Dennis Sellers

<p>Leap Motion's Leap, a 3D motion control device for the Mac (OS X 10.7 and higher) and Windows, provides a glimpse into a "Minority Report" scenario of gesture computing, though the hardware-software combo is far from ready to replace a touch screen or mouse/keyboard. Still, it's an intriguing product and (sometimes) fun to use. </p>

<p>As the 2016-2017 school year kicks off, there are now 32,145 students at underserved public schools across the country who are learning, creating and exploring on iPad through Apple’s ConnectED commitment, the company says.</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>New data from <a href="http://www.sensortower.com">Sensor Tower</a>, a mobile app store marketing intelligence firm, predicts that the Apple App Store will be home to more than five million active apps by the end of 2020, more than double its current size.</p>

<p>Judges can’t rely on common sense alone when analyzing the validity of a patent, an appeals court has ruled in a loss for Apple and Alphabet’s Google, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-10/common-sense-alone-not-enough-in-patent-law-u-s-court-finds" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>

<p>Arun Jaitley, India’s finance minister has approved a proposal that clarifies how Apple could open stores in the country without initially having to source components locally, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-10/india-said-to-clarify-apple-s-path-to-opening-own-retail-stores" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg,</a> quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.”</p>

<p>In yesterday’s <a target="_blank" href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2016/8/9/patent-report-underwater-photography-vehicle-steering-system-curved-iphone" rel="noopener noreferrer">patent report</a>, I pointed out a weird Apple patent for “a steering device for an articulated vehicle.” </p>

<p>Security research firm Check Point revealed at the Black Hat USA 2016 summit that 900 million Android devices using Qualcomm chips suffer from a set of security vulnerabilities dubbed "QuadRooter." </p>

<p>The latest smartphone operating system data from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kantarworldpanel.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kantar Worldpanel ComTech </a>shows that iOS returned to growth in the US and EU5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom), accounting for 31.8% and 18.2% of smartphone sales, respectively, in the second quarter of 2016.</p>

<p>Apple’s MacBook shipments in the second quarter were up 30.3% versus the first quarter, placing the brand on the fifth spot of the half-year ranking, according to global research firm <a href="http://www.trendforce.com/">TrendForce</a>. This shipment surge was generated by the release of an upgraded 12-inch model of the latest MacBook. </p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.deviceatlas.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">DeviceAtlas</a>, a supplier of intelligence on mobile devices, has released its <em>Mobile Web Intelligence Report</em> for the second quarter of 2016. The report, which analyzes mobile device traffic to “hundreds of thousands of websites around the world,” claims that Apple is losing “browsing market share.”</p>

<p>There’s great potential for Apple’s HomeKit technology. A new survey from Coldwell Banker Real Estate and Parks Associates found that Americans are thinking differently about "move-in ready" homes; they now want it to be "smart ready" too.</p>

<p>Apple is preparing “the first significant overhaul” of its MacBook Pro laptop line in over four years, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-10/apple-said-to-plan-first-pro-laptop-overhaul-in-four-years" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.”</p>

<p>Apple has launched a “blistering attack” on three of Australia's big banks, saying their request to collectively negotiate over digital wallet access to the iPhone will compromise the handset's security, reduce innovation and blunt Apple's entry into the payments market in Australia, according to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.afr.com/technology/apple-says-australias-banks-pose-a-security-threat-to-iphones-20160809-gqogpr" rel="noopener noreferrer">Financial Review</a>.</p>

<p>Apple will pay shareholders of record a quarterly dividend of $0.57 per share, tomorrow; however, investors must have had settled ownership of the company's stock on Tuesday Aug. 8, in order to qualify, notes <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/08/09/apple-inc-gears-up-to-distribute-32-billion-in-dividends-to-shareholders-" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>.</p>