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
Live Activities Taking Over Your Apple Watch? Here's the Fix
In watchOS 26, the Smart Stack for your Apple Watch is pretty clever. The collection of widgets can be pulled up with a scroll of the Digital Crown, and shows you relevant information throughout your day. But sometimes, its eagerness to help can be a bit much, especially when it comes to Live Activities.
You're probably familiar with this scenario: You raise your wrist expecting to see your...
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Turn Off the User Profiles Screen on Apple TV 4K
Starting with tvOS 26.2, Apple TVs began displaying a user profile selection screen every time you wake the device from sleep. The feature helps households with multiple users maintain separate viewing histories and recommendations, but it can feel like an unnecessary step if you're the sole user.
Fortunately, Apple lets you disable this prompt entirely. Here's how to turn off the user...
Tomb Raider Reboot Launches on iOS and Android
Feral Interactive has announced the release of Tomb Raider on iOS and Android. Originally released in 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Tomb Raider has been fully rebuilt for iOS and Android.
Coinciding with the franchise's 30th anniversary, this reboot of the console version includes the complete original campaign and all 12 DLC packs featuring extra upgrades, outfits, and a bonus...
Tim Cook Faces FTC Warning Over Apple News Curation
Apple has been issued a warning letter from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, urging it to review its content curation for Apple News so as to ensure that it is not suppressing conservative publications.
In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, seen by the Financial Times, FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson cites recent press coverage of a report from conservative media watchdog Media Research Center...
Apple Stores See iPhone 16e, iPad Air Shortages as New Models Near
Apple's retail inventory of iPhone 16e and iPad Air models has reportedly dwindled to almost nothing as the company inches towards the release of new versions of both devices. They are expected to launch in the coming weeks.
In a post on X (Twitter), Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman said that stock of iPhone 16e models has "basically dried out," while the iPad Air is seeing shortages as well,...
Never Miss Your Doorbell While Wearing Headphones on iPhone
Noise-canceling headphones are great for blocking out distractions, but they can also block out sounds you actually need to hear, like a courier at the front door with your all-important package. Well, thanks to an Apple accessibility feature, your iPhone can do the listening for you and alert you when your doorbell rings.
Meet Sound Recognition, the feature in question that uses your...
ChatGPT's Deep Research Mode Gets a Fullscreen Document Viewer
OpenAI has updated its deep research feature in ChatGPT with a fullscreen document viewer that can be used to browse its AI-generated reports separately from the chat window.
The built-in tool includes a table of contents in a left-hand column that can be used to jump to specific parts of the document, while a right-hand column can still be expanded to show a list of citations.
The deep ...
AirDrop-Quick Share Interoperability Expanding to More Android Phones
Last November, Google announced a cross-platform feature that allows Google Pixel 10 and Apple device users to share files directly via Quick Share-AirDrop interoperability. Now, Google has confirmed that the feature is set to expand to Android phones more generally this year.
"Last year, we launched AirDrop interoperability," said Eric Kay, vice president of engineering for the Android...
M5 MacBook Air: Release Date, Features, and Performance Predictions
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor.
Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...
iPhone 18 Pro: Apple's C2 Modem to Support 5G Satellite Connectivity
Apple's next-generation C2 modem will bring support for 5G satellite connectivity to this year's iPhone 18 Pro models, based on claims made by a Chinese leaker.
In a post on Weibo, the account "Fixed Focus Digital" said that Apple's C2 baseband modem – expected to debut in iPhone 18 Pro models – will support NR-NTN, or New Radio Non-Terrestrial Networks.
The NR-NTN standard can relate...
Make HomePod Alert You to Smoke Alarms
Thanks to Apple's Sound Recognition feature, the HomePod mini and second-generation HomePod can send you notifications when they recognize smoke or carbon monoxide alarm sounds. Keep reading to learn how it works.
With Sound Recognition, HomePod can detect the sound of a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm in your home, and alert you by sending a notification to your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. ...
Use Edge Light for Better Video Calls in macOS
Apple in macOS Tahoe 26.2 introduced Edge Light, a clever new feature that turns your Mac's display into a virtual ring light during video calls. Instead of fumbling with external lighting equipment, your Mac can now illuminate your face automatically when you're sitting in a dark room.
Basically, Edge Light adds a soft glow around the edges of your display to brighten your face during video ...
Get Your iPhone to Ask Callers Who They Are Before You Answer
Spam and cold calls have become such a nuisance that many people simply don't answer their phone unless they recognize the number. In iOS 26, though, you can learn about who's calling before you respond, thanks to a clever feature that intercepts unknown calls and asks the caller to identify themselves before your iPhone even rings.
The "Ask Reason for Calling" feature is kind of like having ...
DuckDuckGo Adds AI Voice Chat to Duck.ai With Privacy Protections
DuckDuckGo has announced new voice chat capabilities for Duck.ai, the private AI chatbot platform it launched last March.
The new feature lets users have real-time voice conversations with large language models (LLMs) through an encrypted relay connection. OpenAI provides the LLMs that power voice chats, but DuckDuckGo says that neither it nor OpenAI stores any audio after conversations end.
...
Apple, Google Commit to Fairer App Store Practices in UK
Apple and Google have agreed to a series of changes aimed at making their app stores fairer for developers, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced today.
The concrete commitments come after the CMA found the two companies had a duopoly and designated them as having "strategic market status" in mobile platforms last October. The designation is not a finding of wrongdoing,...
OpenAI's Jony Ive-Designed Device Delayed to 2027
OpenAI's first Jony Ive-designed hardware device won't ship to customers until next year, new court filings show (via Wired).
The motion stems from a trademark infringement lawsuit filed last year by audio device startup iyO. The company sued OpenAI after the latter acquired io, a startup founded by Apple's former design chief.
OpenAI's original stated goal was to ship the ChatGPT-powered ...
iPhone 17 Pro's Cosmic Orange Color Linked to 38% China Sales Jump
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been runaway hits in China, but their success has little to do with new AI or camera features – it's largely down to the color. Or at least, that's according to a new report.
The Cosmic Orange finish made available exclusively on Apple's high-end Pro models has been widely dubbed "Hermès orange" by Chinese consumers who associate the vivid...
macOS: Share a Link That Jumps to a Specific Line on a Webpage
Sometimes when you share a webpage link with someone, you just want to bring their attention to a specific passage or sentence to make your point, rather than have them read through the entire article.
In 2020, Google added a function to its Chrome browser called Scroll to Text Fragment (STTF) that helps you achieve this. It allows URLs to link directly to any visible text on a page. You may ...
Here's Jony Ive's Ferrari Luce EV Interior and Interface Design
In 2021, Ferrari and its parent company Exor announced a multi-year creative partnership with LoveFrom, the design firm co-founded by Apple's former design chief Jony Ive and fellow designer Marc Newson. Now, in an event held at the Transamerica Pyramid, not far from LoveFrom's studio in San Francisco, Ferrari has shared the first results of that collab by unveiling the interior and interface of...
YouTube Music Rolling Out Premium Paywall for Song Lyrics
YouTube Music is making users pay for lyrics. Originally introduced in 2020 as a free feature, song lyrics now sit behind a paywall – as part of a YouTube Premium or Music Premium subscription.
As spotted by 9to5Google, in the latest update currently rolling out, the Lyrics tab on the Now Playing screen displays the warning message, "You have [x] views remaining. Unlock lyrics with...
