Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple’s suppliers are"gearing up for mass production" of updated <a href="https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad/">iPad</a> and AirPods models, according to <em>DigiTimes</em>. </p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.connectedtravel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration:underline">ConnectedTravel</span></a>, a connected vehicle platform and application services company, has launched its mobile infotainment, commerce, and rewards platform and the debut of what it says is the automotive industry’s first consumer application system to “gamify" the driving and riding experience. It expands upon Apple’s CarPlay.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The RTL Group, a digital media group with interests in 61 television and 30 radio stations in 10 countries, has touted its “remarkable” relationship with HBO and revealed that it is in talks to supply content to Apple, reports <a href="https://deadline.com/2019/03/fremantle-hbo-apple-1202575544/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Deadline</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple will stop selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in India and move out of small stores and outlets where sales don’t exceed 35 units per month, according to <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/electronics/apple-will-hang-up-on-older-models-small-stores-to-retain-premium-edge/articleshow/68401576.cms" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Economic Times</em></a>, quoting three unnamed senior industry execs.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In a note to clients — as noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/03/14/apples-services-business-seen-adding-6-to-earnings-per-share-by-2021)" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a>— Cowen analysts predict that Apple’s Services revenue will double by 2021, adding $6 to earnings per share.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple wants to make it easy for you to take augmented reality self-portraits with an iPhone. The company has filed for two patents regarding such a process.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20190079301) for a “face seal for a head-mounted display.” One of several such patents, it doubtless involves the company’s “Apple Glasses” headset that’s expected to debut next year.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (20190081509) for a “wireless charging mat with dynamic surface texture.” It seems to involve its long-awaited AirPower product.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Last week <a href="http://www.sfbags.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WaterField Designs</a> announced Wallet Month — the culmination of a two-month, 2,000-customer-participant, crowdsourced design project — with the launch of two <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2019/3/5/waterfield-designs-debuts-two-new-wallets-as-part-of-wallet-month?rq=wallet" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">minimalist wallets</a>: the Minemo and the Clyff.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Last November, Apple and Amazon <a href="https://blog.aboutamazon.com/devices/alexa-play-bebe-rexha-on-apple-music" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced </a>that Apple Music was coming to Amazon’s Echo devices. Now support for the streaming music service has come to Amazon’s Fire TV, according to <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2019/03/13/apple-music-launches-on-amazon-fire-tv-coming-to-echo-for-uk-users-soon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5Mac</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has scooped up Laserlike, a small Silicon Valley-based machine learning startup, reports <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-acquires-machine-learning-startup-in-boost-for-ai-group?" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Information</em></a>. Terms of the acquisition haven’t been disclosed, but the deal was almost certainly done with an eye toward improving Siri.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In a <a href="https://twitter.com/coiiiiiiiin/status/1105859133377396736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1105859133377396736&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macrumors.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twitter account</a>, CoinX says Apple plans will not only release a 10.2-inch seventh-generation iPad, but a brand new 10.5-inch (non-Pro) iPad. </p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In 2019, 105.2 million people in the U.S. will use an iPhone, giving Apple a 45.2% share of the US smartphone market. That share will grow 0.1% each year through 2021, according to <a href="http://www.emarketer.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">eMarketer.</a></p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple says it’s increased its commitment to coding and education in Southeast Asia with the expansion of its App Development with Swift curriculum at partner schools in Singapore and the opening of Indonesia’s second Apple Developer Academy in Surabaya, offering aspiring developers the skills they need to thrive in today's app economy.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Smartphone shipments to China in February fell to their lowest in six years, as consumers continued to put off handset purchases amid a slowing economy, according to data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, a government-affiliated research institute.</p>