Dennis Sellers

<p>After almost two decades of decline caused by piracy and falling prices, the music business is enjoying a fragile recovery thanks to the growth of paid streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify.</p>

<p><em>Reader’s Digest</em> has announced the results of its second annual Trusted Brands Survey, published in the October issue (on newsstands today). Apple was the “most trusted brand” in the “mobile phone” category, though Dell was the “most trusted brand” in the “computer” category (say what?).</p>

<p>As the music streaming market reacts to the introduction of Pandora Plus, as well as new on-demand services anticipated from Pandora and Amazon, research shows Pandora with the leading share of weekly music streaming hours in the United States in the second quarter of 2016. </p>

<p>Apple has been granted a patent (number 9,448,683) by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for a “network media device,” which hints at an Apple NAS device/home server, something I’ve long wanted. </p>

<p>With iOS 10, you can draw or type on any photo you take when using the Photos app.</p>

<p>A six-and-a-half-year battle over claims that ring-alert and quieting features on some iPhones violate a MobileMedia Ideas patent headed to a federal jury in Delaware for a second time late Monday, with an estimated $18 million in damages on the line. MobileMedia sued Apple in 2010, claiming it infringed 14 patents for electronics. </p>

<p>Apple has hired Dr. Mike Evans (also known as “DocMikeEvans"), a Canadian doctor from a Toronto teaching hospital for an unspecified role involving worldwide health innovation, reports <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-doctor-apple-health-care-messaging-whiteboards-youtube-videos-1.3769194" rel="noopener noreferrer">CBC News</a>.  He’s a former staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto,</p>

<p>Apple has added the <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-se/">iPhone SE</a>, <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-6s/">iPhone 6s</a>, and iPhone 6s Plus to its <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone/trade-up/">trade-up program</a> in the United States, offering estimated trade-in values of $160, $275, and $315 respectively towards the purchase of a new iPhone. </p>

<p>I've now spent a weekend with an Apple Watch Series 2 (42mm black aluminum with a black Sports band). It takes some great steps forward, but isn’t yet the perfect watch for this runner. But it’s a software feature I’m looking for, not a hardware problem. </p>

<p>Apple has joined the global renewable energy initiative RE100, reaffirming its commitment to reaching 100% renewable energy worldwide and pledging to work with the initiative to drive clean energy into the manufacturing supply chain. RE100 is a collaborative, global initiative of influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity, working to massively increase demand for - and delivery of - renewable energy.</p>

<p>After six days of availability, iOS 10 is already on one-third of Apple devices tracked by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mixpanel.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mixpanel </a>— as noted by <a target="_blank" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/09/19/ios-10apples-ios-10-on-one-third-of-compatible-devices-after-6-days-report-says" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider.</a></p>

<p>Apple is working on a fix for an issue that can cause the new Lightning EarPods for the <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-7/">iPhone 7</a> and iPhone 7 Plus to stop working properly, the company told <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-lighning-earpods-volume-bug-to-be-fixed-in-update-2016-9"><em>Business Insider</em></a>. </p>

<p> Apple has announced a partnership with Arizona utility Salt River Project (SRP) to create new renewable energy generation to power Apple’s new global data command center. The photovoltaic solar power plant will feed clean power into SRP’s grid that supports the Apple facility, producing up to 151 million kilowatt-hours a year.</p>

<p>Chomp Chomp Apps has introduced <a target="_blank" href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/square-borne-farm-free-fun/id1148705189" rel="noopener noreferrer">Square Borne Farm 1.0</a>. It’s a physics puzzle adventure in which players choose from a variety of cute characters to play through over 100 levels. Players can compete with their friends through leaderboards and achievements. Square Borne Farm is free, but does tout in-app purchases.</p>

<p>During the first weekend of sales, the iPhone 7 grabbed 1% of the device market share, while the iPhone 7 Plus accounts for .2%. That’s about on par with the adoption rate of earlier Apple smartphone models, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://info.localytics.com/blog/after-first-weekend-of-sales-iphone-7-7-plus-show-similar-adoption-to-previous-models" rel="noopener noreferrer">Localytics</a>.</p>