Dennis Sellers

<p>Citing unnamed sources from the “upstream supply chain,” <a target="_blank" href="http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20170119PD203.html)" rel="noopener noreferrer">DigiTimes</a> says that new iPads won’t arrive in March as anticipated, but have bene pushed back until the second half of the year because the internals of the tablets are “still in the planning phases.”</p>

<p>Following the <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/12/21/super-mario-run-sets-new-sales-records?rq=Super%20Mario%20Run)" rel="noopener noreferrer">success of Super Mario Run </a>on iOS devices Nintendo says a Fire Emblem game will come to iPhones and iPads. Dubbed Fire Emblem: Heroes, the new game is Nintendo's second attempt at an original mobile game and will launch on Android on Feb. 2, notes <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/01/18/nintendo-says-fire-emblem-mobile-game-coming-soon-to-ios" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider. </a></p>

<p>This is certain to reignite the speculation that the 2017 iPhone will have wireless charging: Lite-On Semiconductor, a maker of discrete and analog IC components, has entered the supply chain for the “iPhone 8 “by providing GPP bridge rectifiers for the support of fast wireless charging, according to a recent Chinese-language <em>Commercial Times</em> report — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="//www.digitimes.com/news/a20170119PB205.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">DigiTimes</a>.</p>

<p>Apple and Amazon have agreed to scrap all exclusivity obligations in the supply and distribution of audiobooks in Europe, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-amazon-com-apple-antitrust-idUSKBN1531EG" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters.</a> The companies announced their decision on Jan. 5 after talks with the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. </p>

<p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.honeywellpluggedin.com/air-purifiers/shop/honeywell-air-purifier-bluetooth-smart-controls" rel="noopener noreferrer">Honeywell Bluetooth Smart True HEPA Allergen Remover</a> is the first air purifier that I know of that uses Bluetooth wireless technology to track local pollen counts via a free iOS app (available at the Apple App Store) and auto-adjust its cleaning levels accordingly.</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 Chinese language <em>Letem svetem Applem</em> — as reported by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/01/18/rumor-apple-pencil-2-coming-this-spring-with-magnets-to-attach-to-ipad-plus-pocket-clip" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a> — says an "Apple Pencil 2" will arrive this spring, featuring a new magnetic system that will allow it to temporarily attach to an iPad. </p>

<p>Apple has announced major updates to its music creation apps with new features for music makers of all levels on iPhone, iPad and Mac. </p>

<p>Apple has added the CBS Sports Radio syndicated radio channel to Apple Music. It’s a sports radio network that debuted with hourly sports news updates on Sept. 4, 2012, and with 24/7 programming on Jan. 2, 2013.</p>

<p>The top ranked intimate brands continued to outperform the S&P and Fortune 500 indices in revenue and profit over the past 10 years, according to MBLM's <a href="http://mblm.com/brandintimacy/"><em>Brand Intimacy 2017 Report</em></a>, which is the largest study of brands based on emotions. The most intimate brand in the U.S. is Apple, followed by Disney and Amazon. </p>

<p>B-Eng has announced SSD Health Check 1.0, the company's new drive utility for macOS. It will alert you when your solid state disk is in a critical state or reaches other critical limits. </p>

<p>MLG Automotive Law (mlgautomotivelaw) — a Newport Beach, California-based firm concentrating on representing the legal interests of businesses and people in the automotive industry — has filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, seeking to enjoin the company from selling further iPhones until it installs texting and driving safeguards.  The lawsuit, <a href="http://mlgautomotivelaw.com/press/2017-01-17-Ceja-v-Apple-Class-Action-Complaint.pdf"><em>Julio Ceja v. Apple Inc. </em></a>, was filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.</p>

<p>The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) officially adopted <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bluetooth.com/bluetooth5" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluetooth 5</a> as the latest version of the Bluetooth core specification. Consumers can expect to see products supporting the spec in two to six months. It should appear in upcoming Macs, iPads, and iPhones.</p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://popularcommunitybank.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Popular Community Bank</a>, a subsidiary of Popular Inc., has added support for Apple Pay. Consumer and business banking customers can now enroll their eligible debit cards and pay quickly at participating merchants via Apple’s mobile payment service.</p>

<p>Cinedigm Corp’s <a target="_blank" href="http://www.DoveChannel.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dove Channel</a> is now available on the Apple TV. The Dove Channel app is optimized for tvOS, with a design featuring an improved user interface. Additionally, the app update allows subscribers to synch their account and stream movies across connected devices including iPhone, iPad and other platforms.</p>