Dennis Sellers

<p>If you’re looking for a way to help manage your weight, consider the Polar Balance. It’s a weight management service that combines the Polar Balance Bluetooth Smart scale, a Polar activity tracker, and the Polar Flow app and web service. The Polar Balance scale <a target="_blank" href="http://www.polar.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">is available</a> in black or white for $99.95.</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>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>Piper Jaffray <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fastcompany.com/40539648/this-is-why-a-lot-of-iphone-users-havent-upgraded-to-the-iphone-x?partner=feedburner&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29" rel="noopener noreferrer">has released a new survey</a> asking why folks who currently own iPhones haven’t upgrade to the iPhone X. </p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/05/apple-likely-to-be-all-in-or-all-out-of-self-driving-cars-within-2-years-analyst-argues" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a> — Guggenheim analyst Robert Cirha says Apple's experimentation with autonomous car technology is likely to veer away from creating a simple platform and back towards a fully self-designed vehicle.</p>

<p>Stanford Students Against Addictive Devices (SSAAD) staged a protest on Saturday outside of the Apple Palo Alta (California) store on University Avenue. The student protesters said the tech giant isn’t taking adequate technology addiction, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stanforddaily.com/2018/03/05/student-group-protests-apple-over-addictive-devices/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Stanford Daily</em></a>. They also demanded that the company adjust software features to mitigate users’ constant focus on their devices.</p>

<p>For a limited time, Apple’s iPhone X is available at Sprint for 50% off the regular price with a Sprint Flex lease. That’s $20 per month with $0 down. Here are your options for buying aniPhone from the carrier:</p>

<p>Regarding the speculation by KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (read my <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/2/25/why-would-apple-launch-its-own-brand-of-over-ear-headphones-since-it-owns-beats" rel="noopener noreferrer">thoughts here</a>) that Apple will launch its own branded high-end, over-ear headphone with an "all new" design to add to its growing audio accessory lineup, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-05/apple-is-said-to-turn-up-audio-ambition-with-high-end-headphones"><em>Bloomberg</em></a> has corroborated the rumor and added some more info.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 20180059925) for an “enhanced 3D interface for remote devices.” Despite the moniker, it’s another patent hinting at upcoming gesture-based interfaces for the Mac. The tech giant has been granted, or applied for, <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2018/2/6/apple-granted-another-patent-for-a-gesture-based-ui-for-the-mac?rq=gesture" rel="noopener noreferrer">numerous such patents</a>.</p>

<p>Software and Computer System Company (SCSC)’s <a target="_blank" href="http://scsc-online.com/ClearTime.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">ClearTime for the Mac</a> is a configurable clock and alarm system designed to provide users with a more obvious and configurable alarm and clock monitor than those found with standard Mac apps.</p>

<p>When you say “Hey, Siri,” the light atop your HomePod starts glowing. That doesn’t bother me, but it does others. Thankfully, you can turn it off. Here’s how:</p>

<p>This month the European Union (EU) will unveil plans to tax the revenue of large global tech companies such as Apple in the 2% to 6% range (though likely closer to 2% than to 6%), French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in a Le <em>Journal du Dimanche</em> interview as noted by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-tech-tax-lemaire/eu-eyes-tax-on-tech-giants-closer-to-2-percent-than-6-percent-of-revenue-le-maire-idUSKCN1GF0SK" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Reuters</em></a>.</p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/03/new-lower-cost-macbook-air-expected-in-second-quarter-of-2018" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a> — KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is planning a lower cost MacBook Air for the second quarter of 2018.</p>

<p>Another day, another potential lawsuit. San Antonio startup WiseWear Corp. will liquidate its assets, blaming a change in Apple’s operating system on a failed round of financing that forced the maker of designer fitness jewelry into bankruptcy Wednesday, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mysanantonio.com/business/local/article/San-Antonio-WiseWear-liquidating-assets-in-12720305.php" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>My San Antonio</em></a>.</p>

<p>Angélica Guerra has joined Apple as its new head of Latin American programming for worldwide video, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/apple-angelica-guerra-head-of-latin-american-programming-1202715429/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em></a>. She comes from Sony Pictures Television, where she served as senior vice president and managing director of production for Latin America and U.S. Hispanic. </p>