Hartley Charlton
Hartley is a Senior Editor at MacRumors and co-host of "The MacRumors Show" podcast; he contributes to daily news coverage and writes a wide range of content for the site. Various publications and aggregators often cite Hartley's articles. Additionally, he occasionally appears as a guest on other media outlets, such as the BBC, Al Jazeera, and CBS News, to share his knowledge of the industry.
Having closely followed Apple news and rumors for almost a decade, Hartley joined MacRumors in early 2020 as a Contributing Writer while completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in History at the University of Nottingham. After graduation, he joined us as a full-time Editor. His work at MacRumors has since expanded into several areas beyond news coverage, including buyer's guides, roundups, and occasional product reviews.
In late 2021, Hartley helped launch The MacRumors Show and now co-hosts the popular podcast on a weekly basis, bringing our coverage to a wider audience, with a flare of personal opinion.
Hartley lives in Hertfordshire, England. Beyond technology, his other interests include travel, music, and tennis. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @ihxrtlxy and on Instagram at @hxrtlxy_.
Having closely followed Apple news and rumors for almost a decade, Hartley joined MacRumors in early 2020 as a Contributing Writer while completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in History at the University of Nottingham. After graduation, he joined us as a full-time Editor. His work at MacRumors has since expanded into several areas beyond news coverage, including buyer's guides, roundups, and occasional product reviews.
In late 2021, Hartley helped launch The MacRumors Show and now co-hosts the popular podcast on a weekly basis, bringing our coverage to a wider audience, with a flare of personal opinion.
Hartley lives in Hertfordshire, England. Beyond technology, his other interests include travel, music, and tennis. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @ihxrtlxy and on Instagram at @hxrtlxy_.
Hartley Charlton's Articles
Apple Considered Adding a Camera to the HomePod Years Ago
Apple considered launching a HomePod with a camera and additional sensors years before the upcoming "HomePad" device, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
In a detailed profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, Gurman revealed that Apple considered adding a camera and a more advanced array of sensors to the original HomePod, which was announced in 2017. Ternus apparently...
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Apple Wanted to Buy Halide to Boost iPhone 18 Pro's Camera App—Now There's a Lawsuit
Apple's plans to enhance the iPhone 18 Pro's Camera app led it to consider acquiring Halide, but the talks ultimately collapsed and were followed by a fierce legal dispute between the startup's co-founders, according to The Information reports.
In the summer of 2025, Apple reportedly held discussions to acquire Lux Optics, the developer behind the popular iPhone camera apps Halide, Kino, and ...
Apple TV Is Now Almost 20 Years Old
The Apple TV is now almost two decades old amid rumors of the announcement of a new model.
Today marks 19 years Apple launched the original Apple TV. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple TV at Macworld Expo in January 2007 alongside the original iPhone, but it didn't launch until March.
The Apple TV was initially previewed as the "iTV." The device allowed users to wirelessly stream...
Apple Bucks China's Smartphone Slump With 23% Sales Jump
Apple saw a 23% year-over-year increase in iPhone sales in China during the first nine weeks of 2026, significantly outperforming a broader market decline driven by weak demand and rising component costs, according to Counterpoint Research.
China smartphone sales apparently fell by 4% year-over-year in the first nine weeks of 2026. Within this environment, Apple emerged as the...
The MacRumors Show: Surprise AirPods Max 2 Announcement
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's surprise announcement of the AirPods Max 2 this week.
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The AirPods Max 2 introduce a range of improvements primarily driven by the addition of Apple's H2 chip, which replaces the H1 chip used in previous models. This new chip underpins most of the upgrades,...
M5 MacBook Air vs. M5 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide
Both the MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro now feature the M5 chip, so how do the latest models compare?
While the 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,099 and the 15-inch model at $1,299, moving to the 14-inch MacBook Pro requires spending at least $300 more. For some buyers, the extra cost is unnecessary; for others, the Pro's ability to sustain performance, along with its more advanced...
M4 iPad Air vs. M5 iPad Pro Buyer's Guide: 40+ Differences Compared
Apple recently updated the iPad Air, narrowing the gap with the iPad Pro, but how different are the two product lines and which should you buy?
Apple has now refreshed the iPad Air with the M4 chip, representing a small update over the previous model from 2025, which introduced the M3 chip. While the upgrade brings improved performance and efficiency, it does not significantly alter the...
Apple Quietly Blocks Updates for Popular 'Vibe Coding' Apps [Updated]
Apple has quietly blocked AI "vibe coding" apps, such as Replit and Vibecode, from releasing App Store updates unless they make changes, The Information reports.
"Vibe coding" tools allow users with little to no programming experience to build apps or websites using natural language prompts. Their accessibility has driven rapid adoption among both developers and non-technical users.
Apple ...
Samsung to Discontinue Galaxy Z TriFold After Just Three Months
Samsung is set to discontinue the Galaxy Z TriFold globally after just three months on sale (via Bloomberg).
The company will start by ceasing sales of the device in Korea, where it has been on sale since December. Samsung plans to discontinue the device in the United States once it clears its inventory.
Samsung's website already lists the TriFold as "sold out," but customers are still...
Apple Acquires Final Cut Pro Plugin Company MotionVFX
Apple today acquired MotionVFX, a major developer of plugins, visual effects, and motion graphics tools for Final Cut Pro.
MotionVFX is a Polish software company founded by Szymon Masiak in 2009. It creates high-quality plugins, transitions, templates, and visual effects (VFX) for video editors, specializing in tools for Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Apple Motion. From MotionVFX's...
What Hasn't Changed With AirPods Max 2
The AirPods Max 2 feature the H2 chip, improved Active Noise Cancellation, and Adaptive Audio capabilities, but the design and much of the hardware remains unchanged.
Most notably, the overall industrial design is identical. AirPods Max 2 retain the same aluminum ear cups, stainless steel headband frame, telescoping arms, and knit mesh canopy introduced with the original model. The...
AirPods Max 1 vs. AirPods Max 2 Buyer's Guide: 25+ Differences Compared
Apple has now announced the AirPods Max 2, bringing the first major hardware upgrade to Apple's over-ear headphones since their debut. So how does the new model compare with both earlier versions of AirPods Max?
In late 2020, Apple announced the AirPods Max, a whole new AirPods variant with an over-ear design. In September 2024, the company refreshed the AirPods Max's selection of...
Apple Original Film 'F1' Wins Oscar for Best Sound
Apple's original film "F1: The Movie" yesterday won an Oscar for Best Sound at the 98th Academy Awards.
The film, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Joseph Kosinski, received four Oscar nominations in total, including Best Picture. "F1" has already picked up multiple honors across the industry, including Best Editing and Best Sound at the Critics Choice Awards and Best Sound at...
The MacRumors Show: MacBook Neo First Impressions
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss first impressions of the MacBook Neo, Studio Display XDR, and iPhone 17e.
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Following its announcement last week, the MacBook Neo arrived this week. Unlike every other Apple silicon Mac, the MacBook Neo is powered by the A18 Pro chip originally developed for the iPhone 16...
Mac Trade-Ins Surge Amid MacBook Neo Launch
Apple this week saw an unusual surge of Mac trade-ins amid the launch of the MacBook Neo.
A reliable source speaking to MacRumors revealed that the quantity of Macs traded in at Apple retail stores this week increased over 100% compared to previous weeks, likely driven by demand for the MacBook Neo and M5 MacBook Air.
Older, low-end models dominated this week's trade-ins, suggesting that ...
Apple's First Foldable Displays Nearing Mass Production
Advanced display panels destined for Apple's first foldable iPhone are reportedly nearing mass production.
The Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital" today said that Samsung Display is set to begin mass production of OLED panels for the first foldable iPhone in May 2026. Meanwhile, the user "Fixed Focus Digital" claims that the foldable iPhone's screen may be flatter than many of the...
iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16 Buyer's Guide: Which Low-Cost iPhone Should You Choose?
The iPhone 17e just joined the iPhone lineup. Apple continues to sell the iPhone 16 as an alternative low-cost option, and while the two devices share many core features, there are still more than 25 differences between them to be aware of.
Following the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone Air, Apple discontinued the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and reduced the price of the iPhone ...
Apple Ties Samsung as Top Smartphone Maker in 2025
Apple and Samsung produced nearly the same number of smartphones in 2025, tying for the top position in global smartphone production, according to a new report from TrendForce.
Global smartphone production reached approximately 1.254 billion units in 2025, rising 2.5% year over year. The research firm says Apple and Samsung each produced nearly 240 million smartphones during the year, tying...
Apple Arcade Adding These Three Games in April
Apple today announced three new games coming to Apple Arcade in April, along with several updates to existing titles on the service.
The three new games heading to Apple Arcade next month are as follows:
DREDGE+: A complete edition of the award-winning fishing adventure where players explore eerie archipelagos, dredge the ocean floor for hidden treasures, and uncover mysteries lurking ...
Studio Display vs. Studio Display XDR Buyer's Guide
Apple's refreshed Studio Display arrives alongside the all-new Studio Display XDR, which replaces the previous Pro Display XDR. The Studio Display XDR is more than twice the price of the Studio Display, so which should you choose?
Both Studio Display models offer a wide range of the same core features and are designed to provide a very similar overall experience for everyday use. They share...
