Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday on accusations that Apple is using its market dominance to jack up prices for iOS apps. A ruling against Apple, letting a lawsuit go forward, could add to pressure the company already faces to cut the 30% commission it charges on app sales, reports <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/technology/2018/11/23/apple-defends-iphone-app-fees-as-high-court-weighs-consumer-suit.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Star</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Steve Jobs Theater Pavilion in the Apple Park (Apple’s “spaceship” headquarters) has been given a 2018 Structure Award by the Institution of Structural Engineers for Structural Artistry.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In the future Apple’s Memojis and Animojis may team up with Siri and Messages to “speak” in tones that match the facial expression of the avatar characters. The tech giant has filed for a patent (number 20180336716) for “voice effects based on facial expressions.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to a new report from <a href="http://www.thinknum.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thinknum</a>, the Apple TV is now second only to the Amazon Fire in 4K streaming device sales.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A group of Korean smartphone retailers is protesting Apple’s practice of forcing them to purchase in-store tester iPhones, according to <a href="http://www.theinvestor.co.kr/view.php?ud=20181121000706" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Investor</em>.</a> The tech giant doesn’t allow retailers to sell its smartphones if they don’t buy display-purpose devices.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/not-so-big-in-japan-apple-cuts-price-of-iphone-xr-to-boost-sales-1542878065" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>The Wall Street Journal</em></span></a>, less than a month after releasing the iPhone Xr, Apple is moving to offer subsidies to mobile-network operators in Japan to shore up sales of its least expensive new smartphone, which is being beaten insoles by the iPhone 8.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mazda has <a href="https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/press-release/mazda-announces-extended-availability-for-smartphone-integrations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> that Apple’s CarPlay is now available as part of a dealer-installed upgrade in select 2014 model year and newer Mazda vehicles equipped with the Mazda Connect infotainment system in the U.S.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is considering a “dongle” — a streamlined, lower-priced version of the Apple TV — to push its upcoming streaming service, according to <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-considered-new-connected-tv-dongle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Information</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Feral Interactive’s LEGO Disney•Pixar’s The Incredibles has come to the Mac. It’s <a href="https://feralinteractive.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=27ffb222c33986fdd91dd51b2&id=d160739b34&e=57471cfee2"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">available now from the Feral Store</span></a> for $39.99.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.olloclip.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">olloclip</a> has unveiled three new mobile clips designed exclusively for Apple's latest flagship smartphones. The iPhone <a href="https://www.olloclip.com/collections/new-for-iphone-xr-xs-xs-max" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">XR, XS and XS Max clips</a> are designed for use with olloclip's Connect X lenses to enhance the iPhone camera perspective with different fields-of-view. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is always looking for ways to improve photography on the iPad and, especially, the iPhone. Now the company has been granted a patent (number 10,136,048) for a user interface for camera effects.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">macOS Mojave offers a convenient — and fun — Picture in Picture (PiP) feature. You can “float” a video window from Safari or iTunes over your desktop or a full-screen app. It’s easy to implement on a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Earlier this year, Apple “quietly acquired” an artificial intelligence startup, Silk Labs, according to <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-acquires-ai-device-startup-silk-labs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Information</em></a>. Details on the deal haven’t been revealed.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is in discussions with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide portable electronic health records to military veterans, “a partnership that would simplify patients’ hospital visits and allow the technology giant to tap millions of new customers,” reports <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-in-talks-to-give-veterans-access-to-electronic-medical-records-1542755703" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Wall Street Journal</em></a>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the effort and emails reviewed.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I won’t hold my breath for this to happen, but the Open Data Institute (ODI), a data advocacy group, says Apple, Google, Uber, and other tech companies should share their mapping data.</p>