Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Apple not only wants your iPhone to be a phone, camera, camcorder, voice recorder, and mini-computer, it also wants it to be the place where you can securely store your personal data and make it available for others when needed. A newly filed patent application (number 202000320188) shows that the tech giant wants to allow you to even store your driver’s license on the smartphone.</p>

<p class="">I’m still dubious that we’ll ever see a foldable iPhone, but Apple has applied for another patent (number 20200323089) for “flexible display devices.” The patent could also apply to iPads, as well as iPhones.</p>

<p class="">A <a href="http://www.macvoices.com/macvoices-20229-apples-responsibilities-to-competitors-with-the-daily-observations-crew/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new episode of MacVoices</a> sees Bryan Chaffin, Kelly Guimont, and John Martellaro join host Chuck Joiner to discuss — in the first part of a two-part series — on Apple’s relationship to its competitors.</p>

<p class="">Nexx has released the US$129.99 <a href="https://getnexx.com/products/nexx-smart-alarm-nxal100" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nexx Smart Alarm</a> that transforms any home/office alarm system into a smart alarm system. It works with any Siri-, Alexa-, and Google-enabled device.</p>

<p class="">According to <a href="https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/apple-tv-plus-mpa-anti-piracy-group-1234795467/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Variety</a>, Apple is joining the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, an entertainment industry group that seeks to crack down on piracy. The article says the move “represents a strengthening bond between the tech giant and the major studios, and draws the company deeply into industry efforts to check the flow of pirated content.”</p>

<p class="">Global online music streaming revenues declined 2% quarter-over-quarter but grew 13% year-over-year in quarter two of 2020 at US$6.7 billion, according to the latest Counterpoint Research findings. Apple Music saw its paid subscriptions grow 21%.</p>

<p class="">Apple has ordered a 12-part series dubbed Earthsound from British production company Offspring Films for its Apple TV+ streaming service, reports <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/10/apple-tv-natural-history-docu-series-earthsound-offspring-films-1234592735/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deadline</a>. The article says the half-hour series uses “audio technology and cinematic 360 sound design to reveal the unexpected, unfamiliar and untold natural stories on every continent of the planet.”</p>

<p class="">Smart home appliance manufacturer Proscenic has announced the availability of its <a href="https://www.proscenic.com/m7pro-robot-vacuum-cleaner-p0024.html">M7 Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner</a> with simultaneous mopping capability and 4.0 laser navigation. It works in tandem with an iOS app.</p>

<p class="">5G smartphone sales accounted for 14% of total US sales in August, up from just 3% in January 2020, according to Counterpoint's latest North America Channel Share Tracker research. And sales will likely spike even higher in quarter four when Apple launches its latest iPhone 12 line-up with 5G, adds the research group.</p>

<p class="">Apple ranks as the #1 most intimate brand during COVID, according to MBLM's <a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2942717-1&h=4009671682&u=http%3A%2F%2Fcontent.mblm.com%2Fbis-covid-study-subscribe&a=Brand+Intimacy+COVID+Study" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brand Intimacy COVID Study</a>, a study of brands based on emotional connections during the pandemic.</p>

<p class="">The Health Records feature within the Health app is now available for users in the UK and Canada to securely view and store their medical records on their iPhone. Oxford University Hospitals and Women’s College Hospital are among the first healthcare institutions in the UK and Canada to make this feature available to their patients.</p>

<p class="">The legal brouhaha between Apple and Epic Games <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/10/07/apple-vs-epic-fortnite-trial-is-starting-on-may-3-2021?source=content_type:react%7Cfirst_level_url:news%7Csection:main_content%7Cbutton:body_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">will go before a judge</a> on May 3, 2021, earlier than the anticipated July date.</p>

<p class="">India’s government has announced that Apple and Samsung’s manufacturing partners Foxconn, Winston, and Pegatron have won a five-year approval to gain benefits from this scheme, reports <a href="https://thenextweb.com/plugged/2020/10/07/india-courts-iphone-and-samsung-makers-with-a-juicy-5-year-manufacturing-subsidy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TNW.</a> Under the <a href="https://meity.gov.in/esdm/pli" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI)</a>, phone-makers will get 4-6% benefit on devices that are worth ₹15,000 (about US$205) or above.</p>

<p class="">Another day, another lawsuit — and “Batterygate” lives on! As noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/10/07/new-class-action-suit-resurrects-iphone-throttling-controversy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider,</a> a new class action lawsuit filed in California targets an iOS battery management tool that allegedly hindered the performance of certain iPhone 6, iPhone 7, and iPhone SE series devices.</p>

<p class="">Apple leaker l0vetodream <a href="https://twitter.com/L0vetodream/status/1313678039360831494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1313678039360831494%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/10/07/leaker-claims-homepod-mini-is-coming-homepod-2-is-not" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tweets</a> that a smaller, less expensive HomePod (HomePod mini?) will arrive this year, but no second generation of the “regular sized” speaker.</p>