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
AirPods Case With Touchscreen Knock-Off Copies Apple Patent
Apple registers many patents most of which never see the light of day as consumer products – officially, that is. One burgeoning knock-off merchant in China has apparently taken cues from an idea Apple had in 2021 for AirPods featuring a case with a built-in touchscreen display.
Pictures and video shared on X (Twitter) by occasional leaker @lipilipsi show production units of counterfeit...
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Apple Vision Pro is 'Over-Engineered Devkit,' Says Former Oculus Head
Apple's first-generation Vision Pro headset is an "over-engineered devkit" that ships with more sensors than is necessary to deliver Apple's intended experience. That's according to Hugo Barra, former VP of Android and head of Meta's phased-out Oculus headset brand.
Barra, who oversaw the Oculus team in 2017 after it was acquired by Facebook, has published a surprisingly balanced in-depth...
Apple Ring Rumors Gather Pace Ahead of Samsung Galaxy Ring Launch
Apple has toyed with the idea of a ring wearable for several years, as indicated by several patents, but with Samsung preparing to bring its own product to market, the time could be ripe for Apple to follow it with a device that embodies CEO Tim Cook's mantra, "be best, not first."
Samsung Galaxy Ring
The emerging smart ring category is currently led by Oura Ring, first released by Finnish...
10 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 17.4
Apple has released iOS 17.4, its biggest iPhone software update of the year so far, featuring a number of features and changes that users have been anticipating for quite a while.
Below, we've listed 10 new things that your iPhone will be able to do after you've installed the update, which became available on Tuesday, March 5. Be sure to check Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update on your ...
Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Which Is Better?
Apple Maps has been providing navigational guidance to Apple users for almost 13 and a half years now, and much has changed about the app in that time. However, according to data from Canalys, the overwhelming majority of iPhones in the U.S. still have Google Maps downloaded as an alternative to Apple Maps, which comes preinstalled on all iPhones. We want to hear from MacRumors readers. Which do...
VLC Media Player Potentially Coming to Apple Vision Pro
VideoLAN is working on bringing its popular open source VLC media player to Apple Vision Pro, according to tech newsletter Lowpass.
The non-profit organization said it was currently developing a version for Apple's spatial computing headset. "We already have a version of VLC running on the Vision Pro," VideoLAN president Jean-Baptiste Kempf told Lowpass writer Janko Roettgers.
However,...
Spotify Begins Rolling Out Music Videos in Beta Across 11 Countries
Spotify today announced support for music videos, a new feature the streaming service describes as a "beta" with a limited catalog that is available in 11 markets.
Music videos for supported tracks will show up in the Now Playing screen for Spotify Premium users in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Kenya.
A "Switch to...
Brave Browser Reports Spike in EU Installs After iOS 17.4 DMA Changes
Alternative browser company Brave has reported a sharp increase in iPhone installs since Apple made sweeping changes to iOS in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Union.
With the recent iOS 17.4 update, users in the EU are presented with a splash screen upon opening Safari that allows them to choose a new default browser.
Apple is not providing just the standard ...
macOS Sonoma 14.4 Causing USB Hub Issues for Some Users
Some Mac users who updated to Apple's latest macOS Sonoma 14.4 software release are experiencing connectivity issues with USB hubs and monitors with USB ports, with several reports of mice, keyboards, and other peripherals no longer being detected.
Users have taken to the MacRumors forums, Reddit, X (Twitter), and the Apple Support Community forums to relay their experiences, a selection of...
Access Your Recent Files From iPhone Home Screen
Did you know you can quickly access your most recent files on your iPhone without navigating through folders or apps? Thanks to Apple's Files widget, you can directly access your files with a tap of your Home Screen.
The Files widget helps keep your important documents at the forefront. It's great way to keep track of your most recent work without manually sorting through files, ensuring...
Cheaper Apple TV+ With Ads Plan a Possibility, Recent Job Hires Suggest
Apple could be accelerating plans to introduce an ad-supported Apple TV+ tier, based on a number of recent hires by the company.
Business Insider reports that Apple recently recruited Joseph Cady, who worked as an ad executive for NBCUniversal for over 14 years. Cady's focus was on data-driven and targeted advertising, including responsibility for the Comcast subsidiary's partnerships with...
Apple Maps Cycling Directions Expand to Austria, Belgium, and Sweden
Apple Maps has expanded the availability of cycling routes in Europe by adding support for the countries of Austria, Belgium, and Sweden.
Apple first added cycling directions to Apple Maps in iOS 14, providing specific directions for bike riders with bike lanes, bike paths, and bike-friendly routes that highlight steep inclines, stairs, and other obstacles.
Elsewhere in Europe, Apple Maps ...
Apple, Google, and Others Announce Speedometer 3.0 Browser Benchmark
Apple in collaboration with other browser engine developers has announced the release of Speedometer 3.0, described by Apple as "the best way yet to measure browser benchmark performance."
Apple's WebKit team is excited to introduce Speedometer 3.0, a major update that better reflects the Web of today. It's built together by the developers of all major browser engines: Blink, Gecko, and...
Is 8GB of RAM Enough for a Mac in 2024?
The debate over whether 8GB of RAM is sufficient for a Mac has long been a topic of contention. The controversy goes back to at least 2012, when Apple launched the first MacBook Pro with Retina display, which started with 8GB of RAM. Apple still offers 8GB as the base configuration for its 14-inch MacBook Pro, not to mention its M3 iMac and the latest MacBook Air models. Coupled with the...
Gurman: AirPods Pro to Gain 'Hearing Aid Mode' in iOS 18
AirPods Pro will gain a new "hearing aid mode" with the release of iOS 18 later this year, according to the latest report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Writing in the subscriber edition of his regular Power On newsletter, Gurman claims that the "big news" for AirPods Pro in the near term will be support for a hearing aid-style function when iOS 18 drops in the fall.
To be clear, this isn't ...
Here Are All the M3 Macs Still Expected This Year
Apple in March 2024 announced new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models, the first Mac updates of the year featuring M3 series chips. But there are other Macs in Apple's lineup still to be updated to the latest M3 processors.
So, where do the Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro fit into Apple's M3 roadmap for the year ahead? Here's what the latest rumors say.
Mac Mini
Apple announced...
iPad Air and iPad Pro Could Both Feature Landscape FaceTime Camera
Apple's upcoming redesigned iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models could include a front-facing camera positioned on the side of the device so that it is upright when in a landscape orientation, individual rumors suggest.
Currently, the iPad Air and both iPad Pro models in Apple's lineup feature a FaceTime camera on the top of the device, which puts the camera off-center when taking a FaceTime...
Google Chrome Will Soon Let You Install Any Website as a Desktop App
Google Chrome will soon let you install any webpage as a desktop app on your Mac, just like Apple's Safari browser does in macOS Sonoma (via Android Police).
The new feature was spotted by X (Twitter) user Leopeva64 in the latest Chrome Canary build, which includes a new option called "Install page as app," which can be found in Settings ➝ Save and share. Websites such as YouTube and...
10 Hidden Messages Features on iPhone
If you're an iPhone user you know how the Messages app works. But when Apple released iOS 17 last year, it introduced an overhauled interface for the Messages app that includes several useful hidden functions and customization options that might not be obvious to the average user.
Below, we've collected 10 of our favorite tips that we hope will make your Messages experience more ...
Apple's Eighth Retail Store in Shanghai Expected to Open This Month
Apple today announced the imminent opening of its eighth retail store in central Shanghai, China, which will be named Apple Jing'an.
Located on Nanjing West Road in the Jing'an District (named after its famous ancient Jing'an Temple), Apple Jing'an will become the 57th Apple store in mainland China and Apple says it's the company's second-largest flagship store after the Fifth Avenue...
