Dennis Sellers

<p>Apple <a target="_blank" href="http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-7#01" rel="noopener noreferrer">has started sales</a> of factory unlocked SIM-free iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets. This allows you to buy the smartphones without a carrier and activate with the carrier of your choice later.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Easy Duplicate Finder</a> from WebMinds is a useful tool for macOS 10.6 or higher to find and remove duplicate photos, documents, MP3s, videos, and more on your Mac's hard drive. It can help free lots of hard disk space and is super-easy to use.</p>

<p>Did you know you can play music from your Apple Watch without using your iPhone. You can — after you pair the smartwatch with Bluetooth headphones. </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>Imagination Technologies Chief Operating Office John Metcalfe, for example, left the company in June and is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-metcalfe-87ab231">now listed</a> as a Senior Director at Apple, where he started in July — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.macrumors.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors</a>.</p>

<p>The fall of the Galaxy Note7 has Samsung's smartphone customers seeking new brands. Now, 40% of current Samsung consumers say they won't buy another phone from the brand — that's a <a href="http://www.brandingbrand.com/hubfs/Documents/Surveys/Samsung_Recall_/Branding-Brand_Samsung-Recall-Sept_PressRelease-9232016.pdf">6% increase</a> since the first week of the phone's U.S. recall on Sept. 15.  </p>

<p>Quicken 2017 is now available for Mac and Windows system. The new product line offers users a revamped interface, a mobile app that’s iPhone/iPad compatible, and new investment, reporting, and bill pay capabilities. The products have been re-designed to work optimally on high resolution displays.</p>

<p>Apple chip manufacturer TSMC has raised its forecast for 2016 revenue after setting new profit and sales records in the third quarter, as analysts said it was riding high on supplying parts for the iPhone 7 line, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tsmc-results-idUSKCN12D0IM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters.</a></p>

<p>Future Apple Watches might use your heart rate to identify you as its owner. Apple has applied for a patent (number 20160296142) for an “user identification system based on plethysmography.” Plethysmography is used to measure changes in volume in different parts of the body.</p>

<p>Vivid graphics and realistic gameplay make GRID 2 Reloaded Edition for the Mac a racing game you should definitely take for a spin. Much of its appeal is due to the TrueFeel handling system that emphasizes each car’s unique features such as torque and weight distribution. With it you can adjust your driving style to each auto when you slip behind the wheel. </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 Pay is now available in New Zealand for ANZ customers with an iPhone, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/85198840/Apple-Pay-arrives-in-New-Zealand" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stuff</a>. ANZ is the only bank in New Zealand that accepts it and it works both with their Visa and debit cards.</p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/10/12/apples-iphone-7-predicted-to-spur-8-growth-2017-redesign-seen-causing-16-sales-spike" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a> — UBS analyst Steven Milunovich says he expects the iPhone 7 series will spur 8% unit growth in fiscal year 2017 — a number he said is close to current Wall Street consensus.</p>

<p>This should be good news for Apple's iBookstore (and perhaps the iPad): over the next two years, ebooks are set to surpass print in the U.S.</p>

<p>Global smartphone shipments are expected to grow 7.2% on year to 1.42 billion in 2016 and another 7% to 1.52 billion units in 2017, according to the latest estimate by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20161012PD200.html?chid=2" rel="noopener noreferrer">Digitimes Research</a>. Apple will be the sole non-Asia brand among the top-20 smartphone brands in 2017, while all the remaining 19 vendors will come from Asia, including 11 from China, the report says.</p>