Dennis Sellers

<p class="">For months there’s been speculation about whether Apple will release its 2020 iPhones on schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic. (The Sellers Research Group — that's me — says it will.)</p>

<p class="">Apple plans an iPad-like design for its next iPhone and is also planning a smaller HomePod, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-13/apple-plans-ipad-like-design-for-next-iphone-smaller-homepod" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>. The article says that the tech giant will see 5G added to as many as four new smartphones.</p>

<p class="">December 10, 2013: Keith Fitz-Gerald, a market analyst with Money Map Press, predicted that Apple and Microsoft could merge in the next 5-10 years. It, of course, didn't happen. And at the time, I asked, "What's in it for Apple?</p>

<p class="">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200110505) for “multiple controllers for a capacitive sensing device” that, like some previous patents, shows the company is at least investigating touchscreens for Macs.</p>

<p class="">Apple has registered the domain name AppleCoronavirus.com, according to a <a href="https://whois.domaintools.com/applecoronavirus.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WHOIS record</a> discovered by <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2020/04/12/apple-registers-applecoronavirus-com-domain-name/"><span style="text-decoration:underline">MacRumors</span></a>. The new record indicates that Apple took possession of the domain name on Friday.</p>

<p class="">According to <a href="http://www.canalys.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Canalys</a>, the demand for personal computers soared in the first quarter of 2020, drive by remote working and learning requirements from strict lockdown procedures around the world. The bad news: the pandemic also caused severe delays in production and logistical issues, leading to global personal computer shipments falling 8% year-on-year.</p>

<p class="">As noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/04/10/apple-challenges-voip-pals-latest-patent-suit-claims-asserted-ip-is-invalid" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider,</a> Apple countered a renewed legal challenge from VoIP-Pal, saying it doesn’t infringe on the patent-in-suit and attests the property's claim are invalid.</p>

<p class="">Now through June 30, Apple is expanding the ways you get 3% at Walgreens. It invoives the company’s titanium credit care.</p>

<p class="">Apple has <a href="https://register.apple.com/covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">launched an online portal</a> that will display COVID-19 testing locations listed by healthcare providers, labs, or other businesses. They can contribute info about locations, they’ll be validated by Apple, and may be viewable by people using Apple services such as Apple Maps.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,610,157) for a “wearable electronic device with electrodes for sensing biological parameters.” It hints at Apple Watches and watchOS updates that offer even more health and fitness features.</p>

<p class="">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="">Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (<a href="http://www.cirpllc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CIRP</a>) has released analysis of the results from its research on mobile phone companies for the calendar quarter that ended March 31, 2020. CIRP finds that Apple's iOS and Google Android have a stable duopoly in the U.S. operating system market.</p>

<p class="">Apple launches <a href="https://www.apple.com/today/feature/today-at-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Today at Apple (at Home</a>), a series of online tutorials and classes designed to take the place of the Today at Apple sessions until the company's retail stores reopen. Today at Apple is a series of teaching sessions, interactive experiences, and demonstrations lead by the company’s “Creative Pros.”</p>

<p class="">Apple and Google have announced a joint effort to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of COVID-19. Across the world, governments and health authorities are working together to find solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect people and get society back up and running.</p>

<p class="">According to <a href="https://twitter.com/jon_prosser/status/1241840738712895494" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTuber and leaker Jon Prosser</a>, Apple’s AirPower may return from the dead. “May” being, of course, the key word here.)</p>