Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Zulily.com is having a <a href="https://www.zulily.com/search?q=Apple&fromSearch=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">close-out sale</a> on Macs, iPhones, and accessories. Most of the items are refurbished, but you can get some pretty good deals, though none are the latest models.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Twelve South has announced <a href="https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/airsnap" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AirSnap</a>, a full-grain leather case to keep your Apple AirPods connected and protected. You don’t have to remove it to have access to your ear buds and the charging port.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,037,054) for a “magnetic attachment unit” that involves an accessory mounting system that would allow two iPads to be linked together.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Any true fan of action movies will have to see <em>Mission Impossible: Fallout,</em> one of the best action films ever made and now in theaters. To help enjoy the film, buy the $29.99 <em>Mission Impossible Collection </em>at iTunes. It bundles the first five films in the Tom Cruise-starring series.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Fleetsmith — a provider of secure, automated Apple device management — has announced Fleetsmith Intelligence, which it says is the first free product providing Apple administrators with real-time visibility and insights across their entire fleet of devices. It's also the first no-cost solution to include enrollment via Apple’s Device Enrollment Program (DEP).</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Since Steve and I can’t cover everything, at the end of each week day, we’ll offer this wrap-up of news items you should check out.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has hired Sterling Crimson, best known for building a paint app for mobile VR headsets, reports <a href="https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/apple-cyber-paint-app-sterling-crispin-1202890174/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a>. The article says he’ll be working as a prototyping researcher at the tech giant.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to a translated report from Taiwanese publication <a href="https://money.udn.com/money/story/5612/3279500" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Economic Daily News</em></a> — as noted by <a href="https://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>MacRumors</em></a> — the successor to the MacBook Air will pack an Intel Kaby Lake processor. Makes sense as the release of the Cannon Lake chip, which would have been a logical choice, has  been delayed again. However, the Sellers Research Group says the new laptop won’t be dubbed a MacBook Air.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to new data from <a href="http://www.emarketer.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">eMarketer</a>, Apple's share of smartphone users in the U.S. will remain basically static in 2018, accounting for a 44.6% share. The research group predicts that, by comparison, Android will account for 53.3% of U.S. smartphone usage in 2018. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">New data from <a href="http://www.juniperresearch.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Juniper Research</a> shows that, driven by payment cards and mobile wallets, in-store contactless payments will reach $2 trillion by 2020, representing 15% of the total point of sale transactions. The research group predicts that the mobile contactless payments market will be driven by Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay and other “pay wallets.” </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 2018026766) for a “physical activity and workout monitor” that involves the current and future versions of its iOS and watchOS Workout app.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Samsung’s $69.99, <a href="http://www.samsontechcom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">QH4 4-Channel Headphone Amplifier</a> lets you distribute audio to up to four individual headphones, each with its own volume control making it perfect for tracking multiple performers in a studio, podcast recording or recreational music listening.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A new report from the Japanese site  <a href="http://www.macotakara.jp/blog/rumor/entry-35399.html"><em>Macotakara</em></a>— as noted by <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/07/27/2018-ipad-pro-headphone-jack-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5Mac</em></a> -- says the upcoming iPad Pro will drop the headphone jack, adopt Face ID, and move the Smart Connector the to lower rear side – close to the Lightning connector.  The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) says the latter isn’t going to happen.</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 this week’s picks.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">One of these days we’ll have an iPhone that’s truly waterproof without having to add a third-party case. Apple is working on this, as evidenced by a newly granted patent (number 10,034,073) for a device having a “composite acoustic membrane.”</p>