Dennis Sellers

<p class="">The <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-53083340" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BBC News</a> reports that a former Apple exec, Simon Thompson, is helping with the rollout of the UK NHS COVID-19 contact tracing app.</p>

<p class="">South Korea's antitrust regulator, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), will allow Apple Korea to map out a set of measures to address its anti-competitive business practices, a move that could end a dispute over its alleged violation of competition law, reports the <a href="http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200618000783" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Korea Herald</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted another patent (number 20200192423) for “smart bands” for the Apple Watch. This one is dubbed “wearable bands with embedded circuitry.”</p>

<p class="">The <a href="http://www.macvoices.com/macvoices-20157-macvoices-live-virtual-conferences-in-person-conferences-and-wwdc-1/"><span style="text-decoration:underline">new edition of MacVoices Live</span></a>, recorded as we get ready for the online version of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), features a discussion of how virtual conferences compare to the in-person variety.</p>

<p class="">Apple has <a href="https://www.apple.com/today/camp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">posted info </a>for this summer's free Apple Camp for kids ages eight to 12. It’s a three-day program normally held at your local Apple retail store. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s being held online for the first time.</p>

<p class="">Tenet Partners, a brand innovation firm, has released its 2020 Top 100 Most Powerful Brands report, which ranks the strongest brands across 50 industries, including tech, food, retail, automotive and financial services</p>

<p class="">Worldwide smartwatch shipments reached 14.3 million units in quarter one of 2020, up 12% year on year, despite COVID-19, according to <a href="http://www.canalys.com/"><span style="text-decoration:underline">Canalys</span></a>. And hough Apple’s shipments fell 13%, its smartwatch platform remains the world’s largest and is growing steadily, adds the research group.</p>

<p class="">Cool Holdings, Inc. — the parent company of Simply Mac, the largest Apple Premier Partner in the U.S. — has reopened two more of its Simply Mac stores that had been closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>

<p class="">Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai signaled they’re open to testifying to Congress as part of lawmakers’ ongoing antitrust probe into the tech industry, while Apple hasn’t yet “explicitly agreed” to send CEO Tim Cook, reports <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/06/16/apple-facebook-google-antitrust/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Washington Post</a>. (However, the Sellers Research Group —that’s me— says he will cooperate.)</p>

<p class="">The latest ruling in the ongoing Apple versus WiLAN legal battle sees Apple subject to a judgement including interest of US$109 million — “and it may still increase further,” notes <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/06/17/apple-on-the-hook-for-109-million-to-patent-aggregator-wilan" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>.</p>

<p class="">Christie Smith is stepping down as Apple’s vice president of diversity and inclusion, as noted by her <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christie-smith-a83a1210/?src=aff-lilpar&veh=aff_src.aff-lilpar_c.partners_pkw.10078_plc.Skimbit%20Ltd._pcrid.449670_learning&trk=aff_src.aff-lilpar_c.partners_pkw.10078_plc.Skimbit%20Ltd._pcrid.449670_learning&clickid=SiF3qDT2ixyOUNRwUx0Mo3chUkiy0AW1yXcs1M0&irgwc=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LinkedIn account</a>.</p>

Several companies are offering special deals to celebrate Father’s Day, which is Sunday, June 21. Among them:Twelve South is offering...

<p class="">Apple has been granted yet another patent for “Apple Glasses,” its rumored augmented reality/virtual reality headset. This one (number 10,686,922) is for a “head-mounted display apparatus for retaining a portable electronic device with display.”</p>

<p class="">On the <a href="http://www.macvoices.com/macvoices-20156-randy-fredlund-of-vivid-pix-on-photo-correction-at-home-and-underwater/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new episode of MacVoices</a>, Randy Fredlund, co-founder of Vivid-Pix joins host Chuck Joiner to talk about their software products designed to help you improve your photos, no matter where they were taken.</p>

<p class="">Apple has posted a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Apple" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">notice </a>on its YouTube channel allowing followers to set a reminder to tune into YouTube for the Apple Special Event on Monday, June 22, at 10 a.m. (Pacific).</p>