Dennis Sellers

<p>Apple has applied for a patent (number 20160335532) for a “virtual assistant in a communication session” that hints at the integration of Siri, the "personal digital assistant," into Messages. According to the invention, one or more participating users can choose to utilize a virtual assistant (that would be Siri, of course) to assist participant users with tasks during a communication session. </p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.macrumors.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors</a> — KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple will launch an all-new iPhone with a 5.8-inch OLED panel in 2017, but that he smartphone's actual active area will be a smaller 5.1 to 5.2 inches.</p>

<p style="margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px">According to <a href="https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mac4ever.com%2Factu%2F115466_les-airpods-proposes-en-precommande-en-france-avec-une-livraison-fin-novembre&edit-text=&act=url">Mac4Ever</a>, French retailer Fnac has started the preorder process for Apple’s AirPods, which will begin shipping Nov. 30. They’ll retail for € 179.99 , one euro more than Apple's online price.</p>

<p>Apple plans to integrate augmented reality (AR) technology into the iPhone’s Camera app, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-integrating-augmented-reality-iphone-camera-app-2016-11" rel="noopener noreferrer">Business Insider</a>, quoting an unnamed “person familiar with the matter.”</p>

<p>Apple plans to cut the amount it charges to sell video services over its App Store, “a move to appease partners whose movies and TV shows are vital to the technology giant’s video strategy,” reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-17/apple-is-said-to-cut-fees-video-services-will-pay-for-app-store" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>

<p style="margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px">Apple is looking into whether its devices can be used to monitor data in real time on the well-being of patients with Parkinson’s, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3065678/tim-cooks-apple/apple-is-researching-how-iphones-can-be-used-to-monitor-parkinsons-patients" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fast Company</a>.</p>

<p>If you travel with a lot of Apple devices, iClever’s <a target="_blank" href="http://www.iclever.com/boostcube/tc04-usb-wall-charger.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">BoostCube TC04 4-Port USB Wall Charger</a> can save you some space and alleviate cord clutter. The charger has, as you might guess from the moniker, four USB ports. </p>

<p>With the release of new MacBook Pros, lots of Mac users will be migrating to thenew systems. Paragon Software has released a guide of seven steps on how to migrate in the most efficient, fastest and safest way and how to securely and permanently wipe data on the old system.</p>

<p>According to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thestreet.com/story/13895825/1/apple-job-ads-hint-at-a-risk-to-intel-says-exane-bnp.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">TheStreet</a>, analysts at the investment company Exane BNP Paribas think Apple is tooling up to create custom chips for its next generation of Mac laptops.</p>

<p>A new report from research firm <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cirpllc.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Consumer Intelligence Research Partners</a> — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="https://9to5mac.com/2016/11/16/iphone-7-launch-adoption-android-switchers/" rel="noopener noreferrer">9to5Mac</a> — shows that iPhone 7 and 7 Plus adoption outpaced that of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus during its first month of sales, although falling short of the iPhone 6/6 Plus launch.</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>Global market research firm <a href="http://www.trendforce.com/">TrendForce</a> estimates that global tablet shipments for 2016 will total around 154.5 million units, translating to an annual decline of 8.3%.  However, Apple will remain the top tablet maker, though its market share is project to drop from 26.1% this year to 24.8% in 2017.</p>

<p>Global notebook shipments for 2016 is estimated to decline by 4% compared with the prior year to around 157.9 million units, reports global research firm <a href="http://www.trendforce.com/">TrendForce</a>. The good news for Apple: it’s expected to hold 8.3% of the notebook OS market next year as it benefits from shipments of the latest MacBook Pros. That will be up from 7.9% this year.</p>

<p>Windows is the dominant computing platform for VR gaming right now. However, Valve will encourage wider operating system support by bringing a SteamVR beta to macOS and Linux systems "in the next few months,” according to <a target="_blank" href="http://hexus.net/tech/news/software/99274-vr-coming-linux-mac-a-months-says-valve/" rel="noopener noreferrer">a Hexus report.</a></p>

<p>Note-Ify Apps has introduced <a target="_blank" href="http://commandtab.noteifyapp.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Command-Tab Plus 1.0</a> for macOS. It’s an alternative for Mac's built-in Command-Tab app switcher. </p>