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
iPhone 16e Now Available for Pre-Order Ahead of February 28 Launch
Apple is now accepting orders for the new iPhone 16e through its online storefront and through the Apple Store app. The Apple Store app is often the quickest way to get a pre-order in as typically comes online ahead of the website.
Pre-orders are being accepted in more than 59 countries and regions around the world. Pricing on the iPhone 16e starts at $599 in the United States....
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Cheaper 'YouTube Premium Lite' Ad-Free Tier Reportedly Coming Soon
Google will imminently launch a new, more affordable YouTube "Premium Lite" tier in a bid to appeal to viewers who don't really watch music videos, Bloomberg reports.
The lower-priced version of YouTube's paid video subscription service will function largely without ads, though music videos on the platform will continue to include them for viewers on the Lite tier.
YouTube Premium is the ...
iPhone 16e Supports USB-C Fast Charging up to 29W, Based on Chinese Regulatory Filing
The iPhone 16e reportedly supports USB-C fast charging up to 29W, according to a regulatory filing published in China (via MySmartPrice).
If accurate, this is broadly in line with the iPhone 16 models. Last year, ChargerLAB found that the iPhone 16 Pro models achieved maximum sustained charging speeds of around 30W. PhoneArena saw similar results with the standard iPhone 16, although under...
Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone 16e Pre-Orders
Apple's online store is down ahead of iPhone 16e pre-orders, which are expected to be available at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States.
Apple has been doing 5:00 a.m. pre-orders for the last several years instead of the 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time pre-orders that it used to have.
Customers in 59 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, ...
First iPhone 16e Benchmark Reveals Impact of Reduced GPU Core Count
The first Geekbench score for Apple's new iPhone 16e has surfaced, revealing the performance impact of Apple's decision to use a binned version of the A18 chip with fewer GPU cores compared to the standard iPhone 16 models.
According to Geekbench 6 Metal benchmark results spotted by MySmartPrice, the iPhone 16e scored 24,188 points in graphics testing, which is around 15% lower than the more ...
Alleged Display Sizes Leaked for Apple's Book-Style Foldable iPhone
Another week, another alleged leak regarding Apple's fabled foldable iPhone. We've been hearing rumors about an iPhone that folds in half for over eight years now. While they have lacked consistency, they do suggest that Apple has tested various prototypes, with the hinge seemingly the biggest challenge Apple has been trying to overcome. Apple wants to eliminate any crease in the screen before...
World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder.
The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the...
Kuo: All iPhone 17 Models Will Feature Apple-Designed Wi-Fi Chip to 'Enhance Connectivity'
Apple will use its own custom-designed Wi-Fi chip in all upcoming iPhone 17 models, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Writing in a post on X (Twitter), Kuo said the switch to in-house Wi-Fi chips will "enhance connectivity across Apple devices" while also giving Apple a cost reduction.
All current iPhone models are equipped with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip supplied by...
iPhone 15 Pro to Get Visual Intelligence in Future Update, Likely iOS 18.4
Apple's new iPhone 16e, announced on Wednesday, supports Visual Intelligence despite having no Camera Control button, and now Apple has confirmed that the Apple Intelligence feature is coming to the iPhone 15 Pro as well in a future software update.
On iPhone 16 models, Visual Intelligence lets you use the camera to learn more about places and objects around you. It can also summarize text,...
Apple Says 'Severance' Is Now More Popular Than 'Ted Lasso'
Apple has revealed that "Severance" has become its most-watched Apple TV+ series ever, surpassing previous record-holder "Ted Lasso" in unique viewers during its first month of season two availability.
According to figures shared with Deadline, the Ben Stiller-directed sci-fi drama drew the highest number of unique viewers in Apple TV+ history from January 17 through February 17, 2025....
Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring.
There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category.
M4...
Budget iPhone 16e Lacks This Key Location-Finding Feature
Apple's latest budget-friendly iPhone 16e won't support Precision Finding features, because the device lacks Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology found in other iPhone 16 models.
The omission of UWB technology means iPhone 16e users won't be able to take advantage of precise location tracking features that have become increasingly useful in Apple devices. This includes the inability to use Precisi...
iPhone 17 Air: We Now Know Everything About This One Key Feature
Apple's first custom-designed modem chip, the C1, is set to bring significant advantages to the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, as revealed by its recent debut in the iPhone 16e.
The C1 is the most power-efficient modem ever featured in an iPhone, and promises very good battery life even within the frame of the iPhone 17 Air's ultra-thin design. According to Apple's tech specs, the iPhone 16e offers ...
Apple's C1 Modem Debut Suggests iPhone 17 Air Will Lack mmWave
Apple's first custom-designed modem chip, the C1, has finally made its debut in the iPhone 16e, which Apple announced on Wednesday. It's a significant milestone in the company's efforts to reduce reliance on external suppliers like Qualcomm. However, the C1 lacks support for ultra-fast mmWave 5G technology, and the chip's limitations are expected to extend to the upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Google Lens Screen Search Comes to iOS Chrome and Google App
Google is rolling out new tricks for the Lens visual search feature within its Chrome and Google apps on iOS, allowing users to search for content directly from their screen without taking screenshots or opening new tabs.
In Chrome for iOS, users can access the new Lens functionality through the three-dot menu by selecting "Search Screen with Google Lens." Google says it plans to streamline...
WhatsApp Re-Testing 'Clear Badge' Feature for Unread Messages
WhatsApp is retesting a recently nixed setting that lets users choose whether the app automatically clears the unread message count badge on its Home Screen icon after every launch.
WABetaInfo reports that the feature is controlled by a new toggle in WhatsApp's iOS notification settings, called "Clear Badge." The setting carries the description: "Your home screen badge clears completely...
Gemini AI Features No Longer Available in Google iOS App
Google is removing its Gemini AI model from the Google app on iOS. The company announced the change in an email to Gemini users on February 18, according to AndroidCentral.
"We're making some changes to create an even better Gemini experience on iOS," the email read. "Gemini is now available as its own app, and that's now the best place to use Gemini. To continue using Gemini, download the...
iPhone 17 Pro: Apple Has 'Tested' Wireless Reverse Charging Feature
Apple has reportedly tested a wireless reverse charging feature for its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models that would make the iPhone capable of delivering power to other Apple devices, according to the Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital.
The Chinese leaker claims that Apple is testing a 7.5W wireless charging feature for iPhone 17 Pro models, and it could be used to charge other Apple...
iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air to Feature Same OLED Panel as Current iPhone 16 Pro Models
All iPhone 17 models in Apple's upcoming flagship iPhone 17 series will use Samsung's high performance "M14" OLED display panel, according to the Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital.
Samsung's "M" series of OLED panels are made for flagship smartphones, while "14" refers to the number of high-performance materials used to produce them. The "M14" panel was used in last year's Apple's iPhone 16 ...
xAI Launches Grok-3 AI Model, Claims Superior Performance Over GPT-4
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI on Tuesday announced Grok-3, and Musk is making some bold claims. The new AI model is said to have more than ten times the computing power of its predecessor and outperforms leading competitors, including OpenAI's GPT-4o and Google's Gemini.
The latest iteration of xAI's flagship model introduces new "reasoning" capabilities through two...
