Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I wouldn’t have been able to afford an Apple Car if Apple ever built one — which seems highly <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/5/23/apple-signs-deal-with-volkswagen-to-make-self-driving-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">unlikely now</a> — but it would have been cool to see what the tech giant could have come up with. And apparently, it had some craaaaaazy ideas.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The <a href="http://www.canalys.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Canalys research group</a> estimates that Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto were available in 46% of new vehicles sold in Europe in the first quarter of 2018 and 52% of new vehicles sold in the U.S.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><em>Tom’s Guide</em> dropped 12 of the most popular smartphones as part of its first annual <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/us/smartphone-drop-tests,review-5431.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Drop Everything special report</a>, and the Motorola Moto Z2 Force emerged as the world's toughest phone. Thanks to its shatterproof display, it survived multiple drops on wood and concrete from four and six feet — as well as a plunge into a toilet — without sustaining a single crack.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As noted by <a href="http://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>MacRumors</em></a>, Apple has added the <a href="https://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/imac_pro" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iMac Pro</a> to its online store’s repertoire of refurbished products. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Feral Interactive has brought Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia, a historical strategy game, to the Mac.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has been granted a patent (number 20180146132) for “user interface for camera effects,” which exemplifies the company’s ongoing efforts to make the cameras in its iPhones and iPads even better.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is teaming up with Postmates to offer s free delivery with any purchase made using Apple Pay and the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/postmates-food-delivery/id512393983?mt=8&ls=1&app=itunes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">free mobile app</a> from the company that allows you to order from a restaurant or store and have it delivered.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Griffin Technology’s <a href="https://griffintechnology.com/us/survivor-rugged-power-bank-battery-10050-mah" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Survivor Rugged Power Bank</a>, a phone and tablet backup battery pack, is certainly durable and reliable enough to be called “rugged.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple offers a <a href="https://privacy.apple.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Data and Privacy portal</a> that allows users to download all of their personal data stored on the tech giant's servers. And if you think that any personal info stored by Apple is wrong, you can change it at the portal. </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 <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, <em>The New York Times</em> reports.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Synology has released <a href="https://www.synology.com/en-us/dsm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DiskStation Manager (DSM) 6.2</a>, a web-based operating system for every Synology NAS. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple shipped 3.8 million Apple Watches in the first quarter of 2018, according to new data from <a href="http://www.canalys.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Canalys</a>. Sales of the smartwatch stabilized after a record quarter for the company and it matched its quarter one 2017 number, adds the research group. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple placed first in the smartphone division of the the <a href="http://marketing.theacsi.org/acton/attachment/5132/f-0060/1/-/-/-/-/ACSI%20Telecommunications%20Report%202018.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ACSI Telecommunications Report 2018</a> with an average score of 85 out of 200 for its iPhones.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple <a href="https://support.apple.com/iphone-out-of-warranty-battery-replacement-credit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">is offering</a> a $50 credit to customers who paid for an out-of-warranty battery replacement for iPhone 6 or later devices between Jan. 1, 2017, and Dec. 28, 2017. Eligible battery replacements were completed at an Apple authorized service location — Apple Store, Apple Repair Center, or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.</p>