that can disassemble old iPhones and recover recyclable materials.
The robot, called...
Apple Offers Lightning to USB-C Cable for Fast-Charging 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Apple has introduced a Lightning to USB-C Cable to its online accessory store that lets users connect their iPhone, iPad, or iPod with Lightning connector to a computer’s USB-C port for syncing and charging.
Significantly, the cable can be used with an Apple 29W USB-C Power Adapter to take advantage of the fast charging feature on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but not the brand new 9.7-inch iPad...
Apple Announces New 4-Inch iPhone SE Starting at $399
Apple today announced the iPhone SE, a new 4-inch iPhone that boasts many of the same features as the company's larger iPhone 6s.
The iPhone SE features the A9 chip and the same embedded M9 motion co-processor as Apple's flagship 4.7-inch phone, for double the CPU performance of the iPhone 5s, which was Apple's last 4-inch handset. The new phone also packs the same graphics capabilities of the ...
MacBook Charger Teardown Highlights Dangers of Counterfeit Adapters
Manufacturers of counterfeit Apple products often go to great lengths to make their knock-offs look genuine, which brings the added risk of concealing potentially dangerous flaws in substituted electrical components.
In the past we've covered the efforts manufacturers go to when counterfeiting iPhone and iPad chargers, courtesy of product teardowns on Ken Shirrif's technology blog. Now, a new...
iMessage Security Flaw Allows Researchers to Decrypt Images
A flaw in Apple's encryption systems has been found that enables an attacker to decrypt photos and videos sent over its iMessage instant messenger service.
According to The Washington Post, the security hole in Apple's code was exploited by a group of Johns Hopkins University researchers, led by computer science professor Matthew D. Green.
Green reportedly alerted Apple to the problem last ...
Apple Supplier Broadcom Reportedly Phasing Out Wi-Fi Chip Business
Communications chip maker and Apple supplier Broadcom is planning to phase out its Wi-Fi chip business in order to streamline its workforce and product line, according to industry sources in Taiwan (via DigiTimes).
The move follows the company's recent acquisition by Avago Technologies and forms part of a larger strategy to allocate more resources for research and development in the...
'ProtonMail' Email App for iOS Launches With End-to-End Encryption
Swiss software developer and civil liberties outfit Proton Technologies saw its encrypted email app ProtonMail hit the App Store today.
The iOS app is a front end for the company's popular free worldwide end-to-end encrypted email service, built on the back of over half a million dollars raised in a 2014 crowdfunding campaign.
ProtonMail invisibly integrates PGP encryption into a modern...
Apple GPU Supplier Imagination Technologies Announces Cuts Amid Slowing iPhone Sales
British microchip designer and major Apple supplier Imagination Technologies announced additional cost cuts this morning, following a significant restructuring program unveiled by the UK firm only last month.
The company, which supplies the PowerVR graphics architecture in Apple's iPhones and iPads, said it would reduce its cost base by an additional £12.5 million ($18 million) by April 2017, ...
First Official Nintendo iOS Game 'Miitomo' Hits Japanese App Store
Nintendo's first official iOS game, Miitomo, made its long-awaited debut in the Japanese App Store yesterday.
As promised, the company's first foray into smartphone apps is a free-to-play social title in which players can create and customise their own avatars, known as Miis, which can communicate with other Miis on the social network.
Apart from the social angle, the main incentive to...
Apple Actively Working to 'Double Down' on iCloud Encryption
Apple is working to further harden iCloud security so that even it won't be able to access user information stored on its data servers, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
According to yesterday's report, which cites "people familiar with the matter", Apple executives are actively considering how to bolster iCloud encryption without inconveniencing users.
Currently, encrypted data kept on ...
UK Parliamentary Bill Would Require Backdoors in Electronic Devices
Technology firms operating in the UK will be forced to install backdoors in their products and services for state surveillance purposes under proposed new laws, reports The Sunday Times.
The new powers come under the controversial Investigatory Powers Bill (IPB), referred to by critics as the "Snooper's Charter", which was published by Home Secretary Theresa May on March 1 and is due to get...
