Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has both great challenges, and great opportunities, with the HomePod and Apple TV. The worldwide smart home devices market — inclusive of smart speakers, digital media adapters, lighting, thermostats, and more — is forecast to ship 549.5 million devices in 2018, growing 26.8% over the prior year, according to the International Data Corporation (<a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.idc.com%2F&esheet=51825602&newsitemid=20180621005184&lan=en-US&anchor=IDC&index=1&md5=d4d0bdca9a94702c0dd25d9f14940fd5">IDC</a>) <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.idc.com%2Ftracker%2Fshowproductinfo.jsp%3Fprod_id%3D1781&esheet=51825602&newsitemid=20180621005184&lan=en-US&anchor=Worldwide+Quarterly+Smart+Home+Device+Tracker&index=2&md5=d9173b7c44fa3dd74960e2ffa787b420">Worldwide Quarterly Smart Home Device Tracker</a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you travel with one of the latest MacBook Pros or 12-inch MacBooks equipped with USB-C, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/LMP-USB-C-Mini-Dock-Ethernet/dp/B01LLGO08O" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">USB-C Compact Dock</a> from the Swiss-based company of LMP can make life a lot less complicated. </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 today's picks.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Now that my Apple World Today compadre, Steve Sande, is transforming his daily news update podcast into <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/6/20/apple-world-today-news-update-june-20-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Tangible Tech</em></a>, Yours Truly will offer an end-of-the-day text-and-graphics only update of various Apple news items. Because, hey, Steve and I can’t cover everything!</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has updated Final Cut Pro X and GarageBand for the Mac. Both are available at the Mac App Store.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has given a series order to “Calls,” an English-language adaptation of the French short-form series Canal+, reports <a href="https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/apple-orders-calls-1202853274/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a>. The tech giant will co-produce with Canal+.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has been granted a patent (number 20180173725) for history-based searching for images and graphics with its Messages app in macOS and iOS.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple appears to be ready to launch the AirPower alongside its 2018 lineup of iPhones in September, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-21/why-apple-s-airpower-wireless-charger-is-taking-so-long-to-make" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bloomberg News</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Smartphones have become the every day go to camera of choice, especially when there are so many photo apps out there such as Instagram and SnapChat. With the demand on smartphone cameras growing, it is no surprise that innovative minds have come together to create camera lenses for our smartphones.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">iOS 11 has some very useful keyboard shortcuts yet. They’re especially useful for iPad users. </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 today's picks.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple claimed top honors in two categories at the 2018’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: first in Music and then in Brand Experience & Activation, notes <a href="https://www.adweek.com/creativity/apple-wins-2-grand-prix-at-cannes-for-its-mind-blowing-homepod-ad-and-in-store-experience/?utm_content=position_1&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=AWK_BreakingNews&utm_campaign=ADW_BreakingNews_Newsletter_2018062015&s_id=57e99fed2ddf9c7ef37f7881" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AdWeek</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has given a multi-series order to Emmy Award-winning nonprofit media and educational organization Sesame Workshop for a slate of children’s programs, a “person with knowledge of production” tells <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/apple-sesame-workshop-team-develop-slate-childrens-programming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>TheWrap</em></a>. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Another day, another lawsuit. Toshiyasu Abe, a resident of Vancouver, Washington, has filed a lawsuit against Apple in Oregon district court, accusing the company of infringing upon his patent (number 6,520,699) with Key Flicks and 3D Touch on select iPhone and iPad models, reports <a href="https://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>MacRumors</em></a>. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">An anonymous poll of Apple employees earns CEO Tim Cook a 91% approval rating, earning him the No. 96 ranking among U.S. companies surveyed for Glassdoor's annual Employees' Choice Awards. (Glassdoor is a jobs and recruiting site.) However, it’s the head honcho’s lowest ranking ever, down from 53rd place in 2017.</p>