Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple's Beats brand has debuted a <a href="https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MUJ62LL/A/beats-studio3-wireless-headphones-neymar-jr-custom-edition?fnode=605218e93b85384dfcba4cf9e44436b3dea2c8fc42f403b466dfe907c09d9d043c82da57b147a354b3370f14ee47326ed99d1c536928d135f86f2df839c150fc3c6c61cc521aa941df7d0689c82fb11cad5423ba23015d881969c7c65b862f75269ee6de07b574f682e73b8c8438093c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">luxury version</a> of its Studio3 Wireless headphones, the Neymar Jr. Custom Edition. They’re $349.95; that’s $70 more than other versions of the headphones. Also there’s no release date for them mentioned yet.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple is “going on the offensive” against Fundamental Innovation Systems International (FISI), a USB charging patent holder, and suspected patent troll, according to a<a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/399047456/Apple-Versus-FISI#from_embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> <em>Scribd</em> report</a>.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple is modifying the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 to work around Qualcomm’s German patent injunction, reports <a href="http://www.fosspatents.com/2019/02/rumor-apple-modifying-iphone-7-and-8-to.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>FOSS Patents</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.arizton.com/">Arizton</a>'s latest report states that the <a href="https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/global-wireless-headphones-market">global wireless headphones market</a> is anticipated to generate revenues of around $34 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 20% during 2018–2024. The research group says that, in 2017, AirPods accounted for 85% of earbuds sales in the U.S.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Back in the old days (2015, which is old by Internet standards) analyst Rod Hall with the investment firm of J.P. Morgan predicted — in a note to clients obtained by <a href="http://tinyurl.com/nsntn7c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a> — an Apple TV App Store that would offer traditional console-style videogames.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I’ve long wanted an Apple media server (the “iServe,” perhaps?), though it may never happen. But who knows? Apple has filed various patents for such a device in the past, and has filed for another one (10,200,430) this week</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky  (D-IL) have sent a <a href="https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/Apple.2019.2.5.%20Letter%20re%20Group%20FaceTime%20Privacy%20Violation.CPC__0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">letter</a> to Apple CEO Tim Cook requesting more information about when the company first learned of the security flaw in its Group FaceTime feature, the extent to which the flaw has compromised consumers’ privacy and whether there are other undisclosed bugs that currently exist and have not been addressed.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple Pay now works with cards from HCBC France and BNP Paribas. The two banks join the 25 card issuers already supporting Apple’s mobile wallet service in France, notes <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2019/02/05/apple-pay-france" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5Mac</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">A federal judge has granted Apple’s request to preclude Qualcomm from seeking financial compensation for the infringement before the lawsuit was filed in 2017, reports <a href="https://www.bloombergquint.com/technology/apple-wins-ruling-on-pre-suit-damages-in-qualcomm-patent-case#gs.hOEXqx3e" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>. The judge also ruled that the iPhone maker isn’t infringing one of the several patents that Qualcomm says are at stake in the litigation.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has announced <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/02/apple-names-deirdre-obrien-senior-vice-president-of-retail-and-people/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in a press release</a> that, after five years leading the company’s retail and online stores, Angela Ahrendts, the company’s senior vice president of Retail, is departing in April for “new personal and professional pursuits.”</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has released the second public betas of macOS 14.1.4, iOS 12.2, and tvOS 12.2. The public betas are available on <a href="https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple's Beta Software Program website</a>. Just remember that beta software, so proceed with care.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Another day, another lawsuit. An attempted class action lawsuit — as noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/02/05/lawsuit-claims-apples-ios-updates-in-2016-forced-customers-to-buy-new-iphone-chargers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em> </a>— accuses Apple of forcing iOS devices owners to repeatedly buy new chargers by updating the smartphones with new requirements.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,200,761) for a “TV side bar user interface” that may involve an interface for its upcoming video streaming service. Or it could involve features of its TV app on iOS devices. Or both.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Imagine your iMac being Apple to wirelessly charge your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and more. It could happen. Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,199,873) involving a desktop computer that could sport a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple told<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-france/apple-agrees-to-pay-back-taxes-to-french-authorities-idUSKCN1PU0VS" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> <em>Reuters</em> </a> that it’s reached a deal with France to pay an undeclared amount of back-dated tax, with French media putting the sum at around 500 million euros ($571 million).</p>