Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Apple began reopening its retail stores in Germany on May 11, almost two months after they were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there may be a problem.</p>

<p class="">Could Apple be working on more than one type of augmented reality (AR) glasses? The tech giant is almost certainly working on a head-mounted display (HMD). However, reliable leaker Jon Prosser said on the tech podcast <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o4j6NoCJM0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gadget Cast</a> that Apple is working on AR glasses that support 5G networks and are more akin design-wise to regular glasses than an HMD.</p>

<p class="">As noted by <a href="https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2020/5/12/21255031/steelseries-nimbus-plus-announcement-apple-arcade-controller" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Verge</a>, SteelSeries has announced the Nimbus Plus, a new controller designed for gaming on Apple devices. It improves on its predecessor with features such as clickable joysticks, a purported 50-hour battery life, and “ultra-responsive” triggers.</p>

<p class="">Pad & Quill has announced the <a href="https://www.padandquill.com/copertina-magic-case-for-ipad-pro-12-9.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Copertina Magic Cases</a> for iPad Pro, which protect not only the tablet, but also a Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard</p>

<p class="">Future Apple Watches could better measure wind resistance for bikers and runners. Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,650,699) for “calculating an estimate of wind resistance experienced by a cyclist.”</p>

<p class="">Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,647,286) for “occupant safety systems” that offers a unique take on airbags and other safety features in vehicles.</p>

<p class="">Apple has unveiled an update (version 10.5) to Logic Pro X with a professional version of Live Loops, a completely redesigned sampling workflow, and new beat-making tools.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/11/american-idol-is-shooting-on-iphones-amid-stay-at-home-orders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TechCrunch</a> reports that Apple is working with production houses, getting some iPhone-powered rigs into the hands of producers and hosts to film TV shows during these pandemic times.</p>

<p class="">A new partnership between OverDrive and their app Libby and the Sonos smart speakers will let you listen to audiobooks from your local library. On a <a href="http://www.macvoices.com/macvoices-20133-overdrives-libby-lets-you-listen-to-audiobooks-on-sonos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new episode </a>of <em>MacVoices</em>, Adam Sockel, integrated marketing specialist for Overdrive, joins host Chuck Joiner to dicuss how it works, how you can take advantage of their service, even if your local library is closed during the lockdown, and how listening to audiobooks through Sonos changes the experience.</p>

<p class="">As they did for March and April, Apple and Goldman Sachs are allowing Apple Card users to defer their May payments without incurring interest due to the economic chaos from the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>

<p class="">9to5Mac has served up some details on Apple’s rumored over-the-ear headphones likely to be dubbed “AirPods Studio” and cost around US$350.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/05/11/federal-circuit-hands-apple-a-win-in-long-running-drm-patent-lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider reports</a> that the Federal Circuit has handed Apple a win by affirming a previous Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision to review a patent in a long-running digital rights management patent lawsuit saga against a company called ContentGuard. Apple won the lawsuit in 2015.</p>

<p class="">Microsoft has launched a <a href="https://aka.ms/FamilyForm2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">limited preview</a> of Microsoft Family Safety app for iOS and Android.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://www.protocol.com/apple-hires-cloud-open-source-engineers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Protocol</a> reports that Apple has gone on a “cloud computing hiring spree,” snapping up several well-known software engineers working across a range of modern technologies, especially containers and Kubernetes.</p>

<p class="">The UK firm <a href="https://deadline.com/tag/digital-tv-research/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Digital TV Research</a> sees Disney+ getting a big lift from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has kept millions of people indoors across the world, with the platform reaching 202 million global subscribers by 2025. The news is less promising (though not bad) for Apple TV+.</p>