Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Future Apple Watches may identify users based on their skin textures. Apple has applied for a patent (number 2019000370) for a “wearable electronic device including a wrist biometric sensor for acquiring skin texture patten images and related methods.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re tired of having to reach behind your iMac or iMac Pro to access the ports, Satechi’s $89.99 <a href="https://satechi.net/products/aluminum-imac-stand" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Type-C Aluminum Monitor Stand Hub</a> is just what you’re looking for. It features seven built-in ports and an ergonomic design.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Another day, another lawsuit. Or two. <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/396696556/MagSafe-Lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The first </a>— filed in the U.S. District Court, Northern Division of Illinois, Eastern Division — claims that Apple’s discontinued MagSafe connector is partially to blame for a face-damaging fire.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple CEO Tim Cook has penned a letter to investors saying the company is revising our guidance for Apple’s fiscal 2019 first quarter, which ended on Dec. 29. You can read the entire letter at <a href="https://tinyurl.com/yb2k3mng" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">https://tinyurl.com/yb2k3mng</span></a>, but, among other things, Apple now expects lower iPhone sales than previous forecast.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is the driving force in the premium smartphone market, with a new Counterpoint Research report — as noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/12/31/apples-iphone-continues-its-domination-of-the-premium-smartphone-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a> —suggesting the growth in the quarter was driven by new iPhones, along with new flagship launches in China by local vendors. Counterpoint says Apple captured a 47% share of the premium segment in the period, followed by Samsung with 22%, Huawei with 12%, Vivo at 5%, Oppo with 5%, and Xiaomi at 3%. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">iOS 12 is now installed on 78% of devices released in the last four years, according to new data at the Apple <a href="https://developer.apple.com/support/app-store/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">App Store support page</a> for developers. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8492003/ebro-darden-apple-music-global-editorial-head-hip-hop-r-and-b" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Billboard</em></a> reports that Hot 97 (WQHT) New York morning personality and Apple Music Beats 1 anchor host Ebro Darden has been appointed Apple Music’s global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B. In this newly designated role, he’ll manage a team of hip-hop and R&B editors in developing editorial strategies for artists, albums and song releases in the U.S. and globally, the article adds.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve stared into my crystal ball once more, and here’s what I’m foreseeing for Apple’s Mac/macOS plans in 2019.</p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple’s iPhones and iPads led in new device adoption over Christmas, according to <a href="http://www.localytics.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Localytics</a>. The analytics and marketing platform says “we discovered that Christmas shoppers were heavily focused on obtaining Apple products this year: iPads have become a mainstay of the holiday season and the iPhone Xr’s momentum shows no sign of decreasing.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve stared into my crystal ball, as I always do this time of year. Here’s what I’m foreseeing for Apple’s iPad, iPhone, and iOS plans for 2019.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">My crystal ball is sometimes cloudy (hey, I predicted that the MacBook Air would be discontinued). However, here’s what I foresee for Apple’s AirPods, HomePod, AirPower, and Apple Watch products this year.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Future Apple devices (Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, etc.) may use your biometric data to pair with each other. The tech giant has been granted a patent (number 10,171,458) for “wireless pairing and communication between devices using biometric data.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the latest market share survey from <a href="http://netmarkeshare.com/">NetMarketShare,</a> the market share for both macOS and iOS was up last month.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy New Year wishes from the gang at <em>Apple World Today</em>. We’re taking the day off, but will be back in the full swing of things on Tuesday, Jan. 2. And we hope your 2019 gets off to a fantastic start.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As the year draws to a close, the <em>Apple World Today </em>staff has listed our favorite Apple products of 2018. Well, Marty and I have. Steve’s list is coming later. </p>