Dennis Sellers

<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>

<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 is closing a deal for the rights to turn the Terry Gilliam-directed film “Time Bandits”<em> </em>into a TV series. <a href="https://deadline.com/2018/07/time-bandits-apple-tv-series-deal-terry-gilliam-anonymous-content-paramount-television-mrc-1202435077/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Deadline</em></a> reports that series will be developed as a co-production between Anonymous Content, Paramount Television and Media Rights Capital. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Japanese site <em>Macotakara</em> — as noted by <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/07/27/apple-repair-japanese-flood-iphone-ipad-mac-free/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5Mac </em></a>— says that, in a support article, Apple announced that it will repair any iPhones, Macs, iPads, and iPods that were directly damaged by the floods that swept through Japan this month. Normally, the company’s repair policies don’t cover water damage.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Another day, another lawsuit. California-based SpeakWare accusing Apple of …. what else? …. patent infringement. According to <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/07/26/new-patent-lawsuit-targets-apple-over-voice-control-tech-in-siri--homekit-enabled-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a> alleges infringes a patent dubbed "Hands-Free, Voice-Operated Remote Control Transmitter.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has applied for a patent (number 20180213126) for “touch accommodation options” that would touch accommodations to users with tremors or other fine motor impairments to improve the accuracy of such users' touch inputs on touch-sensitive surfaces such as the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re looking for a cool-looking, wireless, portable (about 4 x 7 inches and weighing about a pound) speaker that packs decent sound for its size, give a listen to the $39.99 <a href="https://limitlessinnovations.com/tikitunes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TikiTunes</a>. </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 shipped 3.5 million Apple Watches in the second quarter of 2018, 30% more than in the same period last year, according to <a href="http://www.canalys.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Canalys</a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Let the Apple Car rumors continue. Apple has filed for a patent (number 20180208209) for “comfort profiles” involving a self-driving car. It’s designed to make the environment of such a vehicle as comfortable as possible for multiple passengers.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has applied for a patent (number 20180212455) for “inductive charging between electronic devices.” It would allow one Apple device to charge another.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In a <a href="https://www.macworld.com/article/3292218/macs/macbook-pro-throttling-quality-control.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Macworld</em> article</a>, Michael Simon says that Apple should hire or promote someone to a new position of Senior Vice President of Quality Control. He’s right. In fact, the company needs a whole team on the matter.</p>