Dennis Sellers

<p class="">France will tax big digital businesses such as Apple this year whether there’s progress or not towards an international deal on a levy, according to Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, adding such a tax has “never been more legitimate or more necessary,” reports <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-digital-tax/france-to-go-ahead-with-digital-tax-this-year-regardless-of-possible-international-deal-idUSKBN22Q25B" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a>.</p>

<p class="">FORTUNE has announced the 66th <a href="https://fortune.com/fortune500/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FORTUNE 500,</a> its annual list of the largest corporations in the U.S., ranked by revenue for the 2019 fiscal year. Apple places fourth on the list compared to third place last year.</p>

<p class="">UBTECH Education has announced Camp:ASPIRE, At-home Summer Programs in Robotics & Engineering, designed to immerse children in hands-on STEM learning activities, design challenges, and creative fun with robots.</p>

<p class="">Apple says it <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-17/apple-says-nearly-100-stores-globally-have-reopened-their-doors?srnd=premium" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">plans to reopen several North American stores this week</a> that had been shut due to the pandemic, including more than 25 across the U.S. and 12 in Canada.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (20200152165) for “acoustic filler including acoustically active beads and expandable filler" that hints at even better speakers on iPhones, iPads, and Macs.</p>

<p class="">Another day, another lawsuit. Ubisoft Entertainment has sued Apple and Google, accusing the companies of selling a ripoff of its popular video game “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege,” reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-16/ubisoft-sues-apple-google-over-alibaba-s-rainbow-six-ripoff" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>

<p class="">With PRMac — which has been in the press release creation/distribution business since 1999 — shutting down April 30, Steve Sande and Yours Truly of <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple World Today</a> are launching PRApple.Media to fill the void.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,649636) for “systems and methods for enabling low-vision users to interact with a touch-sensitive secondary display such as the Touch Bar on some Mac laptops.</p>

<p class="">On a regular basis, <em>Apple World Today </em>posts a list of notable new apps or app updates that have been released. They may not necessarily be new, but they're popular and deserve mention. Here are this week’s picks.</p>

<p class="">According to <a href="https://www.law360.com/articles/1274063" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law360</a>, U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila has preliminarily approved Apple's US$500 million deal to end multi-district litigation accusing the company of releasing updates that slowed down the performance of certain iPhones, but extended the final approval deadlines in light of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p class="">KO_OP's <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/winding-worlds/id1435217827" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Winding Worlds</a> is this week's addition to Apple Arcade, Apple’s US$4.99/month or $49.99/year game streaming service. It's available for the the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and, yes, Mac.</p>

<p class="">Apple chip manufacturer TSMC has announced its intention to build and operate an advanced semiconductor fab in the U.S. with the mutual understanding and commitment to support from the U.S. federal government and the State of Arizona.</p>

<p class="">On Thursday in a note to clients, analyst and reliable Apple prophet, Mind-Chi Kuo, said the long-rumored Apple Glasses won’t arrive until at least 2022. However, equally reliable tweeter Jon Prosser <a href="https://twitter.com/jon_prosser?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1261265338727006208&ref_url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/05/15/sleek-apple-glasses-predicted-to-arrive-in-2021-in-conflicting-leak" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">has tweeted </a>that the augmented reality (AR) headset will arrive March-June 2021.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,646,117) for "detecting activity by a wheelchair user.” It involves use of the Apple Watch for measuring the fitness and exercise activities of such users</p>

<p class="">Apple may have abandoned (for now) its plans for an <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2019/3/29/goodbye-airpower-we-hardly-knew-you-well-actually-we-didnt-know-you?rq=AirPower" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AirPower </a>charging system, but the company is still investigating wireless charging system and has applied for a patent (number 20200153278) for a “transmitter in an inductive power transfer system.”</p>