Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Global tablet shipments in the first quarter of 2018 (1Q18) reached 31.7 million, declining 11.7% from the prior year, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (<a href="http://www.idc.com/">IDC</a>) <a href="http://www.idc.com/tracker/showproductinfo.jsp?prod_id=81" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker</a>. However, the growing niche of detachable tablets like the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface experienced more than 2.9% year-over-year growth and captured 15.3% share as newer models came into play, according to the research group. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has been granted another patent (number 20180120903) for an “electronic device with a wrapped display” that hints at upcoming iPhones (and perhaps even Macs) with curved screens. Other Apple patents for the same technology include 2016032080 and 9,516,743.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is teaming up with 1-800-Flowers to offer 15% off an order when you shop the special <a href="http://c.apple.com/r?v=2&la=en&lc=usa&a=0MExDANV5kskELPmvNhXBVd9OBcpnG1N6D3MfXtPMOKUYoLKOIvOMYePCul1Fe5uTJkK%2FOYkmKaFRTgzpoRkF02OaWRLXnJSPCd2xsGlNhUNKkk92Zr%2BWX6sXyUoaZVx&ct=aI3R0B9G8T" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gift Collection</a> in the 1-800-Flowers app or on <a href="http://1800flowers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1800Flowers.com</a> through May 13.</p>

<p>Some health experts think the most dangerous thing most of us do every day is sit. Like smoking, they believe prolonged sitting is bad and can’t be overcome by exercise. <a href="http://annals.org/aim/article/2091327/sedentary-time-its-association-risk-disease-incidence-mortality-hospitalization-adults" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Several studies</a> have drawn connections between sitting too long and diabetes, hypertension, some forms of cancer, anxiety, and a generally greater probability of early death — though, admittedly, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/21/health/sitting-study-partner/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">some studies question</a> those other studies. </p>

<p>You can add or remove emergency contacts from the Health app on your iPhone.</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 style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Upcoming iPhones may ship with USB-C power adapters that come with USB-C to Lightning cables for faster charging, according to Chinese social network <a href="https://www.weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404235294223290545" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Weibo</a>, as noted by <a href="https://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>MacRumors</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Reform Government Surveillance (RGS) <a href="https://www.reformgovernmentsurveillance.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">coalition</a> — which includes Apple, Dropbox, Evernote, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Yahoo! — has announced a new core principle on encryption.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has ordered 10 episodes of <em>Are You Sleeping</em>, a drama series that will star Octavia Spencer. <a href="http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/apple-octavia-spencer-are-you-sleeping-reese-witherspoon-1202795237/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a> says the company has decided to move forward with production on the show, which was first announced in January. </p>

<p>Apple and Microsoft are talking with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government to lift its ban on Skype and FaceTime, which have been illegal in the Gulf country for years. Lifting the ban would significantly help small and medium-sized enterprises, reports <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/02/microsoft-and-apple-could-get-skype-and-facetime-bans-lifted-in-uae.html?__source=twitter%7Cmain" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>CNBC</em></a>.</p>

<p><a href="http://try.creditsafe.com/creditreport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Creditsafe</a>, a provider of global business intelligence, has released an in-depth analysis of the millions of searches carried out on its database over the last 12 months to reveal the most-searched for companies in America and the most searched for companies in each state. Apple and Google are number one and two on the list.</p>

<p>ALM's <em>Investment Advisor,</em> a publication for independent investment advisors and financial planners, has announced the 16th annual IA 25 -- a list of “the 25 most influential people in the advisor community.” Apple CEO Tim Cook made the list.</p>

<p>Apple’s first quarter saw the iPhone maker move 52.2 million iPhones representing a modest 2.8% year-over-year increase from the 50.8 million units shipped last year, reports the <a href="http://www.idc.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IDC research group</a>.</p>

<p>Apple has been accused of finding unnecessary faults with iPhones and profiting from a battery replacement initiative, reports <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43960267" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>BBC News</em>.</a> When the U.S.firm announced it had been slowing down iPhones in order to preserve battery life (the “Batterygate” brouhaha) in December last year, it apologized for not telling people sooner.</p>

<p><a href="http://softwaremotor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Software Motor Company</a> (SMC) has hired Apple's former Global Energy Team Leader Mike Petouhoff as its vice president of business development.</p><p><br></p>