Dennis Sellers

<p>Forget the “personal digital assistant” (that would be Apple’s Siri, of course). The tech giant wants your Mac to serve as your “lifestyle companion system.” The company has been granted a patent for “systems and methods for providing audio and visual cues via a portable electronic device.” </p>

<p>If you need to keep in-depth stats on your Mac's system operation, iStat Menus for Mac is arguably the best app for the job. The latest version (5) boasted a new design, more statistics, and more languages.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.technavio.com/?utm_source=t5&utm_medium=bw&utm_campaign=businesswire" rel="noopener noreferrer">Technavio</a> has announced the top five leading vendors in their recent<strong> </strong>global smart speaker market<strong> </strong>report that covers a time period through 2021. Apple’s on the list. Since the tech giant doesn’t make smart speakers, I’m assuming that the company makes the list based on expected sales of the HomePod when it debuts.</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>There’s a lot happening in the world of Apple news this week. Following are the hottest articles for the week of August 14-18.</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>Movie studios such as Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures are “pressing on” in discussions with Apple and Comcast Corp. on ways to offer digital rentals of films mere weeks after they appear in theaters, reports <em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-18/hollywood-apple-are-said-to-mull-rental-plan-defying-theaters" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a></em>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.” Naturally, owners of theater chains aren’t happy about this.</p>

<p>According to filings with the Santa Clara County [California] Recorder’s Office, Apple <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/17/apple-leases-big-santa-clara-buildings-launches-construction/" rel="noopener noreferrer">is renovating</a> two buildings near the southeast corner of Kifer Road and Uranium Drive, reports <em>The Mercury News</em> reports. </p>

<p>Apple has urged a California state judge to toss a proposed class action alleging it puts profits over public safety by not installing lockout devices on iPhones that prevent texting while driving, saying courts have consistently held that distracted drivers are responsible for accidents, not phone manufacturers, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/955332/apple-says-drivers-not-phones-cause-texting-crashes?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Law360</em></a>.</p>

<p>Quoting unnamed “sources in the supply chain,” <em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20170817PD208.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Digitimes</a></em> predicts that Apple will ship 4.5 million Apple Watches in the fourth quarter,  bringing the total number of units shipping in 2017 to 15 million. The suppliers expect Watch shipments to rise an additional 5 million next year for a total of 20 million.</p>

<p>Worm Animation says their debut title, point-and-click music adventure, <a target="_blank" href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/543100/Beat_The_Game/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Beat the Game</a>, will launch Sept. 7 on Steam for Mac, PC, and Linux systems.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted two patents that hint at future features of its CarPlay tech and Maps app. Compatible with iPhone 5 and later models, CarPlay provides a simplified way to use your iPhone interface on a car’s touch screen, giving users access to Siri voice controls, as well as Apple Maps, Apple Music, Phone, Messages, and a variety of third party apps.</p>

<p>When you think of air pollution, you probably think of <em>outdoor</em> pollution. However, there are several sources of <em>indoor</em> air pollution (paint, escaping gas, wet or damp carpet, poor ventilation, etc.). The $99 <a target="_blank" href="https://getawair.com/pages/awair-glow" rel="noopener noreferrer">Awair: Glow</a>, which works with iOS 8 or later, can help you keep track of — and deal with — such pollutants.</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>A class action suit over Apple store workers' unpaid time spent in bag checks may soon be headed to the California Supreme Court, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/08/17/lawsuit-over-apple-retail-workers-unpaid-bag-checks-may-go-to-california-supreme-court" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals the state's Supreme Court to decide whether bag checks are "compensable as 'hours worked' within the meaning of California Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order No. 7," even when people could technically avoid the checks by leaving purses, backpacks, and other bags at home.</p>