Dennis Sellers

<p>Tech companies are standing in the way of stronger green electronics standards in the U.S., according to a new report by Repair.org. It finds that device manufacturers have systematically blocked attempts to promote longer-lasting devices.</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 usual AWT News Update won’t arrive today as my compadre, Steve, is dealing with some family matters. 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>Password manager <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dashlane.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dashlane</a> has released its 2017 Password Power Rankings, the results of a deep dive into the password practices of over 40 popular consumer and enterprise websites. Apple did well, scoring 4/5 (5/5 is a perfect score).</p>

<p>Sonnet Technologies has announced a new addition to its expanding Thunderbolt 3 product line: the Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort Adapter. The compact, bus-powered device enables users to connect up to two 4K ultra-high-definition (UHD) DisplayPort (DP) monitors or one 5K DP monitor to a single Thunderbolt 3 port on Mac and Windows systems.</p>

<p>Apple must be cooking up some interesting products in its secret labs. The company spending on research and development totaled $2.9 billion for the third fiscal quarter that ended on July 1, rising 15% year-over-year compared to a revenue gain of 7% for the same period, reports the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/apples-expensive-game-of-catch-up-1502202741?mod=rss_Technology" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Wall Street Journal</em></a>. This brought the tech giant’s R&D spending to $11.2 billion for the previous 12 months — about 5% of the company’s revenue for the period.</p>

<p><em>Carpool Karaoke: The Series</em> is now available to Apple Music subscribers. It will welcome a different group of stars every Tuesday, with new episodes available exclusively to Apple Music subscribers in more than 100 countries. </p>

<p>Kantar <a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2017/08/09/us-iphone-sales-ios-market-share-kantar/" rel="noopener noreferrer">says</a> the iPhone’s share of the U.S. smartphone market grew in the three months ending in May, but Apple still lags Samsung. Apple’s market share reached 34%, up 4.7 points from the same quarter in 2016. </p>

<p>I’ve long hoped for iMacs with even better speakers. Maybe I’ll get my wish as Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,729,992) for a “front loudspeaker directivity for surround sound systems.” The invention could also involve upcoming Apple stand-alone display that are expected in 2018.</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>Disney announced during its latest earnings report it intends to pull all its movies from Netflix and launch a direct-to-consumer streaming service in 2019, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/08/disney-will-pull-its-movies-from-netflix-and-start-its-own-streaming-services.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNBC</a>. It also will launch an ESPN video streaming service in early 2018, including MLB, NHL and MLS content.</p>

<p>Along with the fourth public beta of <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2017/8/8/apple-releases-fourth-public-beta-of-ios-11" rel="noopener noreferrer">iOS 11</a>, Apple has seeded the fourth macOS High Sierra and tvOS 11. The finished versions are due in the fall.</p>

<p>The U.S. International Trade Commission will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/08/us-to-review-qualcomms-complaints-about-apple-iphone-patents.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">investigate</a> Qualcomm’s patent infringement claims against Apple. The goal is to complete the investigation within 45 days.</p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/08/08/iphone-8-to-enter-mass-production-in-mid-sept-launch-alongside-iphone-7s-come-in-3-colors" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider </a>— KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the “iPhone” 8 will launch on the same day as the “iPhone 7s” and “iPhone 7s Plus,” though — as you could have guessed — quantities may be limited. The key points in his note:</p>

<p>Apple has released the fourth public beta of iOS 11. or iPhone and iPad users. The finished version is due this fall and will be a free software update. </p>