Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is teaming up with Ofo, a station-free bike share platform, for a new Apple Pay promo: use the company’s mobile payment service in the Ofo app — available at the Apple App Store — and get two free rides. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A deal is purportedly near for the rights to an animated movie as part of Apple’s upcoming slate of original video offerings. Quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter,” <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-14/apple-is-said-to-near-deal-for-animated-movie-in-hollywood-push" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bloomberg </em></a>reports that the tech giant is in talks with Cartoon Saloon.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=RwHMm766dwITaEu3qJngHp_LBUexQAeCCsZS3iBGOJ9pFP-ez4AxAJTJgyB126aP" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jamf</a>, which specializes in Apple management solutions, is partnering with <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=D9IeEeeLt4ZWCAsr-fHSf75JsiExo76yUVW5FbaNh3sXM5Ef7OFBbmWiTBsO4fa_fJG4sePCeltIL7d6Q5Tfqw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MATTER</a>, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to health around the world, to develop an Innovation Pod that will provide access to a variety of technologies, including iPads and digital curriculum – all within a completely customized shipping container. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Future iPhones could be “squeezable,” as Apple has filed for a patent (number 20180164166). In the patent filing, the tech giant says that input mechanisms  such as buttons, keys, and external input devices require a lot of space on an electronic device. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/technology/apple-bmw-mercedes-volkswagen-driverless-cars.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">signed a deal with Volkswagen</a> to make self-driving cars after BMW and Mercedes-Benz reportedly rebuffed the tech giant's requests to hand over control of the data and design of the planned cars. A newly granted patent (number 20180164817) to Apple shows what <em>could</em> result from the collaboration.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is disabling an iPhone feature which has been used by law enforcement officials in pursuit of evidence to circumvent a phone’s security settings, the tech giant told <a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1053573/apple-to-close-iphone-backdoor-used-by-law-enforcement?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Law360</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has said it will once again make its own external monitors after having discontinuing its Thunderbolt Displays in 2016 (which was a bad idea). I wouldn’t consider making a MacBook Pro my main computer until this happens.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">When <a href="http://fxhome.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FXHome's HitFilm</a> came to Final Cut Pro X and Motion, users rejoiced (well, at least I did). The all-in-one editing, 3D and VFX software is a handy tool to add to your video editing toolbox.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">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;">Apple has ordered 10 episodes of a drama series about pre-teen investigative reporter Hilde Lysiak, reports <a href="https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/hilde-lysiak-apple-series-1202844451/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">C Spire — the sixth largest wireless provider in the United States and the largest privately held wireless provider in the U.S. — has begun selling Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular), which includes built-in cellular to the world's number one smartwatch. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As noted by<em> </em><a href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/06/13/apple-store-israel-talk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5Mac</em></a>, <a href="https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1001241296" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Globes</em></a><em>, </em>an Israeli financial newspaper, reports Apple is in preliminary talks with a local mall to open its first retail store in the country.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has hired Broadway Video’s Kelly Costello as a business affairs executive, according to <a href="https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/apple-kelly-costello-1202843872/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a>.  She’ll report to Philip Matthys, head of business affairs for the company’s ever-growing worldwide video department.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Since Apple announced that the <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/6/4/wwdc-2018-tvos-12-adds-dolby-atmos-sound-zero-sign-on-new-aerial-screensavers?rq=Dolby%20Atmos) Dolby Atmos with tvOS 12, I’ve wondered if it’s possible for a HomePod to support Atmos" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple TV 4K will support</a>, perhaps with a software update. I wish that this were possible because, boy, those Atmos speaker systems are expensive, but it’s probably just a pipe dream.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Although I don't need my Mac laptops and desktops to be as thin as a supermodel, I do want my Apple Watch to be reasonable svelte and lightweight since I wear it on my wrist.</p>