Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Stanford University and Apple have <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2020/04/priority-covid-19-testing-for-first-responders.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">partnered on a new iPhone app</a> that provides police officers, firefighters, and paramedics in the Bay Area with info and safety measures regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>

<p class="">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200112195) for “inductive charging between electronic devices" that would its various devices to recharge each other.</p>

<p class="">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20200107785) for a “vital signs monitoring system” that hints at blankets or other coverings that would utilize the company’s technology and Health app to track how well you sleep.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-09/apple-ceo-to-take-covid-19-questions-at-company-wide-virtual-q-a"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>'s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is organizing a company-wide virtual meeting for later this month to allow employees to ask questions of the executive team led by CEO Tim Cook.</p>

<p class="">Apple has revealed “Ultimate Rivals” from Bit Fry Game Studios, Inc., a new sports game franchise that brings together athletes across hockey, basketball, football, baseball and soccer into a single officially licensed video game.</p>

<p class="">Apple has posted a macOS Catalina 10.15.4 supplemental update that, per Apple, improves the stability and security of your Mac.</p>

<p class="">Apple has released watchOS 6.2.1, which fixes a glitch that stopped an Apple Watch from participating in FaceTime Audio calls with devices running iOS 9.3.6 and earlier and OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pipersandler.com%2F&esheet=52200862&newsitemid=20200408005477&lan=en-US&anchor=Piper+Sandler+Companies&index=1&md5=bf6c621bc4097996a5685304edff11bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Piper Sandler Companies</a>, an investment bank and institutional securities firm completed its 39th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey, which highlights discretionary spending trends and brand preferences from 5,200 teens across 41 U.S. states with an average age of 16.2 years.</p>

<p class="">Currently, folks can't visit art galleries and museums, so <a href="https://www.loupeart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Loupe</a> has launches its Motion Art channel exclusively on the Apple TV app. The goal is to bring a "mesmerizing contemporary art form right into homes.</p>

<p class="">Twelve South has released the $49.99 <a href="https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/surfacepad-for-iphone?variant=31533373456441" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SurfacePad for the iPhone 11 line-up</a>. It protects the front and rear of the smartphone, while providing sleep/wake functionality via magnetized front cover.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://www.axios.com/big-tech-summer-internships-digital-coronavirus-91e423b2-1a4b-4441-8528-23871c2209f0.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Axios</a> says major tech companies, including Apple, are scrambling to craft digital options for this year's summer intern class, as businesses remain shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p class="">HBO says its HBO GO and HBO NOW streaming services will no longer be available on second-generation and third-generation Apple TV models starting April 30, 2020.</p>

<p class="">According to the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3079043/apple-retailers-china-offer-steep-iphone-11-discounts-bolster-demand" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South China Morning Post</a>, Apple retailers in China are offering steep iPhone 11 discounts to spur demand.</p>

<p class="">Another day, yet another lawsuit from "patent troll” VoIP-Pal. As noted by <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/04/07/voip-pal-targets-apples-facetime-imessage-in-renewed-patent-infringement-battle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AppleInsider</a>, the non-practicing entity is suing Apple for at least the third time, claiming FaceTime and iMessage/Messages infringe on a single patent covering call routing and handling.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F%2Freelgood.com%2F/1/0100017156927a47-ddfd7dbd-2f8a-4a2b-9d23-53fb1444c2db-000000/VC7s7EPK9P1RyKali8dcExOND8M=156" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reelgood</a>, a U.S. movie and TV streaming search engine, has issued a report on how COVID-19 and social distancing have affected streaming behaviors for its two million-plus users. The news isn't that great for Apple TV+.</p>