Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Google has announced that the Exposure Notifications System (ENS) it developed with Apple has been updated. Since the ENS API [application programming interface] released in May, its developers have with “dozens” of public health authorities to understand how the API could be improved to help them better manage the COVID-19 pandemic while preserving privacy.</p>

<p class="">Grindstone Mountain is this week's addition to <a href="https://www.apple.com/apple-arcade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Arcade</a>, Apple’s US$4.99/month or $49.99/year game streaming service that has over 120 games,. It's available for the the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.</p>

<p class="">Health Canada has released a new COVID-19 contact tracing app called COVID Alert based on work by Apple and Google, reports <a href="https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/app-store/canada-covid-alert-app-download/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iPhone in Canada</a>. It’s available for free at the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/covid-alert/id1520284227" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">App Store</a>.</p>

<p class="">The smartphone market in Mainland China posted 25% quarter-on-quarter growth <a href="https://canalys.com/cosi/campaign/body/%20Urlhttps:/www.canalys.com/newsroom/China-smartphone-market-Q2-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">to reach over 90 million sell-in units in quarter two of 2020</a>, despite the market contracting 7% compared to the second quarter of 2019, according to the Canalys research group.</p>

<p class="">Apple has debuted a new gift card that can be used with products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud, and more. Previously, there were several cards for Apple Store hardware, the App Store, and iTunes (naturally, you can still use any such cards).</p>

<p class="">First up, let me just say that this review of the <a href="https://www.greenworkstools.com/coming-in-fall-2019-cuts-more-grass-than-your-current-mower-pro-60v-21-in-cordless-self-propelled-mower-with-5-0-ah-battery-and-charger" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Greenworks Pro 21</a> has nothing to do with Apple products or services — or any related third party products or services. However, with many folks working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with growing concern about protecting our environment, it seems timely.</p>

<p class="">The Apple Watch Series 6 — which should arrive in September or October — will add blood oxygen monitoring to its features, according to a new report from <a href="https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20200731PD208.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DigiTimes</a>.</p>

<p class="">iOS 13 introduces Voce Control, a feature that allows you to control your iPhone without touching it.</p>

<p class="">For its fiscal 2020 third quarter that ended June 27, Apple saw growth across all of its hardware, software, and services lines. In fact, the company grew revenue in every product category and in each geographic segment.</p>

<p class="">Future Apple Watches and iPhones could have limited self-cleaning features according to two newly granted Apple patents.</p>

<p class="">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200241629) for “manipulation of virtual objects using a tracked physical object.” It involves the rumored “Apple Glasses” and would allow users to move a physical object to manipulate an onscreen augmented reality/virtual reality/mixed reality (AR/VR/MR) image.</p>

<p class="">Another day, another antitrust complaint. The developers of the encrypted messenger app, Telegram (pictured), told the European Union Commission that it isn’t fair that iOS users can only download software from Apple, reports The <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/88589fc5-8410-4274-859c-d27b3d83fe20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Financial Times</a>.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1296014/apple-wants-700m-virnetx-retrial-pushed-back-due-to-virus?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law360 reports</a> that Apple has urged a Texas federal court to delay its upcoming US$700 million retrial with VirnetX, saying infection rates in the areas surrounding the courthouse are so high that it's "a virtual certainty that someone with COVID-19 will be at the trial," according to a motion unsealed Wednesday.</p>

<p class=""><a href="http://www.endo.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Endo International</a>, a specialty branded and generics pharmaceutical company, has announced that its board of directors has appointed Christie Smith, Ph.D. to serve as a non-executive director, effective July 29. Most recently, she served as the global vice president for Inclusion and Diversity at Apple.</p>