Dennis Sellers

<p class="">Microphones in upcoming Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches could differentiate between natural and artificial sounds per a new Apple patent filing (number 20200090644) for “systems and methods for classifying sounds.” The goal: to improve the performance of Siri, the company's “virtual digital assistant.”</p>

<p class="">Apple’s rumored "Apple Glasses" — a head-mounted augmented reality system -- could have impressive audio capabilities as hinted by a newly filed patent (number 2020089008) for "display devices with multimodal audio.”</p>

<p class="">AltConf, an alternative conference for developers that normally takes place at the same time as Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, <a href="https://medium.com/altconf/altconf-2020-80668761d419" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">has been canceled</a> following Apple's announcement that WWDC will be a digital only event.</p>

<p class="">Apple has announced a new iPad Pro. Now with the A12Z Bionic chip, iPad Pro is faster and more powerful than most Windows PC laptops, according to Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.</p>

<p class="">In addition to a new MacBook Air, Apple has update its Mac mini.</p>

<p class="">Apple says that upcoming updates for its Pages, Numbers and Keynote apps for macOS will offer a variety of new features “aimed at unleashing creativity, improving productivity and enhancing collaboration.”</p>

<p class="">Apple has updated the MacBook Air with faster performance, the Magic Keyboard that debuted with the 16-inch MacBook Pro, twice the storage and a new lower price of $999, and $899 for education.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,592,305) for an “application session and enhancement for a wearable electronic device.” The goal is to make interactions between an Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and Mac even more seamless.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://airapower.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aira Inc.</a>, makers of FreePower<em> </em>free-position wireless charging technology, ihas added Apple and Tesla veteran Jeff Risher to its executive team as chief strategy officer and general counsel.</p>

<p class=""><a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwipsKax8qHoAhWRgVoFHWi9B6YYABAAGgJ2dQ&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESQOD2ySvLE_wW-vmjHFoGPEZPYWS8LWT5B6mpuleQsuHN1aWzb6JN5Db0lng0vgrrx1F1nXEry3ENfGbXhsmP9gY&sig=AOD64_0xjuMRDvYupmzcV4HAeYO-AiSEaA&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjSgJqx8qHoAhWsc98KHQTeDCQQ0Qx6BAgXEAE&adurl=&bg=!bG-lb3dY192kOJSecUMCAAAAFlIAAAABCgBL4jHe0tr4cLgv3tsQAJ1mNOvAQHcY2sPmh4lscqi9ffLEH7ugHOzgVI2p14yoUddrJM90nsV3P2riiBRJMwZZIGgYTaFesAiRrNaYmQDe2zghTb7kvmEmJ5gY9c70FfbiTR0k-SF6-SIG0CjtvOau38a-AqOKXM0PexUL9s3jwe7itWqNC5U3Urv2_u94gsjA5k9ix1St4jMBdP_VsGQu3dmuOE82uoMOjCTVahI5cJLOHo894j9GdKEBShyBqJznBuzkBttIeOdYAq_kW4pymMsMQvCrdMi4qlHJvJgpeIkhm8wFaHPiDqw229hmQdsmRbNMcjdGMC0o8-3Loq_kzcsDXayYNu9x9N4WfE_RIwmV_OI9XW4MtXmzR__O_ZfTLA6sD-9Zu-7nbd9Z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Movies Anywhere</a> — the free-to-join digital movie locker service that syncs up your purchased films across platforms like iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play, and Vudu — is launching a new feature called Screen Pass, that lets you share (temporarily) your purchased movies with friends or family members, reports <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/12/16462824/movies-anywhere-digital-movie-locker-disney-warner-bros-universal-twentieth-century-fox-sony" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Verge</a>.</p>

<p class=""><a href="http://www.airconsole.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AirConsole</a>, a platform for casual games, will provide everyone with free access to all of their video games during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) lockdowns.</p>

<p class="">Apple has been granted yet another patent (number 10,591,707, dubbed “optical system for head-mounted display) for the rumored "Apple Glasses.”</p>

<p class="">Future versions of Apple's Magic Mouse could change shapes. The tech giant has applied for a patent (number 10,592,008) for a “mouse having a shape-changing enclosure).</p>

<p class="">Apple <a href="https://www.apple.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">has announced</a> that its retail stores are closed until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak.</p>

<p class="">The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) says it will open an investigation into possible patent violations involving touch-controlled mobile phones, computers and computer parts by Apple, Amazon, and other companies following a complaint filed by Neodron Ltd of Ireland, reports <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trade-tech-probe/u-s-trade-body-opens-patent-probe-after-complaint-by-irelands-neodron-idUSL1N2B962I" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a>.</p>