Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Earlier today the <em>Economic Daily News</em> <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2020/12/21/no-we-wont-see-an-apple-car-in-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed </a>the long-rumored “Apple Car” is running at least two years ahead of schedule and will be released in the third quarter of 2021. Now <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2IX1RZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> — referencing two unnamed “people familiar with the matter” — makes the more feasible prediction that the tech giant plans to begin production on an Apple-branded self-driving vehicle starting in 2024.</p>

<p class="">In a note to clients — as noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/12/21/apples-mac-gained-market-share-in-growing-pc-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AppleInsider</a> — Goldman Sachs analyst Rod Hall says Apple’s Mac revenues rose 50% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2020 as global PC (as in “personal computer,” not just Windows systems) unit shipments increased 18%.</p>

<p class="">The iPhone 12 was the world’s best-selling 5G smartphone model in October despite a delayed launch, which resulted in only two weeks of sales during the month, according to Counterpoint Research.</p>

<p class="">I don’t buy it, but the <a href="https://j3onakwrnmmdhlpoecrnirxutq-adwhj77lcyoafdy-money-udn-com.translate.goog/money/story/5612/5108191" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Economic Daily News</a> claims the long-rumored “Apple Car” is running at least two years ahead of schedule and will be released in the third quarter of 2021. The article cites “unnamed executives at Taiwanese manufacturers.”</p>

<p class="">Apple has placed its Taiwan-based supplier Wistron on probation following rioting at its plant in southern India, reports <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/apple-india-idUSKBN28T0DW" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>. The tech giant said it won’t award the contract manufacturer new business until it addressed the way workers were treated at its southern India plant.</p>

<p class="">Here’s a good reason to add a protective case to your iPhone:<strong> </strong>Americans who have dropped their smartphones on the sidewalk or into a swimming pool are far from alone. A new survey by Allstate Protection Plans found that 140 million Americans have damaged a smartphone at some point in their lives, with 87 million having a mishap in the past 12 months.</p>

<p class="">On a regular basis, Apple World Today 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 class="">Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla, have banned today a root certificate that was being used by the Kazakhstan government to intercept and decrypt HTTPS traffic for residents in the country's capital, the city of Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), reports <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-google-microsoft-and-mozilla-ban-kazakhstans-mitm-https-certificate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ZDNet</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple is temporarily closing its retail locations in the Los Angeles area due to a rising number of COVID-19 cases in Southern California, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-18/apple-to-temporarily-close-la-stores-as-virus-cases-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>. The article says this is the first time in months that the tech giant has shut retail locations in the area.</p>

<p class="">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200393881) for “structural thermal solutions for display devices” that shows it wants the rumored “Apple Glasses” — an augmented reality/virtual reality head-mounted display (HMD) to be comfortable and cool when worn.</p>

<p class="">Apple has <a href="https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1976/en_US/device-and-data-access-when-personal-safety-is-at-risk.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> “Device and Data Access the Personal Safety is At Risk.” The tech giant says if you’d like to revisit what you share with other people, or restore your device’s original settings for any reason, this guide can help you understand what information you are sharing via your Apple devices, and how to make changes to protect your safety.</p>

<p class="">In a note to clients — as noted by <a href="http://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MacRumors</a> — Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis, Thomas O'Malley, Tim Long, and their associates said that an iPad with an OLED display does not appear likely until 2022. Previous rumors had pegged such an Apple tablet would arrive in the last half of 2021.</p>

<p class="">Serious violations of labor laws were taking place at the iPhone manufacturing facility in India where a workers’ protest on Saturday turned violent and caused US$7 million worth of damage, a report by the Karnataka state government has found, according to the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3114491/wistrons-apple-factory-india-committed-serious-violations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Morning Post</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple asked a Texas federal judge Thursday to reduce a US$502.8 million jury verdict for VirnetX in a network security patent case, reports <a href="https://www.law360.com/technology/articles/1338396/apple-attacks-virnetx-s-trial-strategy-in-503m-patent-verdict?nl_pk=ade0cf2b-ea3f-464b-bc93-d8e19277ac63&read_more=1&utm_campaign=technology&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter">Law360</a> (a subscription is required to read the entire article).</p>