Dennis Sellers

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Skyrocketing popularity of streaming services and wireless earbuds along with 5G connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled devices will drive revenue growth for the U.S. consumer tech industry to a record $422 billion in retail revenues in 2020 – nearly 4% growth over last year, according to a new Consumer Technology Association (CTA) <a href="http://www.cta.tech/"><span style="text-decoration:underline">report</span></a>.</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;">Roughly one-in-five U.S. adults (21%) say they regularly wear a smart watch or wearable fitness tracker, according to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/01/09/about-one-in-five-americans-use-a-smart-watch-or-fitness-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pew Research Center survey</a> conducted June 3-17, 2019.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple is accepting donations from users that will be used to help with the bushfires raging in Australia. The tech giant has updated its <a href="https://www.apple.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S.</a> and <a href="https://www.apple.com/au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Australian</a> websites with an option to donate money to help with the bushfire relief efforts in Australia. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Another day, another lawsuit. Apple poached key employees from medical device maker Masimo Corp. and swiped some of the company's trade secrets and patent-protected technology for use in the Apple Watch series of products, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in California federal court, reports <a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1233069/apple-hit-with-ip-suit-over-watch-s-health-data-tracking-tech?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law360</a> (a subscription is required to read the entire article).</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The next version of the Apple Pencil may add new haptic features based on a newly granted patent (number 2020012358) for a “touch-based input for stylus.”</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In a new report <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.strategyanalytics.com%2Fstrategy-analytics%2Fhome&esheet=52156113&newsitemid=20200109005546&lan=en-US&anchor=Strategy+Analytics&index=1&md5=79b4928797fedfa55f2339be22e69188" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strategy Analytics</a> forecasts Apple AirPods sales of nearly 60 million in 2019. As a category, Totally Wireless (TWS) Bluetooth headset sales grew by 200% in 2019. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for another patent (number 20190004604) for an “Apple Glove,” a “finger-mounted device with sensors and haptics” It could be used with an augmented reality headset (such as the rumored “Apple Glasses” or a future Mac with a display that could detect and respond to hand gestures.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200012331) for “techniques for adjusting computer device sleep states using onboard sensors and learned user behaviors.” Among other things, it would make your Mac "smart" enough to know when you approach it with your iPhone or Apple Watch in hand (or on arm, as the case may be).</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple ’s December smartphone shipments in China jumped due to the popularity of the iPhone 11, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-09/iphone-dials-up-double-digit-growth-in-china-official-data-show?srnd=technology-vp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple CEO Tim Cook will receive an award in Dublin on Jan. 20 for 40 years of Apple’s investment in Ireland, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-09/apple-s-tim-cook-to-meet-irish-prime-minister-in-dublin" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">At this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, <a href="http://www.scosche.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SCOSCHE </a>announced a new range of telescoping phone mounts for home, office and vehicle use.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Zagg plans to launch Mophie-branded wireless charger this year that will accomplish what Apple's canceled AirPower product (pictured) wasn’t able to achieve, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-07/zagg-develops-wireless-charger-to-rival-apple-s-doomed-airpower" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple is starting off the new year with <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/01/share-your-best-iphone-night-mode-photos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a new Night Mode photo challenge</a>. Users are invited to share their impressive Night mode images captured with iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple says it's marked the close of a historic 2019 for its Services offerings, a year that introduced Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Card, and celebrated the continued success of the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud and more.</p>