Dennis Sellers

<p><a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2017/1/10/brainchild-behind-swift-leaving-apple?rq=Chris%20Later" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chris Lattner</a> isn’t the only Apple exec who departed for Tesla. <em><a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/11/matt-casebolt-touchbar-macbook/" rel="noopener noreferrer">9to5Ma</a>c</em> has reports that Matt Casebolt, a “high profile” Senior Director of Design for Apple’s Mac lineup left the company in December for a role at Tesla as Sr. Director Engineering, Closures & Mechanisms.</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 employee Chris Lattner, the senior director of Apple's Developer Tools Department, <a href="https://lists.swift.org/pipermail/swift-evolution/Week-of-Mon-20170109/030063.html">shared</a> today that he’s leaving the company after more than a decade. He was the leading figure behind Apple’s Swift programming language.</p>

<p>As we <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/12/23/2016-macbook-pros-first-ones-not-to-receive-recommended-ratings-from-consumer-reports" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported last month</a>, for the first time ever, <em>Consumer Report</em>s failed to recommend new models of Apple’s MacBook Pro line. The laptops did very well in measures of display quality and performance, but as far as battery life goes, <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/laptops/macbook-pros-fail-to-earn-consumer-reports-recommendation/">models "varied dramatically"</a> from one trial to the next. However, Apple says the battery tests were inaccurate, as the publication had enabled a hidden setting in its Safari browser.</p>

<p>A new Greenpeace report, <a target="_blank" href="http://greenpeace.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8%2c4898-%3eLCE5946%2f9%26SDG%3c90%3a.&RE=MC&RI=4019806&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=15313&Action=Follow+Link" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Clicking Clean: Who Is Winning the Race to Build a Green Internet?</em></a>, finds that Apple, Google, Facebook, and newcomer Switch are leading the charge to build a renewably powered Internet.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,543,364” for "Electronic devices having displays with openings" that hints at upcoming iPhones and iPads will edge-to-edge displays. Per the patent, a display may occupy the entire front face of a device. The invention might also allow for major speaker changes.</p>

<p>Apple will adopt a forged stainless steel crafting process for its glass-encased "iPhone 8", rather than use traditional aluminum CNC machining. according to <a href="http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20170109PD202.html"><em>DigiTimes</em></a>, quoting unnamed Taiwanese sources. </p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blumoo.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Blumoo</a> is a useful universal home entertainment "appcessory" that provides you with control of the audio and visual equipment already installed in your home. It's a universal remote control and streaming device that pairs iOS mobile devices (including the Apple Watch) to existing home entertainment systems.</p>

<p>Apple is repurposing GT Advanced's former sapphire plant in Mesa, Ariz., to produce cabinets for its other data centers, according to a notice published by the U.S. government — and as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/01/09/apple-to-produce-data-center-cabinets-at-defunct-gt-advanced-sapphire-plant" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>.</p>

<p>Apple is planning “one of the most innovative and technological Apple Stores in the world” in Milan, Italy, notes <a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/09/apple-milan-italy-flagship-location/" rel="noopener noreferrer">9to5Mac</a>, quoting a local report.</p>

<p>Citing an unnamed “employee at Zeiss,” AR/VR evangelist Robert Scoble claims Apple is partnering with optics manufacturer Carl Zeiss on a pair of lightweight glasses, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/01/09/rumor-apple-working-with-carl-zeiss-on-ar-glasses-to-debut-in-2018" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>. He adds that the product will debut in 2018.</p>

<p>A team from Apple will meet a group of India’s senior officials from ministries, including IT and finance, on Jan. 25 to discuss its demands for setting up a manufacturing unit in the country, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bgr.in/news/apple-to-meet-government-officials-on-january-25-to-discuss-manufacturing-in-india/" rel="noopener noreferrer">according to BGR</a>.</p>

<p>AppYogi Software has introduced EzyCal - Calendar 2017, a menu bar calendar developed exclusively for macOS. It ships with a full calendar display with events, reminders, to-do list organizer, cal-sync and more. </p>

<p>IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, a producer of global patent databases and innovative web services, has announced the <a href="http://www.ificlaims.com/index.php?page=misc_top_50_2016">2016 IFI CLAIMS U.S. Top 50</a>, an annual ranking of top patent recipients. Apple increased the number of patents it received, but remains at #11 on the list.</p>

<p>Today (Jan.9) marks the tenth anniversary of the iPhone’s debut. At the 2007 Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, then-CEO Steve Jobs introduced the world to Apple’s smartphone as three products in one — “a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough internet communications device.” In the 10 years since, Apple has sold over a billion iPhones. </p>