Dennis Sellers

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.erosintl.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Eros Group</a>, an Indian movie production house, may sell its entire content library to Apple, reports <em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eros-group-apple-deals-idUSKBN1AN0JN?il=0" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a></em> , quoting unnamed sources. The article adds that Amazon and Netflix are also considering a bid.</p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 20170221106) for “interaction-aware advertising for minimizing banner blindness.” The goal of the invention is to make digital ads more noticeable.</p>

<p>Consumers who have long been interested in portable digital media and streaming internet radio are now beginning to use these outlets regularly in the car, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.strategyanalytics.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strategy Analytics</a>. </p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="http://vuo.org" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kosada's Vuo</a> is designed as an alternative to Apple's Quartz Composer (a node-based visual programming language provided as part of the Xcode development environment in macOS for processing and rendering graphical data). Aimed at media producers, VJs, interactive artists, and media-making non-programmers, it enables users to interactively create and mix audio, video, and 2D + 3D effects.</p>

<p>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 today's picks.</p>

<p>Apple is beginning to work with Google-backed technologies known collectively as service workers reports <a target="_blank" href="http://fortune.com/2017/08/04/apple-progressive-web-apps/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fortune</a>. A service worker is a script that your browser runs in the background, separate from a web page, opening the door to features that don't need a web page or user interaction. Today, they include features like push notifications and background sync. </p>

<p>There’s a lot happening in the world of Apple news this week. Following are the hottest articles for the week of July 30-August 4.</p>

<p>As noted by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.macrumors.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors</a>, Apple has updated its online store to indicate that AirPods are now estimated to ship in four weeks in the United States, Europe, and many other regions, down from a six-week estimate listed since launching in December. </p>

<p>The Apple Watch Series 3 — expected in September — will be able to connect directly to cellular networks, a move designed to reduce reliance on the iPhone, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-04/apple-said-to-ready-cellular-capable-watch-to-break-iphone-ties" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg,</a> quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.”</p>

<p>Apple is experimenting with various types of augmented reality (AR) glasses, according to the <em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/e0d19656-78f4-11e7-90c0-90a9d1bc9691" rel="noopener noreferrer">Financial Time</a>s</em> (which requires a subscription). Some use their own integrated display; others work with an iPhone.</p>

<p>1.3 million pounds (approximately US$1.7 million) worth of fake Apple goods have been seized by West Sussex Trading Standards of the West Sussex County Council, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2017-08-04/1-3m-worth-of-fake-apple-goods-seized-by-trading-standards/)." rel="noopener noreferrer">ITV News</a>. It’s the biggest in its history.</p>

<p>Taiwan-based contract electronics maker Wistron Corp. is preparing to expand of its production base in India to produce the next-generation iPhone SE, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aeco/201708040018.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer">Focus Taiwan</a>, quoit unnamed “sources in the South Asian country.”</p>

<p>Apple’s retail stores are turning into the new mall anchor store, a role once held by department stores, because they draw lots of foot traffic, which also benefits the smaller stores.</p>

<p>According to the Korean news site, <a target="_blank" href="http://english.etnews.com/20170804200003" rel="noopener noreferrer">etnews</a>, Samsung Display will operate seven of its sixth generation flexible OLED lines on full scale this month to prepare for the “iPhone 8.” The next gen phone is expected to debut in September, although supplies will probably (and as usual) be constrained.</p>

<p>A 2016 Apple filling with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) showed that the company is urging the FCC should “recognize solutions such as the MFi [Made for iPhone] hearing aid platform as alternatives for hearing aid compatibility compliance.” And the tech company apparently has other plans along these lines, having filed for a patent (number 2017022341) for “remotely updating a hearing aid profile.”</p>