Dennis Sellers

<p>Analyzing early adopter reviews of the  iPhone X from major online retailers, a new report from the Consumer Sentiment Analysis (CSA) service at <a target="_blank" href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.strategyanalytics.com&esheet=51783274&newsitemid=20180404005788&lan=en-US&anchor=Strategy+Analytics&index=1&md5=9d00403b86a7ec8502791de3d9150c1c" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strategy Analytics</a>. The report found that more than four out of five iPhone X buyers who were previously Samsung owners were satisfied with making the switch. However, the price of the iPhone X was an issue for many, with some questioning whether it’s a premium worth paying.</p>

<p>Apple Pay is now available in Brazil. For now support for the mobile payment service is available only through one local bank, Itau Unibanco, according to Apple's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.apple.com/br/apple-pay/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brazilian website</a>. Compatible merchants include Taco Bell, Starbucks, iPlace, Drogaria Iguatemi, and Livraria Cultura/Fnac.</p>

<p>Sonnet Technologies has announced the Mac compatible <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sonnettech.com/product/egfx-breakaway-box.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">eGFX Breakaway Box 650</a>, the latest in the company's series of Thunderbolt 3 to PCI Express (PCIe) eGPU expansion chassis for professional graphics and gaming applications. Last month Apple released <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/3/29/apple-launches-macos-high-sierra-10134-with-business-chat-egpu-support-more?rq=eGPU" rel="noopener noreferrer">macOS High Sierra 10.13.4</a>, which added support for external graphics processors (eGPUs).</p>

<p>Apple is working on touchless gesture control and curved screens for 2020 (or later) iPhones, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-04/apple-is-said-to-work-on-touchless-control-curved-iphone-screen" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.”</p>

<p>Apple’s upcoming TV show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon is expected to get a new showrunner after creator Jay Carson left the project due to "creative differences,” according to <a target="_blank" href="http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/apple-morning-show-jennifer-aniston-reese-witherspoon-kerry-ehrin-1202743257/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a>.</p>

<p>Tech stocks are down premarket after the U.S. and China <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/03/chinese-ambassador-to-us-we-will-take-measures-to-fight-back-very-soon.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">detailed plans</a> to levy tariffs on imported products. Apple is down 2.1%.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,936,342) that would allow your iPhone or Apple Watch to tell you which floor you’re on in a building. You’d think you would know that without electronic help, but the tech giant says there are other advantages.</p>

<p>Though it’s been awhile since it’s been updated, Ashlar-Vellum’s Graphite 10 is still a solid 2D/3D CAD wireframe drafting package for Mac and Windows systems. And a new version is due soon.</p>

<p>Did you know you can change Siri’s voice on your HomePod? You can. Here’s how:</p>

<p>Apple has reported that men earned 5% more on average than women at its UK operations, although the median pay gap was 2% in favor of women, notes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-pay-gender/apple-discloses-gender-pay-gap-at-uk-operations-idUSKCN1HA2GS" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Reuters</em></a>.</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>Apple has hired John Giannandrea, former head of Google's search and artificial intelligence unit, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/03/business/apple-hires-googles-ai-chief.html" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The New York Times</em></a>. He’ll run Apple's overall "machine learning and A.I. strategy," reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook, the article adds. </p>

<p>Following <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/4/2/it-makes-sense-that-apple-would-begin-making-its-own-macs-processors-by-2020" rel="noopener noreferrer">t</a>hat Apple will replace Intel chips in Macs with its own custom-made chips in 2020, Bank of America Merrill Lynch <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/03/bank-of-america-says-apple-could-save-500-million-a-year-making-its-own-pc-chips.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">estimates</a> the company can save $500 million each year if it goes this route for even half its Macs.  </p>

<p>Apple has released the first public betas of iOS 11.4 and tvO 11.4, both of which add support for AirPlay 2.</p>

<p>Apple Music for Android <a target="_blank" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.android.music" rel="noopener noreferrer">version 2.4.2</a> is available on the Google Play Store. It requires Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) or later. To check your Android version, go to Apps > Settings > About device.</p>