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
Apple's Google Gemini Deal Could Be Worth $5 Billion
Apple's newly announced partnership with Google to use Gemini models for Siri and Apple Intelligence could be worth as much as $5 billion, according to one analyst's estimate.
The deal is structured as a cloud computing contract that will see Apple pay "several billion dollars to Google over time," according to the Financial Times (paywalled), citing a person familiar with the agreement....
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MacPaw Pulls Plug on Setapp Mobile iOS Store, Citing 'Still-Evolving and Complex Business Terms' for Alternative EU Marketplaces
Ukraine-based developer MacPaw is set to close Setapp Mobile, its alternative app store for iOS devices in the European Union, next month.
The service will officially cease operating on February 16, 2026. Setapp Mobile launched in open beta in September 2024.
In a support page, MacPaw said Setapp Mobile is being closed because of app marketplaces' "still-evolving and complex business...
Apple Expands Cross-Border Apple Pay Support in China
Apple today announced expanded cross-border Apple Pay support for users in mainland China, allowing them to use Visa credit and debit cards issued by local banks to make contactless payments both in-store and online while traveling abroad.
Eight major Chinese banks now support the feature, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and...
iPhone 17e to Gain Dynamic Island But Display Still Stuck at 60Hz
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17e will feature a Dynamic Island instead of a notch at the top of the screen, but unlike the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, the display itself will still refresh at 60Hz, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Apple made major improvements to the iPhone 17's display last year, introducing ProMotion display technology with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, similar to recent...
End-to-End Encrypted RCS Messages Referenced in Latest iOS 26.3 Beta
Apple appears close to supporting end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages, almost a year after the GSM Association said it was working to implement the privacy feature for messages sent between Android and iPhone devices.
As shared by Tiino-X83 on X (Twitter), the latest iOS 26.3 beta includes references to a new carrier bundle setting that will let carriers enable and disable E2EE for ...
Apple's Enhanced Siri Is Just Google Gemini in Disguise
When Apple finally rolls out its next-generation Siri this year, it won't actually be Apple's technology doing the heavy lifting. It'll be Google's.
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Apple and Google today confirmed a multi-year collaboration under which Google Gemini will power Apple's revamped assistant, which is expected to be introduced with iOS 26.4 in March or...
Samsung Briefly Showed Off Apple's Foldable iPhone Display
At last week's CES 2026, Samsung briefly showcased a creaseless foldable OLED panel beside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 – a screen that, according to SamMobile who saw it, had "no crease at all" compared to Samsung's current hardware.
The demo reportedly showed text flowing seamlessly across the panel fold at every viewing angle, a stark contrast to the visible ridge that has plagued foldables since ...
Google Chrome 150 Will Be Last Version to Support macOS Monterey
Google has confirmed that its Chrome 150 browser update coming later this year will be the last version to support macOS Monterey. Going forward, Chrome 151 and later versions will no longer support macOS 12, which Apple released in October 2021.
In a platform status update, Google says that on Macs running Monterey, Chrome 150 will continue to work, but the browser will display a warning...
Apple Tops 2025 Smartphone Market With 20% Share, 10% Growth
Apple emerged as the global smartphone market leader in 2025, capturing a 20% market share with 10% year-over-year shipment growth – the highest among the top five brands, according to data released today by Counterpoint Research.
Global smartphone shipments grew 2% year-over-year in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of growth. Counterpoint said the market was driven by more...
Apple Opposes India's Plan to Access iOS Source Code
Apple and other smartphone manufacturers are resisting an Indian government proposal that would require them to hand over source code for security review, reports Reuters.
The proposal is included in a package of 83 security standards that India is considering as legal requirements, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to boost security of user data following increases in online ...
Apple Wins Another Round in AliveCor Legal Battle Over Heart Rate Tech
Apple this week secured another victory in its ongoing legal dispute with heart monitoring company AliveCor, after a federal appeals court upheld a 2024 ruling that found Apple's changes to the Apple Watch were lawful product improvements rather than anticompetitive behavior.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court decision that rejected AliveCor's antitrust claims....
Squinting Face, Pickle, and Lighthouse Among New Emoji Coming to iOS
The Unicode Consortium has published a draft list of emoji that could come to smartphones and other devices in the future. The list shared by Emojipedia outlines 19 emoji candidates under consideration for Emoji 18.0, which is expected to be finalized in September 2026.
Among the proposed additions are a squinting face emoji, left- and right-pointing thumb gestures, a pickle, a lighthouse, a ...
iPhone Fold to Pave Way for Thinner, Brighter Display on iPhone Air 2
The iPhone Fold will be the first Apple device to adopt a Samsung-made OLED technology called CoE (Color Filter on Encapsulation), which could make the display brighter and thinner than previous panels, reports The Elec.
In a traditional OLED panel, a polarizing film sits above the display to cut reflections and improve contrast. The drawback is that this film also absorbs some of the OLED's ...
Gmail Users Can Now Use These Three AI Features Without Paying
Google today made three Gmail AI features free for all personal account holders in the United States, removing the subscription requirement that previously locked them behind its Google AI Pro or Ultra tiers.
"Help Me Write" allows users to enter prompts to draft entire emails from scratch. Like Apple Intelligence's Writing Tools, Help Me Write includes refinement options like Formalize,...
WhatsApp Enhances Group Chats With Three New Features
WhatsApp announced three new group chat features today, expanding how users can interact and add context to their role within conversations involving many participants.
The Meta-owned messaging app is rolling out Member Tags, Text Stickers, and Event Reminders, all of which are designed to give group chats more flexibility and organization.
Member Tags let you assign yourself different...
Spotify's Friend Listening Activity Feature Finally Comes to Mobile
Spotify is bringing its long-running Listening Activity feature to its mobile apps, so now you can see what your friends are listening to on the streaming service when you're away from your desk.
For years, Spotify's desktop app has allowed users to check on their friends' listening habits via a Friend Activity sidebar, but the ability has not been available on iOS and Android apps until...
CES 2026: Dell Unveils World's First 52-Inch 6K Thunderbolt Display
Dell announced the UltraSharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor at CES 2026, billing it as the "world's first 52-inch 6K display."
At 52 inches, the ultra-wide curved monitor features a 21:9 aspect ratio with 6,144 x 2,560 resolution at 129 pixels per inch and supports refresh rates up to 120Hz.
The display uses IPS Black panel technology for deeper blacks and improved contrast compared to...
Logitech Blames 'Inexcusable Mistake' After Certificate Expiry Breaks macOS Apps
Logitech users on macOS found themselves locked out of their mouse customizations yesterday after the company let a security certificate expire, breaking both its Logi Options+ and G HUB configuration apps.
Logitech devices like its MX Master series mice and MX Keys keyboards stopped working properly as a result of the oversight, with users unable to access their custom scrolling setup,...
Apple Reportedly Exploring Multispectral Imaging for Future iPhones
Apple is exploring multispectral imaging technology for future iPhone cameras that could improve Visual Intelligence, enhance material detection, and boost image processing, according to a new supply chain rumor out of China.
In a post on Weibo, leaker Digital Chat Station said Apple is currently evaluating components related to multispectral imaging within the supply chain, but cautioned...
200MP iPhone Camera Not Yet in Active Prototype Testing, Says Leaker
Apple's adoption of a 200-megapixel camera for a future iPhone is still some ways off, according to a prominent supply chain leaker who says such a sensor is not currently part of Apple's active prototype testing.
In a post on Weibo, Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station said that 200-megapixel camera sensors are being discussed in the supply chain, but they have not appeared in iPhone...
