Dennis Sellers

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has announced “Dear…,” a new documentary series executive produced by Emmy and Peabody Award winner R.J. Cutler (“The September Issue,” “Untitled Billie Eilish Documentary”). The series will premiere globally this spring on Apple TV+, a new home for the world’s most creative storytellers.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus (<em>Veep, Seinfeld</em>) has reportedly inked an overall deal with Apple TV+ to develop new projects exclusively for the platform as executive producer and star though no initial project has been announced.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/privacy-advocates-say-fbi-not-apple-undermining-public-safety-2020-1?r=US&IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Business Insider</a> says privacy advocates are backing Apple in its brouhaha with the FBI.The iPhone maker appears to be headed toward a legal battle with the Trump administration over its refusal to create a so-called "backdoor" that would let the FBI crack encryption on devices like the iPhone.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In the latest round of an ongoing legal battle, Cornell-educated engineer testified for the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) on Thursday that Apple and Broadcom infringed the university's patents in Wi-Fi chips used in Apple devices, reports <a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1235258/apple-devices-smaller-better-by-infringing-caltech-jury-told?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). They said the infringing technology allowed the companies to make smaller devices while improving their wireless data capabilities.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Today Tile, which makes a Bluetooth tracker and app combo (pictured), will testify against Apple in the latest hearing of the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple wants to make its AirPods and AirPods Pro fit even better and stay in place even more securely as evidenced by a new patent filing (number 2020021903) for an “earbud stability anchor feature.”</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Hey, why didn't Apple think of this? <a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmojo.vision%2F&esheet=52159504&newsitemid=20200116005221&lan=en-US&anchor=Mojo+Vision&index=1&md5=02fd795f3d11fa645d7ee446d919ad77">Mojo Vision</a> says it's building the world’s first true smart contact lens, called the Mojo Lens. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><em>The Banker</em> will finally arrive in March. Apple told Variety that it did its due diligence around the accusations and has announced theatrical and Apple TV+ release dates, reports <a href="https://variety.com/2020/film/news/the-banker-release-apple-1203469575/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Variety. </a>Originally scheduled for January, the film was delayed after someone came forward with accusations of abuse at the hands of an executive producer of the film.  </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 10200022192) for “in-vehicle wireless communication" that hints at future features of CarPlay and how it interacts with an iPhone or Apple Watch.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple and Broadcom infringed several California Institute of Technology (Caltech) patents with Wi-Fi chips installed in roughly 1.5 billion iPhone, iPad, and MacBook devices sold over the last decade, the university's attorney told a California federal jury as the trial got underway Wednesday, reports <a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1234429/1-5b-apple-devices-infringed-caltech-patents-jury-told?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology&read_more=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law360 </a>(a subscription is required to read the entire article).</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200019367) that shows the company is at least considering Mac laptops with touchscreens despite its constant denial that it plans such a device. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><em>Central Park</em>, a new animated Apple TV+ series will be showcased during the nine-day South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas from March 13-22, according to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sxsw-2020-judd-apatow-returns-king-staten-island-apple-tv-debuts-central-park-1269968" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Another day, another lawsuit. Apple and Servant director/executive producer M. Night Shyamalan have been hit with a lawsuit over claims that the Apple TV+ series <em>Servant </em>is a facsimile of Francesca Gergorini's 2013 film <em>The Truth About Emanuel,</em> <a href="https://www.cbr.com/servant-shyamalan-apple-copyright-infringement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reports CBR</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has scooped up Xnor.ai, a Seattle startup specializing in low-power, edge-based artificial intelligence (AI) tools for $200 million, reports <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2020/exclusive-apple-acquires-xnor-ai-edge-ai-spin-paul-allens-ai2-price-200m-range/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GeekWire</a>. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has hired Lisa Ellman, a specialist in drone and aviation law and a partner at Hogen Lovells, as a Washington lobbyist, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-15/apple-taps-drone-specialist-to-lobby-washington-on-aviation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>