Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Apple has rounded out the ensemble cast for its upcoming Apple TV+ dramedy, “Physical,” reports <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/12/physical-paul-sparks-rory-scovel-lou-taylor-pucci-della-saba-dierdre-friel-ashley-liao-join-rose-byrne-in-apple-dramedy-1234652993/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deadline</a>.</p>

<p class="">In a new Apple Pay promotion, Apple is touting “exclusive holiday offers” through Dec. 21.</p>

<p class="">Satechi has introduced an updated, Apple-exclusive version of its R1 Stand. Compatible with iPhones and iPads, Satechi’s Aluminum Foldable Stand elevates devices to create a workstation, whether at home or on-the-go.</p>

<p class="">CASETiFY has announced the latest partnership from its Co-Lab program, inspired by film star and martial arts legend Bruce Lee. The collection spans an inclusive lineup of tech accessories and limited edition lifestyle products, commemorating Lee's 80th birthday. The online waitlist opens today at <a href="http://www.casetify.com/bruce-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.casetify.com/bruce-lee</a>, granting priority access to shop the collection on launch day, Dec. 17.</p>

<p class="">Lost your Apple TV Remote? Simply don’t like it? No problem. With the Apple TV Remote in Control Center on iOS and iPad OS, you can control your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch without using the Apple TV Remote.</p>

<p class="">The new <a href="http://www.macvoices.com/macvoices-20274-macvoices-holiday-gift-guide-4-2/"><span style="text-decoration:underline">MacVoices Live!</span></a> has Joe Kissell, Wally Cherwinski, Mark Fuccio, and host Chuck Joiner offering still more holiday gift ideas.They include some off-the-wall ideas.</p><p class=""><br></p>

<p class="">Apple and Alphabet’s Google will ban the data broker X-Mode Social from collecting any location information drawn from mobile devices running their operating systems following revelations about the company’s national-security work, reports the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-and-google-to-stop-x-mode-from-collecting-location-data-from-users-phones-11607549061" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a>.</p>

<p class="">In the third quarter of 2020, Apple remained the market leader in the smartwatch industry, increasing its share by 2 percentage points compared to the previous year., according to a <a href="https://www.counterpointresearch.com/global-smartwatch-shipments-q3-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new report</a> from Counterpoint Research.</p>

<p class="">A new <a href="https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market-data/2020-mobile-recap-how-to-succeed-in-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from App Annie says that total spending in mobile apps and games set a new annual record. And 65 cents of every dollar went to the Apple App Store.</p>

<p class="">Let the Apple Car rumors roll on. I’m skeptical, but <a href="http://www.digitimes.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DigiTimes </a>reports that Apple is working with TSMC on self-driving auto chips and that the tech giant may open factories in the U.S. to build an “Apple Car.”</p>

<p class="">Microsoft has <a href="https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/12/09/xbox-expands-cloud-gaming-to-more-devices-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, its cloud-based gaming subscription service, is coming to iOS devices in spring 2021.</p>

<p class="">Apple is teaming with “Venom” producer Matt Tolmach on a series based on Blake Crouch's bestselling novel Dark Matter, which the author himself will adapt for the streamer and Sony Pictures Television, reports <a href="https://collider.com/dark-matter-apple-tv-show-blake-crouch/">Collider</a>.</p>

<p class="">New <a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3005484-1&h=3239386679&u=http%3A%2F%2Fparksassociates.com%2Fservices%2Fott-tracker&a=Parks+Associates+research">Parks Associates' research</a> finds the overall annual “churn rate” for OTT services, representing those subscribers who have cancelled a service as a percentage of the current subscriber base, dropped from 46% in quarter three of 2019 to 38% in the third quarter of 2020.</p>

<p class="">EyeQue, which specializes in smartphone vision testing, has announced <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eyeque/eyeque-visioncheck-2-smartphone-vision-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EyeQue VisionCheck 2</a>, a refraction device available for consumers to test their own vision and order new glasses with the results.</p>

<p class="">Accessibility features in iPad OS 14 now include Headphone Accommodations, which amplifies soft sounds and tunes audio to help music, movies, phone calls, and podcasts sound crisper and clearer, and sign language detection in Group FaceTime, which makes the person signing more prominent in a video call.</p>