Dennis Sellers

<p>The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has invalidated the asserted claims of three Smartflash media storage patents, including two that were part of a $533 million jury verdict against Apple in 2015, finding most of them to be abstract, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.law360.com/technology/articles/862129/apple-knocks-out-more-patents-in-533m-smartflash-case?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=technology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Law360</a>.</p>

<p>The gang at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ifixit.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">iFixIt,</a> which tears down tech products to look at their innards, has released a “teardown” of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. </p>

<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/808-documentary-apple-music-exclusive/#ftag=CAD590a51e" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNET</a> reports that Apple has secured exclusive first access rights to "808," a documentary film that explores the birth, popularity and influence of the Roland TR-808.</p>

<p>In the summer, I spend a lot of time in my sister’s swimming pool, playing with my nieces and nephews. I’ve wanted to take photos in the pool (including underwater) of all of us as we play, but I’ve never had a waterproof case. That may change in summer 2017, as I now have a Wetsuit Impact from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dogandbonecases.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dog & Bone</a>.</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>Ravi Ika, founder and CEO of <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rxadvance.com%2F&esheet=51460644&newsitemid=20161115006146&lan=en-US&anchor=RxAdvance&index=2&md5=4a94cd91d62bdda85303ad2f700727e9">RxAdvance</a>, a full-service pharmacy benefit manager. announced today that former Apple CEO, John Sculley, has accepted the expanded role as chairman and chief marketing officer at RxAdvance. He’s a founding investor and has been RxAdvance vice chairman.</p>

<p>Earlier this year, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/01/apple-is-going-to-remove-abandoned-apps-from-the-app-store/">Apple said it planned to clean up the Apple App Store</a> by removing outdated, abandoned apps, including those that no longer meet current guidelines or don’t function as intended. The purge is underway, according to new data from <a href="https://sensortower.com/">Sensor Tower</a> — as noted by <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/15/apples-big-app-store-purge-is-now-underway/" rel="noopener noreferrer">TechCrunch</a>.</p>

<p>In a note to clients — as noted by<a target="_blank" href="http://www.macrumors.com" rel="noopener noreferrer"> MacRumors</a> — KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple will release three iPhones in 2017: a 4.7-inch model with a single-lens camera and LCD display; a 5.5-inch model with a dual-lens camera and LCD display; and an all-new OLED model with a dual-lens camera in 2017 (he doesn’t mention a size for this one, although he’s previously forecast a 5.8-incher with a curved screen and glass casing).</p>

<p>Canada-based financial group John Hancock, has announced a subsidy program that offers up the Apple Watch Series 2 for as little as $25 to active members, through its Vitality program, reports <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/15/watch-insurance/" rel="noopener noreferrer">TechCrunch</a>.</p>

<p>Apple is apparently in the final stages of negotiating a deal that will see it open a new $50 million megastore in Melbourne, Australia’s iconic Federation Square, almost a decade after it first started looking for an appropriate central city site, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theage.com.au/business/property/apples-50-million-bid-to-build-store-in-melbournes-federation-square-20161115-gspky9.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Age</a>.</p>

<p>The China Consumers Association (CCA) has asked Apple to investigate "a considerable number" of reports by users of iPhone 6 and 6s smartphones that the devices have been shutting off and cannot be turned back on again, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-battery-idUSKBN13A1AN" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a>.</p>

<p>The first-ever mobile game featuring Super Mario goes on sale for iPhone and iPad on Dec. 15 in United States time zones. <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupermariorun.com%2Fen%2Findex.html&esheet=51460712&newsitemid=20161115005715&lan=en-US&anchor=Super+Mario+Run&index=1&md5=ff7805ddbe3eeca514e4a200af78637d">Super Mario Run</a> can be downloaded from the App Store at no cost, and players can try elements of the game’s three modes for free. </p>

<p>In-store shopping reigns supreme for Black Friday, with a majority of consumers poised to get up early and hit brick-and-mortar stores. According to a survey conducted by leading savings destination <a href="https://www.retailmenot.com/">RetailMeNot</a>, 40% of shoppers feel they get the most savings than any other shopping day. And the iPhone 7 looks to be a hot seller on Black Friday.</p>

<p>Make of it what you will, but Apple has applied for a design patent (number D771, 396) for a chair. The inventors are Kully Kraig Mandon, Andrew Charles Deffenbaugh, and Stefan Behling. Other than that the patent filing only has graphics (two of which are pictured).</p>

<p>Apple has announced the release of a new hardbound book chronicling 20 years of Apple’s design, expressed through 450 photographs of past and current Apple products. </p>