Dennis Sellers

<p>Case-Mate has launched its Power Pad wireless charger. According to Case-Mate CEO Steve Marzio, it engages Qi-enabled devices at the highest charging speeds possible, including 7.5W of power for the latest Apple iPhones (iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X) and 9W of power for the latest Samsung devices. </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>mophie has announced the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mophie.com/shop/charge-stream-pad-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer">Charge Stream Pad+</a>, the company’s first universal wireless charging pad for Apple and Samsung Qi-enabled smartphones. </p>

<p>Apple's revamped, modular Mac Pro aimed at professionals won’t launch until next year, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/05/apples-2019-imac-pro-will-be-shaped-by-workflows/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>TechCrunch</em></a>'s Matthew Panzarino. He met with the Apple execs “most responsible for shepherding the renewed pro product strategy”: John Ternus, vice president of Hardware Engineering; Tom Boger, senior director of Mac Hardware Product Marketing; Jud Coplan, director of Video Apps Product Marketing; and Xander Soren, director of Music Apps Product Marketing.</p>

<p>On April 9, Apple will release an upgrade to Final Cut Pro X, its professional video editing software. Version 10.4.1 introduces Apple’s ProRes RAW format and advanced closed captioning tools that allow video editors to view, edit and deliver captions from right within the app. </p>

<p>Apple has been filed for yet another patent (number 20180097920) for an augmented reality (AR) headset. This one is dubbed “head-mounted display apparatus for retaining a portable electronic device with display.”</p>

<p>Apple is teaming up with a variety of companies — including Adidas, Boxed, Hotwire, and Saks Fifth Avenue — for Apple Pay users as part of a “spring savings” event.</p>

<p>The Apple App Store shrank for the first time in 2017, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://blog.appfigures.com/ios-developers-ship-less-apps-for-first-time/" rel="noopener noreferrer">new report from Appfigures</a>, a reporting platform for mobile app developers. Google Play grew 30% last year to more than 3.6 million apps.</p>

<p>Apple Shinjuku in Tokyo will open for business this Saturday, delivering the tech giant’s latest retail design to the country where Apple opened its first international store. Since opening in Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood in 2003, Apple has welcomed 70 million visitors to its stores across the country, according to Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail.</p>

<p>iFlicks for the Mac is a handy tool for importing video. It's easy to use -- and useful if you want to put all your multimedia eggs in one basket. You can import video files into iTunes to play in iTunes, Front Row, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV. However, note that iFlicks can modify or trash video files, so you should back 'em up first before using the software for the first time.</p>

<p>Did you know you can change Siri’s voice in iOS 11? You can. Here’s how:</p>

<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>