Dennis Sellers

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I’m dubious, but fewer than 10% of the Apple device owners eligible to get the company’s Apple TV+ streaming service have taken advantage of the one-year-free offer, according to one analyst -- as noted by <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/02/of-apple-customers-eligible-for-apple-tv-fewer-than-10-have-signed-up-analyst-1202850235/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deadline</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has introduced special coverage of the <a href="https://apple.news/AQF3EspoWTC2V-lxKovY7tg/">2020 US presidential election</a>, curated by Apple News and featuring, per the company, “reliable news, information and data throughout the election from dozens of trusted news sources.” </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The worldwide tablet market declined 0.6% year-over-year during the fourth quarter of 2019 (4Q19) as global shipments fell to 43.5 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) <a href="http://www.idc.com/tracker/showproductinfo.jsp?prod_id=81" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker</a>. For the full year 2019, the tablet market shrank 1.5% year over year as global shipments totaled 144 million units.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">With the second version of the <a href="https://www.elgato.com/en/eve/eve-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eve Energy</a> device, you can switch your Eve devices on or off using Siri, Apple's "personal digital assistant.” At $39.99, the new version is $10 bucks cheaper than the original. A redesign at a lower price is a pretty sweet deal.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent for “displays with multiple scanning mode” that offers yet more hints of the rumored “Apple Glasses,” the company's anticipated augmented reality (AR) head-mounted display (HMD).</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In a note to clients — as noted by <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors </a>-- Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has lowered his iPhone shipment forecast by 10% to 36-40 million units in the first quarter of 2020, noting that the Coronavirus outbreak is affecting the iPhone supply in China. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Jen Tullock (<em>Before You Know It, Partners</em>) and Zach Cherry (<em>You, Crashing)</em> are set for lead roles alongside Patricia Arquette, Adam Scott and Britt Lower in<em> </em>Severance<em>,</em> Apple’s new workplace thriller drama directed by and executive produced by Ben Stiller, reports <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/01/severance-jen-tullock-zach-cherry-apple-drama-series-1202847861/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deadline</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has temporarily shut down all its retail stores in mainland China through Feb. 9 due to the Coronavirus, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/01/apple-temporarily-shuts-all-stores-and-offices-in-mainland-china.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNBC</a>. It’s online store will remain open.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">As noted by <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors</a>, Apple is now offering an onsite repair option for customers in certain cities who need issues with their Apple devices addressed but aren't able to visit a repair shop or Apple Store. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">An Apple patent filing (number 2020034037) for a “device, method, and graphical user interface for simulating and interacting with handwritten text” suggests that Apple Pencil support could be coming to the iPhone. It also hints at improved handwriting recognition on the iPad, as well.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">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 this week’s picks.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/ewdl0s/new_tvos_ariel_screensavers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">As noted on Reddit</a>, Apple has released new underwater screensavers for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">HYLA Mobile, a provider of software technology and services for mobile device returns management and reuse solutions, has announced results from its analysis of the mobile device trade-in market for 2019. The report reveals that $2.378 billion was returned to U.S. consumers last year via mobile device trade-in programs—an increase of 4.7% from 2018. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200033560) that suggests the rumored "Apple Glasses” — an augmented reality (AR) head-mounted display (HMD) — could offer optional supplemental lens for those with vision problems.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple continues its spending spree to beef up content for its Apple TV+ streaming service. <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/01/cecily-strong-star-apple-series-musical-comedy-1202846820/"><span style="text-decoration:underline">Deadline</span></a> reports that the company is in final negotiations on a series order for a musical comedy project starring<em> Saturday Night Live</em>‘s Cecily Strong, from Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video, <em>Despicable Me</em> duo Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, and Universal TV.</p>