Dennis Sellers

<p>Apple seems to have begun <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/11/8/apple-begins-selling-refurbished-iphones-at-its-us-online-store?rq=refurbished%20iPhones" rel="noopener noreferrer">selling refurbished iPhones</a> from its U.S. online store just in time. The refurbished phones are available at the company’s Certified Refurbished site along with Macs, iPads, and iPods. </p>

<p>Apple is issuing Apple Watch owners an Activity Challenge for Thanksgiving, Nov. 24. The challenge: run or walk 5K (3.1 miles) on Turkey Day using Apple’s Workout app or any third-party app that integrates workouts with HealthKit.</p>

<p>Apple has announced a <a href="https://www.apple.com/support/iphone6s-unexpectedshutdown/">new repair program for iPhone 6s users</a> whose devices may be unexpectedly shut down. The company says this isn’t a safety issue and only affects devices within a limited serial number range that were manufactured between September and October 2015.</p>

<p>First, it was the Thunderbolt Display, now Apple is apparently abandoning the AirPort Express, the AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule. The Cupertino, California-based company has disbanded its division that develops wireless routers, in a move to try to sharpen the company's focus on consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-21/apple-said-to-abandon-development-of-wireless-routers-ivs0ssec">Bloomberg reports</a>.</p>

<p style="margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px">I don't entirely trust Facebook, but it does offer social media opportunities for businesses such as mine and is a great way to keep up with folks. If you're a constant FB user, you should check out Current, which turns Facebook into a native app on your Mac desktop.</p>

<p>They're not the best-looking speakers in the world, but the <a target="_blank" href="http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Powered-Speaker-Systems" rel="noopener noreferrer">Audioengine 2+ Premium Powered Desktop Speakers</a> produce impressive sound. I have 'em hooked up to my 27-inch iMac.</p>

<p>Apple is considering expanding into digital/smart glasses, “a risky but potentially lucrative area of wearable computing,” according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-14/apple-explores-smart-glasses-in-wearables-push">Bloomberg</a>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.” And Juniper Research (www.junipersearch.com) probably thinks Apple should look into “iGlasses” instead. New findings from the hi-tech research group that global smart glasses’ shipments will reach 10 million per annum by 2018, compared to an estimated 87,000 in 2014.</p>

<p>The ease and convenience of transmitting power via plug-free and, in many cases, contactless charging is fueling the adoption of wireless power for a wide range of devices and machinery -- from military and medical devices to electric vehicles to unmanned aircraft. So, hopefully, we’ll see an iPhone with wireless charging in 2017.</p>

<p>This could be good news for the iPad: According to International Data Corporation's (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.idc.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">IDC</a>) latest study, tablets are among the top IT spending priorities for 2017 in European enterprises, with sectors such as education, hospitality, government, and transport ranking them among their top three priorities.</p>

<p>The AWT News Update is on hiatus while my compadre, Steve, takes a road trip. In its place, I’ll offer a text-only (no podcast) summary of breaking stories with a tip o’ my hat to my former website, <em>Apple Daily Report</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>Responding to the brouhaha that the position of product manager of Automation Technologies <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/11/17/the-product-manager-of-automation-technologies-at-apple-is-terminated">has been eliminated</a>, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, told <a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2016/11/18/automation-tech-apple-response/" rel="noopener noreferrer">9to5Mac</a> that “we have every intent to continue our support for great automation technologies in macOS.”</p>

<p>Home-building company <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kbhome.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">KB Home</a> has unveiled the nation’s first HomeKit-enabled community at its <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kbhome.com%2Fnew-homes-bay-area%2Fpromenade-at-communications-hill&esheet=51463311&newsitemid=20161118005139&lan=en-US&anchor=Promenade+at+Communications+Hill&index=1&md5=8fbc79650f5d325738246331af9b9c54">Promenade at Communications Hill</a> in San Jose, California. It’s the first homebuilder to make a HomeKit smart-home package available to homebuyers. HomeKit is a framework that allows control of compatible home automation devices through iOS and Siri.</p>

<p>Wei Gu, a long-time China reporter most recently with the Wall Street Journal, has joined Apple to take up a PR Director role based out of its office in Shanghai, China, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/18/apple-adds-former-wall-street-journal-editor-to-its-china-pr-team/" rel="noopener noreferrer">TechCrunch</a>.</p>

<p>After returning to Apple in 1997, Steve Jobs attempted to re-negotiate the clone manufacturers' license agreements. When the clone makers refused, Jobs refused to license later versions of the Apple hardware and operating systems to the clone vendors, effectively ending the clone program. Perhaps it’s time to bring it back.</p>