Dennis Sellers

<p class=""><a href="https://www.zagg.com/en_us/zagg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ZAGG</a> has announced the Slim Book Go and Rugged Book Go for the newly launched Apple 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The keyboard solutions feature a protective, lightweight design that boasts backlit, and laptop-style keys.</p>

<p class="">As Americans brace for spending weeks (or months) inside as the coronavirus pandemic spreads, they’re subscribing to additional streaming services, with Disney+ proving to be far and away the most popular choice — and Apple TV+ less so, reports <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielshapiro/2020/03/23/exclusive-disney-sees-huge-subscription-spike-as-homebound-audiences-clamor-for-content/#66b32f0617c4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Forbes</a>.</p>

<p class="">Volunteers from Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Apple and other tech companies worked every night for a week to make a website called covidnearyou, reports <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/23/coronavirus-tracking-site-built-by-amazon-apple-google-volunteers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNBC</a>. The site asks healthy and sick people to share their symptoms.</p>

<p class="">The coronavirus outbreak is expected to lead to a huge reduction in the production of smartphones, potentially falling by as much as 30% in the first half of 2020, according to <a href="http://www.abiresearch.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABI Research</a>.</p>

<p class="">First it was the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, then the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Apple may have even more plans for its “power users" as evidenced by a patent filing (number 10,602,636) for a “sled, tray, and shelf for a computer data center.</p>

<p class="">Future Apple Watches could have an auxiliary battery pack in a watchband, per a newly granted Apple patent (number 10,599,181).</p>

<p class="">Per <a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1255884/ireland-can-t-use-disputed-apple-tax-for-covid-19-pm-says-?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: Ireland's response to the coronavirus crisis can't use the €14 billion (approximately $15 billion) that the country was ordered to collect from Apple after a state aid investigation, Ireland's prime minister said Monday, rebutting comments from an opposition leader.</p>

<p class="">Apple is <a href="https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=03232020b" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">telling developers </a>that the macOS version of your app can now be included in a universal purchase.</p>

<p class="">Apple’s App Store is expanding to 20 new countries in the near future, the tech giant has <a href="https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=03232020a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">informed developers</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple’s request for its Apple Watches to be excluded from tariffs on Chinese imports was approved by the U.S. Trade Representative, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-23/apple-s-watches-excluded-from-u-s-s-tariffs-on-china-imports?utm_source=twitter&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>

<p class="">Two reports from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OFx6eMXe2c&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube channel iUpdate</a> and <a href="https://theverifier.co.il/45948/exclusive-apple-tvos-14-kids-mode-screen-time-appletvplus-for-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Verifier</a>, an Israeli site, claim a new version of Apple TV (the set-top box, not to be confused with the Apple TV app or Apple TV+, the streaming service) will come with more storage and, on the software side, a "Kids Mode."</p>

<p class="">China's smartphone production dipped under 70% for the first time in 2019, according to <a href="https://www.counterpointresearch.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Counterpoint Research</a>.</p>

<p class="">Many people now confined to their homes, consumers might be looking for new gadgets to help occupy their time, so "it’s not a very bad time for the new iPad Pro to be released to the market,” Ethan Qi, senior analyst at Counterpoint Research., tells <a href="http://www.abacusnews.com/">Abacus News</a>.</p>

<p class="">Yikes! It seems that Apple has quietly increased the prices of build-to-order <a href="https://9to5mac.com/guides/mac/">Mac</a> models in several countries.</p>

<p class="">Through April 3, Apple is offering a 10% bonus for <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208687" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">adding funds to your Apple ID account</a> in the U.S., Canada, and certain other countries.</p>