Dennis Sellers

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 10,509,486) that hints that future Apple Watches could sport a “capacitive gap sensor” capable of detecting various types of motion.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">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="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The <a href="https://developer.apple.com/security-bounty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Security Bounty microsite</a> says that, as promised back in August, its security bug bounty program has launched. The company says that because of its commitment to security, it rewards researchers who share critical issues and the techniques used to exploit them. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple sold $6 billion worth of AirPods this year and should sell more than double that next year, according to analyst Toni Sacconaghi of Bernstein — as reported by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/20/airpods-a-6-billion-business-for-apple-will-be-bigger-next-year.html?&qsearchterm=Apple" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNBC</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Is Apple looking into the satellite Internet business? <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-20/apple-has-top-secret-team-working-on-internet-satellites" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>'s Mark Gurman reports that there's a secret Apple research team has about a dozen engineers from the aerospace, satellite and antenna design industries working on a project to beam data such as Internet connectivity to devices such as the iPhone.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.zagg.com/invisibleshield" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">InvisibleShield</a> has expanded its screen protection offerings to camera lens protection for the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Looking for a cute little stocking stuffer? elago has released the Peach Case that’s compatible with both the first and second generation Apple AirPods. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">OWC’s free <a href="https://www.owcdigital.com/products/dock-ejector" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dock Ejector app </a> is a great utility for Apple's new 16-inch MacBook Pro (and other Mac laptops)— IF you have a drive made by the company. It allows users to safely disconnect from all OWC docks with one click. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says recent tests of mobile devices like the iPhone and Galaxy didn’t violate agency rules on maximum radio frequency exposure levels, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/QuickTake/status/1207752316234932226" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple is looking into deals for rights to MGM Holdings and Pac-12 college sports content for its Apple TV+ streaming service, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-held-preliminary-talks-with-pac-12-conference-mgm-11576777844" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Wall Street Journal</a>.  </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has struck an exclusive first-look deal with actress/writer/comedian/producer Sharon Horgan for Apple TV+, its streaming service, reports <a href="https://deadline.com/2019/12/apple-strikes-first-look-deal-with-catastrophe-divorce-creator-sharon-horgan-1202813698/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deadline</a>.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Satechi has launched what it says is the first MFi-Certified <a href="http://email.maxborgesagency.com/c/eJwNj0uOxCAMRE-T7IKA8F1kkZbS9zA2-WiSEAGtmb79IJVVZdmLejR5yQWu_TE190K2MZwLywSzclHqzbXXy2te5rFT_IK_kPIWC2zxxi_DdPX75MAGWAk0B-SawDqMIFGZUQjHQ-jPaa_1Kd04d_LdVKBG3A92x9q2Jyf6YC0tfkoYcLhga5cDB9whb8e9DZTwp88Txfs-CivxPGMurQ88zxl_Uz6J1UTw7esE2gtrgtPGOq6C9VpRMIYDX6nhqfYiQ2vcODFoAXG03hgbVkeSk12B7D9sP1UY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">USB-C Magnetic Charging Dock for Apple Watch</a> with detachable Type-C cable. </p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple is almost certainly working on its own augmented reality/virtual reality headset (usually dubbed “Apple Glasses” and expected sometime between 2020 and 2022). A new patent filing (number 20190387299) for a “display system having an audio output device” indicates that such a device could have a removable speaker system.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Future Apple Pencils may provide haptic (that is, relating to the sense of touch) feedback for texture simulation, as hinted by a new patent filing (number 20190384402) by Apple.</p>

<p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Another day, yet another lawsuit. <a href="https://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2019/12/former-apple-store-genius-bar-staffer-sues-apple-for-inadequately-supporting-his-disability-as-required-by-law.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Patently Apple</a> reports that Canadian Robert Shaw, an ex-Apple Store Genius Bar employee, is suing Apple for “constructive dismissal.”</p>