Dennis Sellers

<p>StarTech’s $316.99 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.startech.com/TB31PCIEX16" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Chassis with DisplayPort</a> is a useful turnkey solution for those wanting to beef up the expansion options on their Mac laptop (or, okay, Windows laptops), though its video options are slightly limited. The chassis lets you add your choice of external PCI Express (PCIe) card to a laptop.</p>

<p>You can allow other folks to control your Home accessories if you wish. You and the people you invite need to be signed into iCloud and have iOS 11.2.5 or later. You also need to be at your home or have a home hub set up in your home.</p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/19/apples-services-business-booms-amid-continued-reports-of-weak-iphone-x-demand" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em> </a>— RBC analyst Amit Daryanani, Apple is projected to see around 20% growth in services revenue this year thanks to "increased monetiziation [sic] of install base" and "growth in the aggregate iOS install base." </p>

<p>Abine, the online privacy company, has integrated Face ID into its privacy-focused <a target="_blank" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blur-protect-your-passwords/id828387649?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer">Blur password manager and digital wallet</a>. This means free or premium Blur users can auto-fill account logins at any web site <em>by looking at their phone</em>. </p>

<p>Apple will launch a new store in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo on Saturday, April 7, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/19/apple-grand-opening-shinjuku-retail-store-tokyo-april-7th/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5 Mac</em></a>. It will be the company’s eighth retail outlet in the country.</p>

<p>Apple is expected to procure a total of 250-270 million flat panels for the production of iPhones this year, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.digitimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">DigiTimes Research, q</a>uoting unnamed “sources from Taiwan's panel industry.”</p>

<p>Apple is designing and producing its own device displays for the first time, using a secret manufacturing facility near its California headquarters to make small numbers of the screens for testing purposes, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-19/apple-is-said-to-develop-displays-to-replace-samsung-screens" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the situation.” Apple Watch will be first product with Apple-produced MicroLED technology, the article adds.</p>

<p>Apple has filed for a patent (number 20180077813) for “electronic devices with protective enzymes.” The goal: to makes iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches more resistant to sweat and skin oil.</p>

<p>Unmarked Software’s TextSoap 8, an upgrade to their macOS productivity tool designed to automate the tedious task of manually cleaning up text, brought a new interface that streamlines efforts in text cleaning of documents, emails, web pages and more.</p>

<p>You can change your AirPlay settings for your HomePod. For instance, you can control how others connect to all of your HomePod speakers using AirPlay.</p>

<p>Democrats on the Intelligence Committee have released a memo laying out the steps they would have taken had they been in charge of the Trump-Russia investigation — and steps they may take if and when they gain subpoena power by taking over the House of Representatives in November. Part of that plan may involve a subpoena to Apple to find out when key officials downloaded encrypted apps, reports <em><a target="_blank" href="https://theintercept.com/2018/03/17/trump-russia-apple-whatsapp/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Intercept</a></em>.</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>Grove Press <a target="_blank" href="https://www.apnews.com/5c28c524fcfc4a578a2ec35b94771b6f/Daughter-of-Steve-Jobs-is-working-on-a-memoir" rel="noopener noreferrer">has announced</a> that Lisa Brennan-Jobs, daughter of the late Steve Jobs, is working on a coming-of-age memoir, “Small Fry.” The book is scheduled for Sept. 4.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/16/apple-to-host-educational-event-in-chicago-on-march-27" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a> reports that it and other news outlets have received an email from Apple inviting them to an educational event in Chicago scheduled for 10 a.m. local time on Tuesday, March 27.</p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by<em> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.streetinsider.com/Analyst+Comments/Apples+%28AAPL%29+MacBook+Could+Show+Better+Growth+than+Both+iPhone+and+iPad+in+2018+-+KGI/13948891.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">StreetInsider</a></em> — KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says he’s positive on the outlook for Mac laptop shipments. In fact, he says they should see the best year-over-year growth (13%-16%) among Apple’s main product lines in 2018. </p>