Dennis Sellers

<p class=""><a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1496809674?ls=1&ign-itsct=ArcadeGameSpotlight&ign-itscg=10200" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Samurai Jack</a> is this week's addition to <a href="https://www.apple.com/apple-arcade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Arcade</a>, Apple’s US$4.99/month or $49.99/year game streaming service that has over 120 games,. It's available for the the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.</p>

<p class="">In a note to clients — as noted by <a href="http://www.macrumors.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacRumors </a>— analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is trying to convince component suppliers for the upcoming “iPhone 12” to give them a price break as adoption of sub-6GHz 5G will increase the smartphones’s cost by US$75-$85.</p>

<p class="">The recent rev of the <a href="https://www.apple.com/imac/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">27-inch iMac with 5K Retina Display</a> is likely the final Apple all-in-one — perhaps even the last of the company’s desktops or laptops — to sport an Intel chip. From now on the tech giant will be equipping its computer line with its own “Apple Silicon.”</p>

<p class="">iOS 12 and later comes with a Measure app that allows you to draw (virtual) straight lines to measure objects and surfaces both vertically and horizontally using your iPhone or iPad camera, and automatically detect dimensions of rectangular objects.</p>

<p class="">Several big news organizations are joining the list of companies pushing for more favorable terms on the Apple App Store, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/news-publishers-join-fight-against-apple-over-app-store-terms-11597949300"><span style="text-decoration:underline">The Wall Street Journal</span></a>.</p>

<p class="">Apple has released the second public beta of macOS Big Sur. The public betas are available on <a href="https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple's Beta Software Program website</a>.</p>

<p class="">Sometime between 2018 and 2019, Apple reportedly acquired and shut down Camerai (once known as Tipit), an augmented reality and computer vision company based out of Israel.</p>

<p class="">Apple has released the second public beta of watchOS 7. The public betas are available on <a href="https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple's Beta Software Program website</a>.</p>

<p class="">The global smartwatch market posted a healthy 20% revenue growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic and shipments remaining flat in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest research from <a href="http://www.counterpointresearch.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Counterpoint Research</a>. The top three brands — and Apple was at the top of the top — contributed more than 69% of the total market revenue in the first half of 2020.</p>

<p class="">Apple can’t avoid a lawsuit in which it’s accused of canceling a contract with a janitorial service because the owner is a woman, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-20/apple-can-t-dodge-suit-claiming-sex-bias-for-canceled-contract?sref=MRDu5QV3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>.</p>

<p class="">Synology has released the 5-bay <a href="https://www.synology.com/en-us/products/DS1520+" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DS1520+ storage system</a>, which is built for home and small office environments that need data backup and multimedia organization options.</p>

<p class="">Mophie, a ZAGG brand, has unveiled four new universal power solutions: the <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=fqyGGs1CyCkShBY0FoHz8xUsBqyUGprSh7wC-fgGPsjh6uLTIEAxrY7QH4YR642hYCX0__mVUC-9HCAdTroUGvv8KJ8aTDB7EY4ELUJmFmM=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">powerstation</a>, <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=fqyGGs1CyCkShBY0FoHz81OdOp_z6tsNgChAF-ws_c5Zu4826Rrb9nNGFul_W3IXTesfvAi8rpa-Zvnwd_YdXKQT73OaX4itQ086dNHspMSlkOAQzGG0o6kq2q0bbivm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">powerstation XXL</a>, <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=fqyGGs1CyCkShBY0FoHz81H-S6QeK4urCnycNbw8uXr8CfDq7IzFyTuQSBvfjodsit49DPGnYeKLZXNiNAcphAeCq9jSpKo1mUaYW8m8_T46DoiMUrE1l5g52z6m8ptOG8Xz0ZINcXE5KlsRpJXfcw=="><span style="text-decoration:underline">powerstation wireless XL</span></a>, and <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=fqyGGs1CyCkShBY0FoHz81H-S6QeK4urCnycNbw8uXqkVeYc-ocTJGw6MW3Xy7bXDS0qxJ2ozna2ILn0VR9CGRUZ1EjlqBeIYwbr2gzW4nyesB83XK6xzuZZUgA3tT07zmYhsHN9JmK7Mw6hg6xvoQ=="><span style="text-decoration:underline">powerstation wireless stand</span></a> each feature the ability to charge multiple devices through a USB-C PD input/output port and USB-A port.</p>

<p class="">Another day, another lawsuit. <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/08/20/apple-sued-over-stage-light-macbook-pro-display-issue" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider reports</a> that a new class-action complaint claims Apple was aware of a MacBook Pro design flaw that caused some units to exhibit backlight display issues.</p>

<p class="">Online smartphone sales in Russia grew by more than 56% year-over-year during quarter two [Q2] of 2020, according to the latest research by <a href="http://www.counterpointresearch.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Counterpoint Research</a>. Apple’s iPhone 11 was in the top four for online channel sales in the country.</p>

<p class="">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200264764) for “systems and methods for enabling low-vision users to interact with a touch-sensitive secondary display.” The goal is, apparently, to beef up the features of the company’s Sidecar feature to allow Mac users with vision problems to more effectively use an iPad as a secondary display.</p>