Dennis Sellers

<p>Apple is secretly working with Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), a Chinese battery manufacturer on automotive battery research and development, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/apple-secretly-pursues-automotive-battery-rd-china-may-become-carmaker" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Yicai Global</em></a>, a Shanghai-based news group. </p>

<p>Apple takes the top spot in global profits (again), according to Fortune's annual ranking of U.S. companies shaping the world.</p>

<p>FxFactory has released a new Final Cut Pro X plugin called <a target="_blank" href="https://fxfactory.com/info/xeffects3dvideowalls/" rel="noopener noreferrer">XEffects 3D Video Walls</a>. Developed by partner Idustrial Revolution, it allows the user to add moving video or still images to video walls in 3D space. </p>

<p>Half8Fish has introduced Videux, an organizer, player, and workflow assistant for macOS. It’s designed for use with video collections.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 20170205873)  for a “scanning depth engine.” If the invention ever comes to fruition, a Mac could generate a 3D profile of an object by processing an optical image of the object.</p>

<p>The amount of cash held by US non-financial companies totaled $1.84 trillion at the end of 2016, up 9.2% from $1.68 trillion at the end of 2015, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.moodys.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moody's Investors Service</a> says in a new report. The top-five cash hoarders all come from the technology sector, with Apple holding a record high of $246.1 billion.</p>

<p>Regulators have cleared Apple’s Oregon wind power project to use the biggest turbines ever deployed in the Pacific Northwest, reports the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2017/07/18/apple-s-oregon-wind-farm-cleared-for-super-sized.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Portland Business Journal</a>.</p>

<p>Coolatoola's <a target="_blank" href="http://coolatoola.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shairwaves</a> is an HD audio device sharing app that provides the ability for Macs to share their connected audio devices. Just as printers and screens can be shared, so now audio devices can be shared as well. Although it's similar to Apple's AirPlay, Shairwaves doesn't use AirPlay's protocols.</p>

<p>On a regular basis, <em>Apple World Today</em> posts a list of notable new apps or app updates that have been released. They may not necessarily be new, but they're popular and deserve mention. Here are today's picks.</p>

<p>The AWT News Update is on a one-day hiatus. In its place, I’ll offer a text-only (no podcast) summary of breaking stories with a tip o’ my hat to my former website, <em>Apple Daily Report</em>.</p>

<p>Media exec Jeffrey Katzenberg wants to launch New TV, a mobile-friendly service with original content. He needs$2 billion to launch, and sources tell <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/19/jeffrey-katzenberg-wants-to-launch-mobile-first-new-tv-service.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNBC</a> he has met with Apple, Google, Snapchat and Verizon, among others for bankrolling. </p>

<p>Nearly two-thirds of iPhones sold since the 2007 launch remain in use, according to data from Newzoo (as cited by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20170719VL200.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Digitimes</a>). The market intelligence firm says that 728 million Apple smartphones remained in use as of April, which represents about 63% of all iPhones sold in the past decade.</p>

<p>Foxconn and other iPhone manufacturers on Monday brought in Apple Inc. as another defendant in Qualcomm Inc.’s suit seeking royalty payments from them for its cellular technology license agreements in California federal court, saying they had been caught in the middle of a sprawling patent war, notes the legal website, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/945226/apple-pulled-into-qualcomm-royalty-row-with-iphone-makers?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law360</a>.</p>

<p>Apple has announced that Isabel Ge Mahe, vice president of Wireless Technologies, has been named vice president and managing director of Greater China, reporting to CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams. In this newly created role, Isabel will provide leadership and coordination across Apple’s China-based team.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,711,160) for a “smart dock for activating a voice recognition mode of a portable electronic device.” If such a device ever comes to fruition, it would result in a dock that could be activated by Siri. Some of the features mentioned in the patent could appear in the upcoming <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2017/6/7/ihs-markit-apples-homepod-is-the-the-most-sophisticated-audio-product-in-the-smart-speaker-race-thus-far?rq=HomePod" rel="noopener noreferrer">HomePod</a>.</p>