Dennis Sellers

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has announced a new benefit to help smooth the transition back to work for new parents, reports<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90426396/apple-announces-policy-intended-to-ease-transition-back-to-work-for-new-parents" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Fast Company</a>. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has made the first public betas of iOS 13.3 and iPadOS 13.3 available. The public betas are available on <a href="https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple's Beta Software Program website</a>. Just remember that beta software, so proceed with care.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The 2019 <a href="https://www.fcpxcreativesummit.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Final Cut Pro Creative Summit</a> kicks off tomorrow, so I’m predicting the modular Mac Pro and Apple Pro Display XDR will be available — or at least dates on their availability announced. Also, if the same info isn’t released regarding the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro, then I think we can safely say that it won’t arrive until spring 2020.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have announced that veterans across the nation and surrounding territories now have access to the Health Records feature in the Health app on the iPhone. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Former Apple exec, Scott Noteboom, has joined data center specialist, <a href="https://www.submer.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Submer Technologies</a>, as chief technology officer (CTO).</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Fibank (First Investment Bank), in cooperation with Mastercard, has launched the Apple Pay service. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Analysis of the U.S. market indicates that Apple’s shows for its Apple TV+ generated fairly modest levels of demand immediately post-release based on data from <a href="https://www.parrotanalytics.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Parrot Analytics </a>— as noted by <a href="https://www.variety.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Variety</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple and TikTok skipped a Senate hearing on Big Tech and China — and some lawmakers are NOT happy about the absences, reports <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-and-tiktok-had-empty-seats-at-the-senate-hearing-2019-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Business Insider</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Kanex’s $99.95 <a href="https://www.kanex.com/usbc-ipad-docking-station" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">6-in-1 Multiport USB-C Docking Station</a> promises to let you “easily turn your iPad Pro into a portable workstation.” I still find my Apple tablet too limited to replace my Mac laptop as my portable working device (though “true” mouse support would help), but this device does make it more laptop-like.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple thinks it would be cool if you owned multiple Apple Watches. So the tech giant is looking into ways to “track activity data between wearable devices paired with a companion” as evidenced by a new patent filing (number 20,469,647).</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">With iOS 13 (as well as 11 and 12), you can implement a Low Power Mode, which saves battery power when your iPhone’s juice is running low. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In a note to clients — as noticed by <a href="https://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors</a> — analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple will sell at least 20 million “iPhone SE 2” units in 2020. He thinks the lower-cost smartphone will debut in the first half of the year and potentially sell 30 million units.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Future iPad cases from Apple could sport some drastically different designs if those that appear in a new patent filing ever come fruition. The filing (number 10,466,749) is for a “peripheral housing for a computing device.”</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">CIRP analysis indicates 35% of U.S. iPhone buyers have a smartwatch, compared to only 16% of U.S. Android buyers Among iPhone buyers, 19% have an Apple Watch, while 10% own a Fitbit. Among Android buyers, 4% own a Samsung watch, while 5% own a Fitbit.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple, eBay, Samsung, and Sprint have announced a joint agreement to purchase power from a new wind farm owned and developed by <a href="https://apexcleanenergy.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apex Clean Energy</a>. The transaction—spearheaded by Apple, the largest purchaser in the innovative small-load energy aggregation space—totals approximately 75 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power the equivalent of 20,000 homes.</p>