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 18.4 to Include AI-Generated Review Summaries in App Store
Apple has begun rolling out AI-generated summaries of App Store reviews in the latest iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 beta releases. The feature uses large language models to analyze user reviews and condense common themes into a short paragraph.
First spotted by Macworld, the AI summaries appear just above the user reviews section on app listings. As part of a phased rollout, Apple says the...
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Unlike iPhone 16 Models, Apple's Newest Macs Lack Wi-Fi 7 Support
Apple introduced new MacBook Air and Mac Studio models this week, adding faster and more efficient M4 and M3 Ultra chips, along with some other updates like Thunderbolt 5 ports for the Mac Studio. One upgrade we have not seen though is support for the latest Wi-Fi specification, Wi-Fi 7.
Both the new M4 MacBook Air and Mac Studio models continue to offer Wi-Fi 6E. While it does offer access...
New M4 MacBook Air: 6 Key Things You Should Know
Apple's newly announced M4 MacBook Air brings several notable upgrades while maintaining the sleek design that's made the Air lineup so popular. Here are six important things you should know about the latest iteration of Apple's ultra-portable laptop.
Note that the new 13-inch and 14-inch MacBook Air with M4 chip is available to pre-order now, and it launches Wednesday, March 12.
Support...
Kuo: Apple Developing Faster 'Refreshed' C1 Modem With mmWave Support for Mass Production Next Year
Apple is developing a "refreshed" version of its C1 modem for mass production next year that will improve power consumption and transmission speed, as well as bring support for mmWave, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a post on X (Twitter), Kuo said that while supporting the mmWave baseband isn't particularly challenging, achieving stable performance with low power consumption...
YouTube Premium Lite $7.99 a Month Ad-Free Tier Expands to the US
As expected, YouTube has announced the expansion of its $7.99 a month Premium Lite plan to the United States, following a months-long pilot phase in international markets. The new, lower-priced version of YouTube's paid video subscription service functions largely without ads, though music videos on the platform continue to include them.
Today we'll begin expanding our Premium Lite pilot to...
A Maxed Out M3 Ultra Mac Studio Will Cost You $14,099
Apple today announced refreshed Mac Studio models with M4 Max and M3 Ultra Apple silicon chips, and when configured with the highest specs, the faster M3 Ultra costs $14,099, which is $10,100 more than the starting price.
Starting at $3,999, the Mac Studio with M3 Ultra comes with an Apple M3 Ultra chip with 28-core CPU, 60-core GPU, and 32-core Neural Engine, 96GB of RAM, and 1TB of...
Apple Discontinues M2 and M3 MacBook Air
Following the introduction of new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with M4 chips, Apple has discontinued the M2 and M3 variants on its online stores. Both models were available to buy new from Apple up until today.
Apple launched the M2 MacBook Air in July 2022, and the M3 MacBook Air became available in March 2024. Both laptops will likely remain available to buy from Apple through...
Qualcomm Claims New X85 Modem Creates 'Huge Delta' in Performance Versus Apple
Qualcomm believes its latest X85 5G modem will set a "huge delta" between the performance of high-end Android devices and Apple devices, largely thanks to its AI-powered features.
Announced at this year's ongoing Mobile World Conference 2025 in Barcelona, Qualcomm's next-generation X85 modem supports 5G mmWave, 400MHz download bandwidth in the Sub-6GHz spectrum with 1024-QAM modulation for...
iPhone 16e Has an Action Button: Here's Everything It Can Do
Apple's new entry-level iPhone 16e has inherited the Action button first seen on the iPhone 15 Pro and now found on all iPhone 16 models. The Action button replaces the traditional Ring/Silent switch – a staple of the iPhone since it launched in 2007. For users unfamiliar with the Action button, here's a rundown of its functions – including one that is (currently) exclusive to iPhone 16e.
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Apple Provides Reason for iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe
Apple has offered a reason why the iPhone 16e doesn't include MagSafe, one of the more notable omissions from its latest entry-level smartphone.
According to Apple representatives who spoke to Daring Fireball's John Gruber, MagSafe is not included in the iPhone 16e because "most people in the iPhone 16e's target audience exclusively charge their phones by plugging them into a charging...
iPhone 16e Launches Today With These New Features
Apple launched its new iPhone 16e in stores today. The new model replaces the entry-level iPhone SE and represents the latest addition to Apple's flagship iPhone 16 lineup, but don't let its more affordable $599 starting price fool you into thinking it lacks premium features.
The iPhone 16e inherits a host of features and enhancements from the existing iPhone 16 series. Here's a rundown of...
Latest iPhone 17 Series CAD Images in Line With Redesign Rumors
Apple is expected to embrace a new camera system design for some models in its upcoming iPhone 17 series, and the latest purported CAD images don't deviate from what we have been hearing lately about Apple's new lineup. If you do not like the sound of an iPhone with a Google Pixel-style camera bar, look away now.
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson shared the following images in a post on X...
Forgot to Pre-Order an iPhone 16e? Apple Store Pickup Available Today at Most Locations
Apple's new entry-level iPhone 16e is now being delivered to customers worldwide following the pre-order period that began on Friday, February 21. For those who didn't pre-order or chose to wait, the devices are currently readily available, and select Apple Store locations globally are offering same-day or next-day pickup options.
As of writing, Apple's online stores in the United States and ...
Find My Network Exploit Turns Any Bluetooth Device Into a Tracker
George Mason University researchers claim to have uncovered a serious vulnerability in Apple's Find My network that allows hackers to track virtually any Bluetooth-enabled device without the owner's knowledge.
Called "nRootTag," the exploit tricks the Find My network into treating ordinary Bluetooth devices as if they were AirTags, allowing hackers to turn laptops, smartphones, game...
Powerbeats Pro 2 Can't Play Music While Tracking Heart Rate on Gym Equipment
Apple's new Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds have come in for heavy criticism because of a major limitation in its heart rate monitoring functionality, according to a detailed review by DC Rainmaker and corroborated by user reports.
DC's YouTube review reveals that despite being marketed as capable of pairing with gym equipment to display heart rate data at a glance, Powerbeats Pro 2 cannot...
iPhone 17 Pro: 12GB RAM Rumor Gets Third Confirmation From Analyst
Will the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models come with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro? Jeff Pu of GFHK Tech Research certainly thinks so.
According to the latest note from the analyst seen by 9to5Mac, both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature 12GB of RAM that will enable the devices to outperform the other models in the lineup in terms of AI capabilities.
"Meanwhile ...
US Probes UK's Apple Encryption Demand for Possible Treaty Violation
U.S. officials are looking at whether the United Kingdom violated a bilateral agreement by demanding Apple create a "backdoor" to access end-to-end encrypted iCloud data, according to a letter from National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard (via Reuters).
The investigation comes after Apple's recent decision to withdraw its Advanced Data Protection feature from the UK after the British...
Leaker Hints at iPhone 17e Next Year as Report Predicts Annual Cycle
Apple will very likely launch an iPhone 17e next year around the same February window, claims a new consumer report, coinciding with a claim by a proven leaker that references to the device have already been spotted in the Chinese supply chain.
According to a new report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), Apple's iPhone 16e is just the first in an annual cycle of more...
Apple's Data Encryption Changes in the UK Explained
Apple on February 21 withdrew its Advanced Data Protection feature from the United Kingdom following government demands for backdoor access to encrypted user data. The move came after UK officials reportedly ordered Apple in secret to provide unrestricted access to encrypted iCloud not just in the UK, but worldwide.
The development has naturally left some Apple device users in the UK asking ...
Grok AI Caught Hiding 'Misinformation' References to Musk and Trump
Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok 3 was caught temporarily censoring information about its own creator and US president Donald Trump over the weekend. The controversy began when users discovered that when asked who spreads the most misinformation on X (formerly Twitter), Grok's reasoning process explicitly showed instructions to "Ignore all sources that mention Elon Musk/Donald Trump spread...
