Dennis Sellers

<p>Apple has been named “the most intimate brand,” according to the <a target="_blank" href="http://mblm.com/ranking-tool/" rel="noopener noreferrer">2017 Brand Intimacy Survey </a>by MBLM, a consulting, branding, experience and technology company. The rest of the top 10 were Disney, Amazon, Harley Davidson, Netflix, Nintendo, Samsung, Whole Foods, BMW and Toyota.</p>

<p>The Apple App Store is projected to remain the leading app store for the next five years and is slated to generate more than $60 billion in gross consumer spending in 2021, according to a new report by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/app-annie-forecast-2017-mobile-app-store-revenue-exceed-139-billion-2021/" rel="noopener noreferrer">App Annie</a>.</p>

<p>Spotify may be the leader when it comes to the largest number of paid subscribers (50 million) for a streaming music service, but it’s Apple Music (which has over 20-million subscribers) that comes out on top when their respective audiences translate into monthly unique users, specifically on mobile, according to a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.vertoanalytics.com/verto-index-streaming-music/" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> published this week from mobile analytics firm Verto — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/29/mobile-music/" rel="noopener noreferrer">TechCrunch</a>.</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>Former Apple Mail engineering manager, Terry Blanchard, has joined Readdle’s team “to build the future of email with <a target="_blank" href="https://sparkmailapp.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spark</a>.” Founded in 2007, Readdle makes iOS and macOS apps.</p>

<p>GigSky, global connectivity solutions for travelers on the go, will now offer <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gigsky.com/gigsky-apple-sim/" rel="noopener noreferrer">mobile data plans</a> for iPad users with Apple SIM in over 180 countries and territories, up from 140 countries announced last July. </p>

<p>Amazon and Apple deliver the best customer experience across computer & tablet makers, according to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.TemkinRatings.com" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>2017 Temkin Experience Ratings</em></a>, an annual customer experience ranking of companies based on a survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers. </p>

<p>Apple Pay is now rolling out to users in Taiwan, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2017/03/29/494497/Apple-Pay.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The China Post</em></a>. Seven banks in Taiwan — Taishin International Bank, Taipei Fubon Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Cathay United Bank, CTBC Bank, E.SUN Bank, and Union Bank of Taiwan — have signed up to allow their cards to be used via Apple's mobile payment service.</p>

<p>Apple’s iTunes Connect service is now blocking submissions to Apple’s app stores when app metadata includes pricing information in an effort to stop developers from touting the price of their applications in app names and screenshots, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://venturebeat.com/2017/03/28/apple-now-rejects-app-store-submissions-when-the-name-includes-the-price/" rel="noopener noreferrer">VentureBeat</a>.</p>

<p>iClever’s $65 <a target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/m77ry69" rel="noopener noreferrer">BoostEngine Portable Car Jump Starter</a> is described as a “powerful, compact power bank with the ability to jump start dead car batteries and charge phones, cameras and other devices.” The problem is that it wouldn’t jump start my vehicle.</p>

<p>Apple has updated its <a target="_blank" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itunes-u/id490217893?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer">iTunes U app</a> for the iPad to version 3.5. It’s a free download and is compatible with iOS 9.3 or later.</p>

<p>Apple's stock price hit a new record of $143.80 today, topping the $1,000 per share pre-split benchmark. As noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/03/28/aapl-price-crushes-old-record-cruises-past-1000-pre-split-per-share-price" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>, if it keeps pace for the remainder of the week it will beat the company's old market capitalization record.</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>Corduroy Code has debuted <a target="_blank" href="http://www.videoloupe.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Videoloupe</a>, a video player and editor for macOS. It’s designed to bridge the gap between basic video players and professional editing suites.</p>

<p>MacVideo Promo — a promotion company that offers exclusive deals on tools for Mac video editors — is giving away Media 100 Suite 2.1.8, the latest version of its video editing software for macOS.</p>