Dennis Sellers

<p>Apple has released iOS 10.3.2 public beta number two. The beta should offer under-the-hood bug fixes and security improvements.</p>

<p>Apple will open its first retail store in Taiwan in the <a target="_blank" href="http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aeco/201704110017.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer">Taipei 101 mall</a>, reports Focus Taiwan, quoting an unnamed “industry insider.” There's no info on an opening date. The Apple store will be spread over 1,322 square meters on the ground floor and the first basement level of the mall in Taiwan's tallest skyscraper, the article adds.</p>

<p>Apple has released the second public beta of its next update (10.12.5) for macOS Sierra. It’s a minor update that focuses on bug fixes and speed improvements.</p>

<p>Western Digital Corp. has expanded its G-Technology brand G-DRIVE storage portfolio with the G-DRIVE USB-C device. The new drive provides USB-C connectivity for next-generation Mac and PC computers while simultaneously charging compatible USB-C devices like the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro computers.</p>

<p>New data from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.juniperresearch.com/CMSModules/Newsletters/CMSPages/Redirect.ashx?linkguid=0083227a-f6f2-40cb-a460-953e715784e7&email=submitnews%40applecentral.com&hash=898d7744c1fb18e3162d64eeaff77c4d3cc1a3b3101c2b7a131d8a324f3f7a58" rel="noopener noreferrer">Juniper Research</a> estimates that the number of contactless pay users, including Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Android Pay, will exceed 100 million for the first time during the first half of 2017, before surpassing 150 million by the end of this year. And Apple's mobile payment system is predicting to reach 86 million users this year.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,621,987) for a “tactile swath for an electronic device” that hints at wireless speakers that could work with Macs, iOS devices and Apple TVs.</p>

<p>The total production volume of all iPhone devices for the first quarter of 2017 fell by 36% compared with the previous quarter and declined by 41% versus the same period a year ago, according to new data from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.trendforce.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">TrendForce</a>. Still, these results actually showed an overall improvement in iPhone sales, according to the research group. </p>

<p>German chipmaker Dialog Semiconductor’s stock has tumbled in Frankfurt, currently down 24.5%, as private bank Bankhaus Lampe downgrades the German chipmaker to Sell on risks that it might <a target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-dialog-apple-idUSKBN17D0VF" rel="noopener noreferrer">lose a crucial supplier deal</a> with Apple.</p>

<p>Qualcomm has <a target="_blank" href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/qualcomm-hits-back-at-apple-in-legal-battle-2017-04-11" rel="noopener noreferrer">fired the latest shot</a> in a legal battle with Apple, charging the tech giant with mischaracterizing Qualcomm's business and siccing international regulators on it.</p>

<p>Apple is suing Swiss watch maker Swatch for its “Tick different” ad campaign, which the Cupertino, California-based company says is a rip-off of its former “Think different” campaign, note the Swiss language site, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.watson.ch/Digital/Schweiz/191682447-«Tick-different»-–-Apple-geht-gegen-Swatch-vor-Gericht" rel="noopener noreferrer">Watson</a> — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/04/11/apple-sues-swatch-over-tick-different-trademark" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.revisionfx.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">RE:Vision Effects</a>' DE:Flicker for Apple’s Final Cut Pro X and Motion is designed to smooth out flicker and artifacts when shooting high frame rate or timelapse video. </p>

<p>Apple’s Pages, Numbers and Keynote apps for macOS and iOS allow you to collaborate. You can invite others to your documents and work on them together in real time. You can use iWork collaboration on these devices: </p><ul></ul>

<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 new study by the Piper Jaffray research sees a positive data point for the iPhone 7 and 8 in a survey that shows a <a target="_blank" href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/www.investors.com/news/more-teens-than-ever-expect-next-phone-to-be-an-iphone-piper-jaffray/" rel="noopener noreferrer">record 81% of teens</a> expect their next phone to be one of Apple's models.</p>

<p>All evidence points to strong sales for Apple's controversial MacBook Pro with Touch Bar released in 2016. However, the tech giant has dropped to fifth place among the “Best & Worst Laptop Brands” for 2017, as determined by <em>Laptop Magazine</em>.</p>