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Apple World Today News Update: May 7, 2018

Another manic Monday, with AAPL zipping to a new high close. We have info about that and a lot more for you in today’s Apple World Today News Update Podcast:

  • Apple is soliciting Apple Watch owners to join in on the Apple Heart Study being done in partnership with Stanford Medicine
  • The iMac turned 20 yesterday. The all-in-one is credited with beginning the turnaround in Apple’s fortunes
  • iOS 13 rumors are beginning to seep out, and we haven’t yet heard what’s going to be in iOS 12
  • During trading today, Apple hit $187.67 per share. Warren Buffett would love to own all of Apple’s stock…

The text version of the podcast can be read below. To listen to the podcast here, click the play button on the player below. Apple News readers need to visit Apple World Today in order to listen to the podcast.

Text Version

This is Steve Sande for Apple World Today, and you’re listening to the AWT News Update podcast for Monday, May 7th, 2018.

Last week we had some amazing stories about how the Apple Watch has saved lives through its ability to monitor heartbeat information. Since last year, Apple has been involved in a groundbreaking heart study in partnership with Stanford Medicine called the Apple Heart Study. If you’re 22 years of age or older, you’re eligible to take part in the study, and Apple would love to have you. They’re sending out emails inviting Apple Watch owners to sign up for the study, which will help determine exactly what heart diseases can be detected by variations in heartbeat. Just to give you an idea of how often the study takes samples of your heartbeat if you join up, I’ve been in the study for 148 days and have contributed 1,086 heart rhythm data points. It’s a good, anonymous study to take part in.

Twenty years ago yesterday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the first iMac. The all-in-one design was quite different from other personal computers at the time, came in a variety of translucent colors, and sold for $1,299. The computer is one of the factors that helped Apple come back from the brink of bankruptcy to become the world’s most valuable corporation. It also marked the first collaboration between Apple Chief Designer Jony Ive and Steve Jobs.

With less than a month to go until iOS 12 is announced, the rumors are starting to pile up about iOS 13 — expected in 2019. According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, the new mobile operating system will have some features specifically targeted to make the iPad easier to use. Expect to see a redesigned Home screen and a totally revamped Photos app, but there will be more. The Files app will be upgraded, tabs will be available in apps – similar to those that are available in macOS apps, and there will be support for using the same app side-by-side in Split View multitasking mode. So what’s coming in iOS 12 this year? It’s thought that Apple is planning on a lot of Animoji changes, a new Digital Health tool to allow parents to monitor screen time for their children, a revamped Stocks app, and enhanced Do Not Disturb. Doesn’t sound like much, does it? Well, Apple apparently also wants to take a breather and fix bugs and improve performance in iOS 12.

Apple closed at another high today, at $185.16 per share and a $904 billion market cap. During trading today, Apple reached an all-time high price of $187.67 per share. One thing that helped again today was Warren Buffett saying that he’d like ALL the shares of Apple to be owned by Berkshire Hathaway if it was possible, as he feels that the company is going to continue to prosper. Chad Morganlander, a portfolio manager at Washington Crossing Advisors, said that he thinks Apple could blow right by the $1 trillion market cap thanks to its diversification in services. He said “They’re transitioning from being more of a cellphone player to more of a subscriptions-based business with higher margins that are much more predictable.”

That’s all the news for today – join me tomorrow afternoon for another edition of the AWT News Update.

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Steve Sande
the authorSteve Sande
Steve is the founder and former publisher of Apple World Today and has authored a number of books about Apple products. He's an avid photographer, an FAA-licensed drone pilot, and a really bad guitarist. Steve and his wife Barb love to travel everywhere!