Dennis Sellers

<p class="">When watchOS 5 debuted it had a new feature called Walkie Talkie, which allowed you have a one-on-one conversation with anyone who has a compatible Apple Watch. Shades of Dick Tracy, it was cool. But, alas, it is no more.</p>

<p class="">Since Steve and I can’t cover everything, we’ll frequently offer a wrap-up of news items you should check out. Apple CEO Tim Cook has donated more than $5 million in Apple stock to an unnamed charity, according to <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/000032019320000064/xslF345X03/wf-form4_159830825188983.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">an SEC filing</a>.</p>

<p class="">The COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact the global mobile phone industry, as worldwide sales of smartphones to end users totaled 295 million units, a decline of 20.4% in the second quarter of 2020, according to <a href="http://www.gartner.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gartner, Inc</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple has updated iMovie for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. They’re available at the Apple App Store for iOS and iPadOS and the Mac App Store for macOS.</p>

<p class="">Apple has updated Final Cut Pro X with new features designed to enhance remote workflows and speed up editing for content creators.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,756,788) for a “relay dock and base station with position information based directional wave forming.” It involves a dock/base station that would work with the rumored “Apple Glasses,” a head-mounted augmented reality system.</p>

<p class="">Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,752,082) for a climate control system for an automobile.</p>

<p class="">Next month Apple will launch an online store in India, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-25/apple-plans-to-start-selling-online-in-india-next-month?sref=MRDu5QV3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg,</a> quoting an “unnamed person with knowledge of the matter.”</p>

<p class="">If you have a laptop, you might consider a privacy screen, as they have several advantages. <a href="https://www.kensington.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kensington</a> has announced the new UltraThin Magnetic Privacy Screens for the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. I’m using one on my 16-inch MacBook Pro and highly recommend all laptop owners consider doing the same.</p>

<p class="">Third quarter sales of Mac laptops — including MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lineups — have increased over 20% from a year earlier, with shipments of related products to Japan and Asia Pacific hitting a record high, according to <a href="https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20200825PD202.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DigiTimes</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple has acquired Spaces, a VR startup that begin as a DreamWorks animation project, reports <a href="https://www.protocol.com/apple-vr-ar-spaces-acquisition" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Protocol</a>. The company describes its services as “a Bridget between a VR world and Zoom, Skype, Hangouts, and more.</p>

<p class="">Since Steve and I can’t cover everything, we’ll frequently offer a wrap-up of news items you should check out. First up: Billie Eilish, Orville Peck, Megan Thee Stallion, and Anderson Paak are among the artists featured in an Apple Music ad titled “Worldwide” on Apple’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua4fddYQRtU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube channel</a>. It reflects Apple Music's availability in 165 countries.</p>

<p class="">The global smartwatch market posted a healthy 20% revenue growth in the first half of 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic and shipments remaining flat compared to the same period last year, according to the latest research from <a href="http://www.counterpoint.com"><span style="text-decoration:underline">Counterpoint Research</span></a>. Apple continued to dominate the smartwatch market both in volume and value.</p>

<p class="">Actress Kiera Knightly — famous for the first three <em>Pirates of the Caribbean</em> movies, <em>The Imitation Game</em>, <em>Sense and Sensibility, Atonement</em>, and more — will start in an adaptation of the period novel "The Essex Serpent" written by Sarah Perry for Apple TV+, reports <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/08/the-essex-serpent-keira-knightley-apple-tv-1203020154/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deadline</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple told <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/apple-iphone-se-is-being-made-in-india-why-it-may-be-good-news-for-you/articleshow/77717371.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Times of India</a> that the iPhone SE is being assembled in India. In a statement the tech giant said: “iPhone SE packs our most powerful chip into our most popular chip into our most popular size at our most affordable price, and we’re excited to be making it in India for our local customers.”</p>