Dennis Sellers

<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.jamf.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Jamf</a>, which specializes in Apple ecosystem management, concluded 2017 with another year of record growth, expanding its base of customers by 40% to welcome over 4,000 new organizations. </p>

<p>Apple says that macOS Server — available at the <a target="_blank" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-server/id883878097?mt=12" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mac App Store</a> for $19.99 — is changing to focus more on management of computers, devices, and storage on your network. As a result, some changes are coming in how Server works. </p>

<p>Apple has updated <a target="_blank" href="http://www.apple.com/swift/playgrounds/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Swift Playgrounds</a>, a free iPad app to teach kids of any age basic coding skills in Swift, to version 2.0. Now you can subscribe to playgrounds from your favorite third party creators, then browse and download their content directly within Swift Playgrounds. Other changes include:</p><ul></ul>

<p>Apple has released the first beta of Xcode 9.3 for developers. Xcode is a free developer tool for Apple’s various operating systems. </p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.strategyanalytics.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strategy Analytics</a> says Apple will sell 3.8 million HomePods this year, garnering less than 10% market share. The wireless speaker i<a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/1/23/you-can-pre-order-the-homepod-this-friday" rel="noopener noreferrer">s available for pre-orde</a>r Friday, Jan. 26, and is slated to arrive on Feb. 9.</p>

<p>Antitrust regulators at the European Union (EU) have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-24/qualcomm-gets-1-2-billion-eu-fine-for-apple-chip-payments-jcsxlzqo" rel="noopener noreferrer">slapped</a> a €997M (about $1.2 billion) fine on Qualcomm for paying Apple "billions of U.S. dollars" to shun rival chips in its iPhones.</p>

<p>Apple has introduced what it says is a “significant update” to the Health app with the iOS 11.3 beta, debuting a feature for customers to see their medical records on their iPhone. </p>

<p>Apple has announced that iOS 11.3 will arrive this spring with “exciting new ways to experience augmented reality on iPhone and iPad, new Animoji on iPhone X and the ability to view health records in the Health app.</p>

<p>Apple wants to simplify audio navigation instructions in CarPlay and/or the iOS Maps apps, as evidenced by a new patent filing (number 9,874,455). Compatible with the iPhone 5 and later models, CarPlay provides a simplified way to use your iPhone interface on a car’s touch screen, giving users access to Siri voice controls, as well as Apple Maps, Apple Music, Phone, Messages, and a variety of third party apps.</p>

<p>I really like my 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display, though I’d spring for the iMac Pro if I had deep pockets. Alas, I don’t, so I want some of the Pro’s specs to come to the 2018 non-pro iMac.</p>

<p>Apple’s Memories feature in macOS High Sierra automatically creates curated collections of your most meaningful photos and videos. Want to save a memory for later? It’s easy.</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 released iTunes 12.7.3 for macOS with support for the upcoming HomePod. </p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/interest-new-iphones-nears-historic-lows-new-cowen-survey" rel="noopener noreferrer">A new survey</a> by Wall Street research firm Cowen found that the number of current U.S. iPhone owners planning to buy a new iPhone “was near the lowest levels since conducting our survey.”</p>

<p>European Union (EU) antitrust regulators will sanction Qualcomm for hurting competition by paying Apple to use its chips exclusively, according to the <em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/fc712538-004a-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5" rel="noopener noreferrer">Financial Times</a> </em>(a subscription is required to read the article). Qualcomm paid Apple to buy all of its communication chipsets from 2011 to 2016.</p>