Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Fluance’s new <a href="https://www.fluance.com/fi20-high-performance-portable-wireless-360-degree-speaker-black-ash"><span style="text-decoration:underline">Fi20 </span></a> is a portable, good-looking. omni-directional speaker that serves up audio that comes close, but doesn’t quite match, that of HomePod. Plus, Apple’s speaker does have more bells and whistles, but it costs $349 compared to the Fi20’s $99. You’ll have to decide if the bells and whistles are worth the extra moolah.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,225,252) for “dynamic watch-based CAPTCHA” that would improve security on an Apple Watch.</p>

<p 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 style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Qualcomm wants Apple to pay $31 million in damages in the ongoing legal battle — or $1.40 per allegedly infringed iPhone, reports <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/qualcomm-wants-31-million-in-damages-in-apple-patent-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>CNET</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has decided to add original art to its Apple Music playlists with the goal “to bring “instant recognition to its own content,” according to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/8/18256361/apple-music-art-original-playlists-design" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Verge</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In response to <a href="https://medium.com/@teamwarren/heres-how-we-can-break-up-big-tech-9ad9e0da324c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the call from the Warren for President campaign</a> to break up “big tech: companies such as Apple, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the world’s leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from ITIF President Rob Atkinson, co-author of the book <a href="http://email.prnewswire.com/wf/click?upn=KzJ1SUTJ6o-2FUGyx-2BAuchGsYCHkMfQYkOznlS5ecc87OLh96e6VvHeiCgR9V6-2BsvnJAB-2FfL9tspdxF2A7LuiClizzN1-2FghDkJLWNVqSh6lax5db1sFSlieJVyn3-2FyJpnkflxQtlaClyR9Y1ue-2FW8O4-2F-2F6VJfFGsQBBtJMSFHpLw70Z7fuk-2Br-2F8o4cfjvhFVsHmhNbm7hBR-2BxaMQ2ER3YJMq6qIqRnPaekGto1edOfxn1ioWUTZbvsHA-2FCRw3tNS63_vr4CQd6f5d5U92w1G2ot038qxj2d-2BHc-2FraM9ysVslbM2GuwFWb6WaJjYDeKtis-2Fv4-2BpqvGnEhiXdl0F4U1IbcyFd5Ei0iEPMvWT5uICxp-2FhRjpb-2FZZdIT8QwpzdAJLxaQuusEpUMtmLStjfPV7UCHk44CRXMmcozCPxyepP54WelBA-2FODFFf9v6zUKGW-2BERfnPC-2FTvJIgn86BSHeG4zAHR69cGlMmeLOvMSg5i1KhSh1GhcNO63g112GhXtPRzC6YhCg8N6bhX7TpycsfUdtGjxsYt9U3JRwX1xYZgRUoCsTWHn7MVrAKnctE8-2BEDxxa" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration:underline"><em>Big Is Beautiful: Debunking the Myth of Small Business</em></span></a>:</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">In a note to clients — as noted by <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/19/03/08/apples-ar-glasses-arriving-in-2020-iphone-will-do-most-of-the-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em> </a>— analyst Ming-Chi Kuo — predicts that Apple will release smart glasses in 2020, and that they’ll be “powered” by an iPhone.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Spotify, Google, Pandora, and Amazon are all appealing a U.S. Copyright Royalty Board ruling that would see songwriter royalty payouts increase by 44%; however, Apple isn’t appealing, reports <a href="https://variety.com/2019/music/news/spotify-google-and-pandora-go-to-u-s-appeals-court-to-overturn-royalty-increase-exclusive-1203157697/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Variety</em>.</a></p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">At this week’s Addigy 2019 Partner Summit, technologist and entrepreneur Mario Cruz gave a talk on “The Future of Computing: Which Buzz Word Materializes.”</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has applied for a patent (number 20190075689) for “thermal regulation for a head-mounted display” that would keep a pair of augmented reality glasses comfortable when used for a long time. </p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20190069835) for a “portable electronic device having a biosensor” that indicates that future Macs could get health monitoring features.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=xvvhrIrrEt5hnQ7IuaWVvBl9J9GhXCtyCZWQV1x-agiuAOSfO_pos9TwIeb7gWR8"><span style="text-decoration:underline">Jamf</span></a>, which specializes in Apple management, has announced that the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) chose Jamf and Apple for its PowerUp program, an initiative aimed to address issues of socioeconomic inequality and traditional teaching practices with technology. </p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Captain Marvel is coming to Apple. Well, not exactly, but the tech giant has placed a straight-to-series order for an untitled drama series based on the life experiences of undercover CIA operative Amaryllis Fox and her upcoming memoir <em>Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA</em>, according to <a href="https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/captain-marvel-brie-larson-apple-series-1203156340/"><em>Variety</em></a>. And it will star Brie Larson, who plays the superhero in the new movie.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">As noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/03/06/old-ipad-and-iphone-games-left-behind-by-march-of-ios-could-come-back-to-life)" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>AppleInsider</em></a>, a startup called <a href="http://gameclub.io" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GameClub</a> has launched with the goal of funding developers to update classic iOS games currently can't be played on modern iPhones and iPads.</p>

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Apple has released its 13th annual <a href="https://www.apple.com/supplier-responsibility/">Supplier Responsibility Progress Report</a> detailing how the company is expanding educational opportunities and protecting the planet’s resources. </p>