Dennis Sellers

<p class="">As expected, Apple today unveiled the HomePod mini, the newest addition to the HomePod family of wireless speakers. And the price is US$99, about half the price some pundits predicted. You can order pre-order it on Friday, Nov. 6, and it will ship on Nov. 13.</p>

<p class="">PITAKA has announced the US$69.99 <a href="https://www.ipitaka.com/products/magez-case-for-ipad-pro" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MagEZ Case for iPad Pro</a>, the newest edition to the MagEZ's magnetic ecosystem' Series of products.</p>

<p class="">Apple is set to announce its new line-up of iPhones today. This will mark a significant moment in the rollout of 5G and will be an opportunity for Apple to have a large upgrade cycle, according to <a href="http://www.counterpointresearch.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Counterpoint Research</a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,800,141) for an “electronic device having a glass component with crack hindering internal stress regions.</p>

<p class="">Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,800,416) for a “vehicle control system.”</p>

<p class="">According to <a href="https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20201013PD203.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DigiTimes</a>, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, Apple's iPad shipments are likely to experience a 20%-plus year-over-year growth in 2020. COVID-19 also seems to have <a href="https://appleworld.dreamhosters.com/blog/2020/10/12/global-apple-mac-sales-grow-389-year-over-year-or-maybe-73" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spurred Mac sales</a> worldwide.</p>

<p class="">Mac sales were up considerably in the third quarter of 2020, according to two research groups.</p>

<p class="">watchOS 7 offers new ways to discover and share combinations to completely configure the watch face on your Apple Watch to your needs. Customizable and personalized faces, inclusive of complications, can be shared through Messages or Mail, and discovered through the App Store or even from links through websites and social media channels.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,795,750) for “auto bug capture” that involves a “novel architecture for debugging devices. “</p>

<p class="">Apple has filed for yet another patent (number 20200321807) that hints that, though it scrapped plans for the AirPower device, it’s still looking into a next generation wireless charging system. It’s for a wireless charging mat that wirelessly transmits power to an electronic device that is placed on the mat.</p>

<p class="">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 class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,796,470) for “optimized avatar asset resource” that involves its Animoji and Memoji features.</p>

<p class="">Recently released <a href="http://www.canalys.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Canalys</a> data shows the global PC (as in “personal computer” not just Windows machines) market climbed 12.7% from a year ago to reach 79.2 million units in the this quarter of 2020 as it continued to benefit hugely from the COVID-19 crisis. And Mac sales soared 13.2% year-over-year.</p>

<p class="">Apple is starting to use its retail stores as distribution centers for shipping products to consumers, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-09/apple-starts-shipping-devices-from-stores-to-speed-up-deliveries?sref=MRDu5QV3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>. The tech told staff the shift will mean faster delivery times for customers who live further from distribution centers than from stores, the article adds, quoting unnamed “people who asked not to be identified discussing internal policies.”</p>

<p class="">California Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers has denied Epic Games' request for a preliminary injunction that would have required Apple to allow Fortnite back into the App Store, which means the app will continue to remain unavailable from Apple's platform, according to <a href="http://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors</a>.</p>