Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced plans to step down after more than 15 years leading the company.

John Ternus, head of hardware engineering at the tech giant, will assume the role of chief executive on 1 September, with Cook stepping into the role of executive chairman.

Cook will work closely with Ternus during the transition period, and will continue to “assist with certain aspects of the company” in his new role as executive chairman.

In a statement, Cook said serving as CEO has been the “greatest privilege of my life”.

"I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world,” he said.

Cook’s replacement is an Apple veteran, having spent more than 25 years at the company. Ternus currently leads the hardware engineering division and has long been touted as a leading figure to replace Cook.

Cook added that Ternus “has the mind of an engineer” and is well-placed to take the reins at the company.

“He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future,” Cook commented.

“I could not be more confident in his abilities and his character, and I look forward to working closely with him on this transition and in my new role as executive chairman."

Tim Cook had a hard act to follow

Cook first joined Apple in 1998 and has served as CEO since 2011, having stepped in to replace co-founder Steve Jobs just months before his death.

Under his leadership, the company has expanded significantly, launching a range of new products including the Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and AirPods series - with Ternus closely involved in the development of these ranges.

Services including iCloud, Apple TV, Apple Pay, and Apple Music were also launched under Cook’s leadership. The iPhone, a staple of the company’s offerings, has retained continued popularity across his tenure.

In 2018, the firm became the first public to be valued at $1 trillion. Since taking over, the company’s market capitalization surged from roughly $350 billion to around $4 trillion.

Cook hasn’t quite achieved the same status as a tech visionary like Jobs, however.

Dipanjan Chatterjee, VP principal analyst at Forrester, said Jobs “was never going to be an easy act to follow”, yet despite this the Apple chief transformed the company into a “durable, resilient financial powerhouse”.

“Cook’s legacy will be defined by steady, disciplined operational stewardship - proof that a company can be more than just exciting and visionary; it can also be immensely valuable to all its stakeholders,” he commented.

Chatterjee noted that while Apple’s growth trajectory has moved at a steady pace over the last 15 years, Cook hasn’t exactly overseen a step-change in innovation that would “reset Apple’s competitive position for the next two decades” – much like Jobs did with the iPhone.

This means the tech giant is still largely “structurally dependent” on the product range and requires a new growth engine.

Since the advent of generative AI in late 2022, questions have been raised about Apple’s approach to the technology, with some industry stakeholders highlighting its tentative steps in this domain.

“That’s where John Ternus comes in,” Chatterjee said. “Ternus is a hardware engineer, which signals that Apple will seek differentiation in its physical products even as it looks to reframe the device as a substrate for intelligent experiences.”

Chatterjee added that Ternus’ appointment could mark a “quiet pivot back toward product intimacy” as well as a tighter coupling between hardware, software, and future AI capabilities.

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Apple Watch 3 at a glance

• Is available exclusively on EE in the UK
• The device has cellular connectivity, a 70% faster dual-core processor and its only 0.25mm bigger than the Series 2
• watchOS 4 arrived on 19 September

Image credit: Apple

Apple Watch 3: latest news

02/10/2017:Apple Watch 3 owners have reported they're struggling to connect their devices to LTE, but the only way owners can rectify the problem is to call their operator to fix it.

The Apple Watch 3 is only available on EE in the UK and the company said that for customers to turn on the connection, they'll have to phone customer services.

However, it is advising everyone with an Apple Watch 3 that refuses to connect to do the following: "Go to the Apple Watch app on your phone and select 'Mobile Data'. If it says 'Activating' that means it's working and all you need to do is wait for it to complete. It can take up to 2 hours, but may complete quicker."

If this doesn't work though and they're presented with an error message such as, "activation failed," "Error code 019," "Error code 007," or "this account is not ready to use with Apple Watch," they're being requested to give the operator a call to try and get it up and running from their end instead.

Unsurprisingly, EE has been inundated with calls and messages about the fault and with only six people on the company's support team dealing with the issue, it may be those having problems will have to wait some time on hold before they can rectify the issue.

28/09/2017:The Twitter Apple Watch app has disappeared from the device, with Twitter instead choosing to focus on improving the way notifications appear on the Watch from a user's iPhone.

On the iTunes App Store web page, Twitter states it is no longer compatible with the watch, as reported by TechCrunch. Users who have updated to the latest iOS and watchOS have also reported that the Twitter Watch app has disappeared.

The publication reported that the app was removed following an update of Twitter for iOS (version 7.8).Twitter's watch app began crashing earlier in the week, MacRumorsreported,so Twitter may have pulled the app in order to give it an update.

A number of watch apps were removed in the first half of 2017, including those from Amazon, Google Maps and eBay.

IT Pro understands the app has been removed, but that the Watch will instead mirror iPhone Twitter notifications, enabling users to view images and other Twitter content directly on their Watch.

A Twitter spokesperson said: "We heard from people that notifications were the most helpful part of the Apple Watch Twitter experience. With this, we are focusing on supporting more robust, media-rich notifications. We are committed to providing the very best Twitter experience on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Watch, and we'll continue to iterate and improve our apps across all platforms."

Additionally, the LTE version of the new Apple Watch has problems making phone calls and using cellular data without the presence of an iPhone nearby, it emerged last week.

Apple admitted that the watch can experience connectivity problems when it connects to open Wi-Fi networks. The tech giant hopes to release a fix in a future software update for the problem.

22/09/2017:Apple's new heart rate monitor won't work with original watch model

The next iteration of Apple Watch OS, watchOS 4, will bring a host of new updates to its health and fitness tracking app, however it has emerged that owners of the original watch series are going to miss out.

The new software upgrade will introduce a new resting heart rate monitoring feature, recently demonstrated at Apple's so-called Special Event earlier this month, but according to 9to5Mac, only users with Series 1, Series 2 and the new Series 3 watches will be able to make use of it.

The reason? The original watch series is simply not powerful enough. Newer Apple Watches received much faster chips and larger battery capacities, and even though the original model is only two years old, it's unable to keep pace with demanding capabilities.

Users have confirmed that the workout heart rate monitor is fully functional on the original watch series, however they are unable to track their resting heart rate.

It's yet another blow to the Apple marketing campaign, after it emerged that a bug in the new LTE connected Apple Watch 3 meant it's signature feature, the ability to make calls or connect to WiFi, was faulty.

Users have confirmed that other features available in watchOS 4, such as tracking cooldowns after a workout, are working on the original Apple Watch.

21/09/2017:Apple Watch LTE has problems making phone calls and using cellular data

Apple's new Watch Series 3 has experienced issues when carrying out phone calls and making use of cellular data on the device without the presence of an iPhone nearby.

Apple has admitted the watch can experience connectivity problems when it connects to open wifi networks, as reported by Reuters.

Apple spokesperson Amy Bessette told the publication that the company is trying to find a fix to include in a future software update.

A number of reviewers have experienced this problem when reviewing the new device. Lauren Goode wrote in The Verge that the watch she reviewed failed at the LTE part.

She wrote: "On more than one occasion, I detached myself from the phone, traveled blocks away from my home or office, and watched the Watch struggle to connect to LTE. It would appear to pick up a single bar of some random Wi-Fi signal, and hang on that, rather than switching to LTE."

Apple sent the publication a statement which read: "...when Apple Watch Series 3 joins unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks without connectivity, it may at times prevent the watch from using cellular. We are investigating a fix for a future software release."

IT Pro has contacted Apple for more information.

There have also been some problems surrounding the devices battery life. Betty Wong Ortiz found that the watch died just under three hours when going on a 20-mile run.

She wrote in Runners World: "I did have the GPS going inside Apple's Workout app while also using the heart rate monitor and Apple Music playlists downloaded directly to the watch. (Thankfully, I knew enough not to stream songs.) And I Bluetoothed that music directly to my headphones--all of which taxes the battery.

"The fix, according to Apple, is to switch to Power Saving Mode in the Workout app, which turns off the watch's cellular and built-in heart rate sensor during your long run; that should get you about five hours of GPS tracking."

The new device is available from tomorrow and prices start at 329. For the LTE version you will also need a cellular plan with EE who have the device as an exclusive in the UK. Buyers can buy the watch with a plan directly from the network or buy it somewhere else and add a plan to the watch afterwards.

Apple Watch 3 release date

The new device opened for pre-orders from 15 September and was available from 22 September in the US. It has launched in the UK and is available from EE.

Apple Watch Series 3 price

The Apple Watch 3 is priced differently for each model depending on how big your wrist is; it comes in the slightly cheaper 38mm version of the 48 mm version. The starting price for the former is 329 whereas the latter is 359. The price increases more if you go for the cellular version, to either 399 or 429.

Like its predecessors, there are also a number of different styles available for you to choose to suit your taste. You can choose from the space grey aluminium case with grey sport band, silver aluminum case with fog sport band, gold aluminium case with pink sand sport band and space grey aluminium case with black sport band.

If those versions don't interest you, and you don't mind splashing a bit of extra cash, then Apple has also produced two stainless steel case versions. They come in either black or white and are only available with cellular functionality. The price of this option starts at 599 for the 38mm wrist version and 649 for the 42mm version.

Still not interested? Not to worry - Apple has a couple of other styles up its sleeve. There is a stainless steel case with a Milanese loop cellular version for 699/749. The price rises to 749/799 if you want it in black.

If you want a sporty Apple Watch 3 then there's a Nike version too - it follows the same pattern as those above and the prices start at 329/399.

If you're still doubtful about the styles mentioned above, and want to go all-out, then there is a Hermes Apple Watch 3 version which costs between 1,199 and 1,399 depending on which style you choose.

Lastly, there's also white and black ceramic version starting at 1,299.

Apple Watch specs and features

Apple Watch 3 iPhone independent

The Apple Watch Series 2 needed an iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, SE, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7 or 7 Plus, and iOS 10 or later. This was because much of the"heavy lifting" was done by the phone, which then pushed information to the device.

Now, the Apple Watch Series 3 has cellular connectivity and can operate independently, without needing to be near an iPhone all the time. There is a version of it which is non-cellular and is, obviously, cheaper.

The cellular version means users can go for a run with just the watch and stay connected, leaving their phone behind. It uses the same number as a user's iPhone and you can use maps, receive important phone calls and use third party apps such as WeChat. It has up to 18 hours battery life and you can also use Apple music to stream over 40 million songs from your wrist.

Apple Watch 3 specs

The watch has a new dual core processor which is 70% faster and Siri can talk on it for the first time ever. Apple has made their own custom wireless chip, called the W2, which provides 85% faster wi-fi and is 50% more power efficient. There is also a barometric altimeter to measure what elevation you reach when you are running.

Interestingly, the actual display of the watch is its antenna and Apple integrated an electronic sim into the device, which is a fraction of the size of a nano sim. The case is the same as the Series 2 except the back has been extended by 0.25mm, the same size as two sheets of paper.

It has a capacity of 8GB, a heart rate sensor, an acceloremeter and gyroscope and is also water resistant to 50 metres.

The cellular version is slightly different and has a capacity of 16GB.

The Apple Watch Series 3 comes in a 38mm version, weighing 26.7g or 28.7g with cellular, or a 42mm version, weighing 32.3g or 34.9g with cellular.

Apple Watch 3 watchOS 4

Apple has revealed that watchOS 4 will be available from 19 September.

There are new watchOS 4 icons which indicate Apple is preparing the Watch 3 to support a number of workouts. iHelp BRspotted new stick figure icons in the iOS 11 internal files and code. These new movements range from skiing in the snow, playing baseball and even dancing.

Apple Watch 3 Bands

A number of bands are available including in gold, silver and space grey. There is also a sport loop, for those with an active lifestyle, and exclusive colours for the Nike bands. Apple has also added a ceramic watch in grey finish as well as the standard white.

Apple Pay and NFC

Apple Paywill probably remain on the Watch Series 3 as Apple continues encouraging users to take advantage of the service. After all, it removes the need for taking your card, or phone, out of your pocket to pay for items since the watch is ony your wrist.

Apple Watch 3 Apps

There are already thousands of apps available for Apple Watch 2 so hopefully many of them will be available for the Series 3. Take a look at some of them below:

Health and Fitness

Apple Watch has been positioned as a health and fitness companion, as well as a mobile device, with the HealthKit developer platform underpinning it all.

As well as built-in fitness tracking and motivation apps like Workout, Move and Activity, third-party apps like Nike+ Running, Runtastic, Strava, and Lifesum are also available straight away. Apps for more holistic exercise regimes, such as yoga, are available as well.

Travel

Travel companies were very quick to develop apps for Apple Watch, with airline apps such as British Airways and EasyJet allowing the user to track their flight status in real time, as well as informing them of when their gate has opened and providing a weather forecast for their destination.

Expedia and TripAdvisor also have Apple Watch apps. The former lets users check their upcoming travel itineraries, including flights and hotel information, while the latter can provide them of things to do, restaurants to visit and other important tourist information in their surroundings.

Other travel apps include National Rail, Uber, and remote car unlocking for VW and BMW cars.

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest all developed Apple Watch apps.

The Twitter app notifies users of new tweets or retweets via a tap on the wrist, which they can also read in full on the Apple Watch Screen. Wearers can also use the app to compose tweets via voice and follow trending topics.

Instagram, meanwhile, lets users browse their feeds, like photos, and leave emoji comments, as well as delivering notifications.

Business

There is a significant number of productivity-focused apps available for Apple Watch, including Salesforce and over 20 Salesforce partners, Invoice2go, Wunderlist and OfficeTime.

Apple Watch 3 further news

19/09/2017: EE unveils UK prices for Apple Watch Series 3

Mobile network EE has unveiled the prices customers can buy a Apple Watch Series 3 for and opened pre-orders too.

All Apple watches are priced at 25 for 24 months, which works out at 600 in total, and have unlimited data. The devices also share minutes and texts allowances from a user's phone. If you choose the 42mm version of any watch it will cost you 29.99 extra compared to the 38mm version.

EE currently has the aluminium version in gold, silver and space grey, the Nike+ aluminium version in silver or space grey, and the white stainless steel version.

Customers will need to pay an upfront cost of 129.99 for the stainless steel version of the watch, or 159.99 for the 42mm version, although the upfront cost for the other versions it offers starts at 0.

Users who buy their watch from other sellers can set up a data plan with EE through the Apple Watch Series 3 app. In the app select "Set up Mobile Data" where you will be able to log in with an EE account and select a plan.

On Twitter, EE stated that if a user buys their watch from somewhere else and wants to add a data plan, customers will have six months free unlimited data and it will then be 5 per month for 10GB. Full pricing and tariffs are yet to be confirmed andIT Prohas contacted EE for more information.

If you buy the Apple Watch Series 3 silver aluminium version from EE directly it will cost you the 29.00 upfront fee plus 25 per month for 24 months which altogether is 629.99. This gives you unlimited data too.

If you buy the same version of the device from Apple it will cost you 429.99. You can then add the 10GB/5 a month deal, which for 24 months comes to 120. This, combined with the watch price, will cost 549.99 which is cheaper than what EE are selling it for but will only get you 10GB of data.

EE says that while your Apple Watch is connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth, it will use the phone's data allowance instead of its own. The network also says the watch will not work with another network and data is UK use only so this function will not be available if you take it abroad.

At launch, the device is an exclusive on EE and the network says you will need an iPhone SE, an iPhone 6 or above on the EE network with either a SIM only or pay monthly plan to use the watch.

The device is set to launch on 22 September, which is this Friday.iOS 11andwatchOS 4both launch today which many Apple fans will be happy about.

15/09/2017: Apple Watch 3 may not support international roaming

The LTE Apple Watch 3 may not have international roaming and users will not be able to change their network when they go abroad.

Reddit user learnjavaaskedApple Support whether the watch would be able to roam outside its home country.

The user wrote: "The watch will not support roaming. At all. For Europeans that means your country only, even after the recent (June) law about European roaming freedom."

"There is no way to use a European watch with e.g. a US-carrier. The hardware might support identical bands (but even then way different than what we are used to from iPhones) but the service rep told me that it is not clear when and if at all it will be possible to change countries. Could be a hardware limit."

Mobile network EE toldIT Prothat Apple has designed the product so it cannot connect to cellular networks when abroad. In order for it to be compliant with EU law EE said it has an EE Smart Watch data plan which is set up as a domestic-only plan. EE added that customers can still use their iPhone in the EU using their UK data allowance.

IT Prohas also contacted Apple for comment.

Reddit user LazyA**edAssasin pointed at the Apple Watch'sdata pagewhich shows that 3 different models are available in different regions of the world. The UK model does not support UMTS and Apple states at the bottom of the page that "roaming is not available outside your provider network coverage area".

This could potentially come into conflict withEU lawwhich forces networks to drop mobile roaming charges earlier this year. The European Commission stated: "If you pay for a monthly package of minutes, SMS and data in your country, any voice call, SMS and data session you make while travelling abroad in the EU will be deducted from that volume as if you were at home, with no extra charges. This means the end of roaming charges as travellers have experienced them so far."

Additionally, this may also be a problem for UK customers who wanted to buy the new watch in the US and save a little money since Apple has set the price of its products at the same price in dollars and pounds.

14/09/2017: Apple Watch 3 battery life plummets on talk time

The cellular-enabled Apple Watch 3 might not be quite as useful as Apple would have us believe.

When Apple made its latest wearable its first big announcement at Tuesday's special event, boasting about its data connectivity that allows it to act as your mobile phone, what CEO Tim Cook et al neglected to tell us was its battery life suffers badly when it's used in this way.

Watch 3's battery life stands at 18 hours after a full night's charge when using it for activities such as checking the time and using apps, Apple says. It lasts up to 10 hours when playing back music when connected to an iPhone via Bluetooth.

But when using the Watch 3 to take a phone call in connection with an iPhone, that 18 hours drastically falls to just three hours of battery life - and drops even further to just over one hour when using LTE to chat.

First spotted by9to5Mac, Apple'sbattery information pageon the Watch 3 spills the beans. The wearable lasts 10 hours for indoor workouts and five hours with outdoor workouts involving GPS. If using both GPS and LTE during a workout, the battery life falls to four hours.

For a watch that is promoting itself on its LTE and GPS capabilities, the actual battery life when using these features is quite low.

20:40:Apple Watch Series 3 UK prices unveiled

The Apple Watch Series 3 prices have been unveiled on the company'swebsite.

It will start at 329, for a wrist size of 38mm, or 359, for a 48mm wrist size.If you want the cellular version then that will set you back 399 or 429.

These styles are available to choose from at these starting prices: Silver aluminium case with fog sport band, gold aluminium case with pink sand sport band, space grey aluminium case with grey sport band, space grey aluminium case with black sport band.

There are also two stainless steel case versions which come in either white or black and are only available as the GPS and cellular version which will start at 599 for the 38mm version and 649 for the 42mm one.

Additionally, there is a stainless steel case with a Milanese loop version for 699/749 and it only comes in the GPS and cellular version too. The black version is priced at 749/799.

The Nike watch styles follow the same pattern and are starting prices are between 329 and 399.

For those who want to splash their cash, there is a Hermes version which costs between 1,199 and 1,399 depending on what style you go for.

Lastly, there is a white and black ceramic versions which start at 1,299.

EE is the only network in the UK which the new Apple Watch is currently available on.

The normal GPS device needs an iPhone 5s or later with iOS 11 installed. The cellular version of the watch needs an iPhone 6 or later with iOS 11 on it too.

The Apple Watch and phone provider must be the same, which means you will need a phone contract with EE for it to work.

19:04:The Watch Series 3 is only available with EE in the UK

EE is offering UK customers to register for the Apple Watch Series 3 on theirwebsiteand will let them know when it is ready to pre-order.

It is an exclusive for the network although it has not said how much the device will cost in the UK. Apple said at its event that prices for the cellular watch would start from $399 and $329 for the non-cellular version.

That's about 300 for the cellular version and 248 for the non-cellular one, as long as EE does not raise the price.

The new watch will be able to work independently of a user's iPhone and has its own SIM which means it can make and receive calls. It shares the same number as the iPhone and has a built-in electronic SIM so user's don't have to worry about buying a separate one from a network.

Its dual-core processor is 70% faster than its predecessor and the device will have up to 18 hours battery life.

18:44:Apple unveiled the new Apple Watch Series 3 at its event in California

The watch will cost $399 for the cellular version and $329 for the non-cellular. It will be available in the UK with EE at launch. Orders begin 15 September and it will be available from 22 September if you want to get your wrists on one of these.

It has cellular built in which means users can go for a run with just the watch and stay connected, leaving their phone behind. It uses the same number as the iPhone and you can use maps, receive important phone calls and use third-party apps such as WeChat. It has up to 18 hours battery life and you can also use Apple music to stream over 40 million songs from your wrist.

The watch has a new dual-core processor which is 70% faster and Siri can talk on it for the first time ever. Apple has made their own custom wireless chip, called the W2, which provides 85% faster wi-fi and is 50% more power efficient. There is also a barometric altimeter to measure what elevation you reach when you are running.Interestingly, the actual display of the watch is its antenna and Apple integrated an electronic sim into the device, which is a fraction of the size of a nano sim. The case is the same as the Series 2 except the back has been extended by 0.25mm, the same size as two sheets of paper.

A number of bands are available including in gold, silver and space grey. There is also a sport loop, for those with an active lifestyle, and exclusive colours for the Nike bands. Apple has also added a ceramic watch in agrey finish as well as the standard white.

18:20:Tim Cook has kicked off the Apple event by talking about the Apple Watch.

"The Apple Watch is now the number one watch in the world" said Cook. It was previously the fourth most popular watch in the world. He also said the Watch grew by 50% last quarter which he called "incredible".

12/09/2017:Apple is reportedly working with Stanford University and telehealth firm American Well to test whether the heart rate sensor built into the Apple Watch is capable of detecting abnormal heart rhythms in patients.

The technology is typically used to track heart rates while exercising, however it's thought it could be refined enough to accurately detect arrhythmias, or heart abnormalities, or patients that are at a high risk of serious diseases, according to aCNBCreport.

Arrhythmias aren't always a sign of a serious problem, however a condition known as atrial fibrillation can mean a patient may be at high risk of blood clots, strokes, and other complications, while showing no external symptoms. The thought is that the Apple Watch could be used as an early screening tool that alerts users to consult a doctor.

"Atrial fibrillation is a common rhythm disorder and knowing someone has it is medically useful because those people might need specific treatments," said Bob Wachter, chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, speaking toCNBC.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently suggested the company was looking into heart health apps for the Apple Watch. Speaking in an interview withFortune, he said an early goal for the device was "performing some measurements of your health that people were not measuring, at least continually. Like your heart. Very few people wore heart monitors. We're extremely interested in this area. And yes, it is a business opportunity."

Those involved with the test have requested to remain anonymous as the plans have yet to be made public, according to the report, however they did confirm that a clinical trial is scheduled for the end of the year.

11/09/2017: LTE Apple Watch 3 to use the same phone number as iPhone it's paired with

The Apple Watch Series 3 will share the same phone number as the iPhone linked to it, a massive leak of the iOS 11 golden master (GM) code that took place over the weekend revealed.

The leak shows that the Apple Watch will use LTE cellular networks to make and receive calls and data independently of the iPhone, according to9to5Mac.

Users will be able to add their Watch 3 to their iPhone plan, meaning both devices will share the same number.

The code also appears to suggest that some carriers will offer promotional plans for the LTE Apple Watch, perhaps including free months of service.

The upcoming Apple Watch 3 appears to have a similar form to the Apple Watch Series 2,9to5Macreported,which suggests buyers can use their bands from previous generations.

The GM leak also revealeda number of details, including that Apple plans to release three iPhones, the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X. The X will be Apple's flagship previously referred to as the iPhone 8, while the 8 and 8 Plus will be what were being referred to as the 7s and 7s Plus, showing Apple is killing the 's' branding. The leak also reveals that Face ID is definitely set to appear in the iPhone X.

This is potentially the biggest and most revealing leak ever, with an Apple insider reportedly making the code available to two news websites.

28/07/2017:Apple Watch Series 3 could be released at the same time as the iPhone 8

Rumours that Apple could release the next Apple Watch this year have intensified following a report that shows its manufacturer is expected to enjoy strong growth in the second-half of 2017.

Quanta Computer is the main manufacturer of the Apple Watch since its official launch in 2015, as reported byMacRumors. The publication said Apple is meant to be keeping Quanta as its main supplier for the next installment of the watch and this means the company should begin the second half of 2017 strongly.

The website also predicts that, while theiPhone 8is raising a lot of media attention, Apple may launch a new Apple Watch this year - potentially at the same time the new phone is announced in September. Apple pursued this strategy when it announced the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2 in the same month.

The new watch is rumoured to have cellular connectivity, meaning that users can make calls and send messages without needing to connect the device to the iPhone. Despite this, it may mean that users will have to have two separate cellular plans: one for their watch and one for their phone.

There have been reports that Apple may not be able to produce enough iPhone 8 devices for its launch in September due to a shortage of OLED panels at assembly plants. This may mean that although the iPhone 8 will potentially make its debut in September, not all customers will be able to buy one, which isn't different to any other iPhone launch.

07/06/2017:Apple watchOS 4 announced at WWDC 2017

Apple showcased the watchOS 4 operating system at WWDC 2017 and highlighted a host of new features including new Siri integrations and fitness features.

New fitness features include personalised updates, monthly challenges and celebrations when you hit a goal. The watch will let you jump into any workout with just a tap, includes a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) mode and lets you track your swims better. To help users get the most out of a workout, the watch will now automatically turn a Do Not Disturb setting when you begin a workout too.

Music has been changed too as the Apple Watch will automatically sync playlists that have been curated for you to the watch. Added Bluetooth functionality means the watch can connect to other health and fitness devices too, potentially even for monitoring glucose levels while exercising.

Developers can currently access the developer preview but the public will have to wait until the autumn to get their hands/wrists on the new update.

Make sure you check out ourApple watchOS 4 hubfor all the details

19/05/2017:Tim Cook spotted sporting Watch with blood sugar tracker

Apple CEO Tim Cook has been spotted with a special version of the Watch on his wrist, which includes a prototype blood sugar tracker. That follows previous reports that Apple was looking to sell a glucose sensor that can connect to the Apple Watch to help those with diabetes.

The first version of the Apple Watch included a heart-rate sensor, but didn't feature GPS or waterproofing, meaning it was less useful for fitness tracking. The Apple Watch 2 included both features, making it handy for runners, swimmers and other athletics. It now looks as though Apple is adding health to the Watch's capabilities.

According to aCNBCreport, Cook was spotted wearing a prototype sensor that connects to the Apple Watch while at the company's headquarters. Cook has previously discussed the idea of a glucose sensor, and said he'd been wearing one, while in Edinburgh giving a talk to university students, but said at the time he removed it before the trip. At the time, he said it was "mentally anguishing to stick yourself many times a day to check your blood sugar," CNBC reported, noting that the Apple glucose tracker will be non-invasive.

He suggested the sensor would be useful to people at risk of diabetes, as they could track their body's response to what they're eating and "adjust well before they become diabetic".

The glucose sensor is thought to be a "smart band" that attaches to the Watch to extend it's capabilities, rather than a feature built into a new version of the wearable.

12/05/2017: Will the next Apple Watch offer sleep tracking?

Apple has acquired Beddit, a Finnish sleep tracking firm, in a move that could signal the technology is coming to Apple Watch.

Sleep tracking technology is common in wearables, particularly when it comes to specialist health and fitness devices. Despite Apple pushing its smartwatch's health credentials, it has never included sleep tracking as an integral part of the device, although it's a commonly requested feature.

Beddit's device, which has been on sale in Apple Stores since 2015, isn't a wearable itself, though. Instead, it consists of a 1.5mm thick strip that users place on top of their mattress and is plugged into a mains socket for power. It can then monitor many aspects of a person's sleep, including their heart rate, time and quality of sleep, and whether the user is snoring. It also includes an intelligent alarm system that wakes users during their lightest phase of sleep.

The question now is whether Apple has acquired the company for its software or its hardware - or both. Indeed, the Beddit app has been one of several that have filled the sleep-tracking gap left by Apple Watch.In order to integrate Beddit's technology into the Apple Watch itself, however, the device would need a significant hardware upgrade currently, the device is unable to track sleep as it requires recharging each night.

02/05/2017:A number of leading tech companies have silently killed off their Apple Watch apps, according to a report byApple Insider.

Google has joined Amazon, Ebay, and US retailer Target by dropping support for its WatchOS Maps app in a recent April update, although no official announcement was made, the publication said. So far the dropped apps include Amazon's shopping service and Google Maps.

Google has stated toApple Insiderthat although it has dropped support for Google Maps, it plans to add it once again in the future.

It is unclear why the companies decided to remove the apps, however, though it may be that the services weren't widely used by Apple Watch owners, rather than necessarily an indication of a struggling platform.

However it could also be a sign that the platform is no longer lucrative. It is no secret that Apple has found it difficult to convince customers of the platform's potential, with estimates fromIDC analystssuggesting as much as a 71.6% drop in sales in the third quarter of 2016.

And Apple isn't alone, with wider sales of smartwatches tanking over the last year. Google is struggling to sell its Android Wear range amid poor customer demand, and development of its latest version was pushed back after third party manufacturers such as Motorola abandoned device production at the end of last year.

The market was also hit with the shock news that Pebble, the company considered a leading exponent of smart watch technology, was being sold off to Fitbit forpractically nothingin December.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus arrived with much fanfare at the company's annual launch event in September 2016 and came out in the UK almost instantly.

The devices have proven to be quite a hit for the smartphone manufacturer, and helped it reclaim its position as the top smartphone manufacturer in the world.

We round up all the latest news about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus so you can keep on top of everything happening in the Apple-verse.

You can find our iPhone 7 review here.

Apple iPhone 7: at a glance

• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus UK release date was 16 September 2016
• iPhone 7 UK price starts at 549
• iPhone 7 Plus UK price starts at 669
• Get both models in 32GB or 128GB
• Available in a range of colours, including black, grey and red

iPhone 7: latest news

04/12/2017:Apple and (RED) raise over $30 million to fight AIDS

Apple has raised over $30 million this year for the Global Fund, a charity set upby U2 singer Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006to fight AIDS.

The company made the announcement last Thursday, the day before World AIDS Day, and said over the past 11 years Apple customers have provided an equivalent of 475 million days of life-saving medication.

"Connecting through our products and services helps make it easy for our customers to join us in the effort to create the first AIDS-free generation," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP of environment, policy and social initiatives. "By working with (RED) to stop the transmission of HIV from mums to their unborn babies, we're already seeing a significant impact in areas where help is needed most. We're committed to continuing the fight and empowering future generations through these vital efforts."

(RED) has raised over $500 million since the company's inception.

"Apple's commitment to the AIDS fight is unparalleled. It's not just the staggering $160 million raised for the Global Fund that has impacted many millions of lives, it's their ability to bring heat, awareness, energy and eyeballs to keep this issue front and centre," said Deb Dugan, CEO at (RED). "Their unwavering support cannot be underestimated, and we thank every Apple employee for helping (RED) reach the milestone of half a billion dollars delivered to help end this disease."

To call attention to World AIDS Day 2017, more than 400 Apple stores featured a red Apple logo for the week. For every Apple Pay transaction made at a retail location, online or in-app, the company made a $1 donation to the Global Fund.

In March, Apple released a red version of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to raise money for HIV research efforts (see below).

22/03/2017: As predicted, Apple has released a red version of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, to help raise money for HIV research efforts.

Some of the profits from the new iPhone will be donated to the charity (RED), which was founded by U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver in 2006, to help fund efforts to combat HIV and deliver an "AIDS free generation". Apple has previously released red products, including a red iPod and red Apple Watch fluoroelastomer strap, also in aid of (RED).

James Moar, an analyst at Juniper Research told the BBCApple is trying desperately hard to be associated with ethical matters for the greater good and launching a (RED) iPhone, with profits going towards the foundation, goes some way to doing this.

"It is a way of them kind of beefing up that side of their business," he said.

All the money (RED) receives is donated to the Global Fund, which provides grants for HIV/AIDS programmes, including education, testing and treatment in areas most affected by the disease.

At the same time as launching the (RED) iPhone 7, the company also announced a new video app that would take cues from Snapchat's instant media sharing app.

"Fun effects including comic book filters, speech bubbles, shapes and full-screen animated posters help bring out the personality in videos made with Clips,"Apple said.

Continue reading to find out the iPhone 7's release date and price

iPhone 7 release date

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus launched at Apple'sSpecial Event on 7 September, and both went on sale in the UK on 16 September. Pre-orders were available from 9 September.

iPhone 7 UK price

The iPhone 7 costs upwards of 549, and the 7 Plus upwards of 669.

The prices are higher than the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were when they launched (539 and 619 respectively), but Apple has doubled the phones' storage capacities from 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB to 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. Apple no longer sells the 256GB version so you will have to look elsewhere if you want to purchase it.

However, like-for-like prices jumped: the iPhone 6 128GB model was priced at 699 at launch, and the iPhone 7 128GB model price is the same. But while the 6s Plus launched at 789, the iPhone 7 Plus 128GB model is 30 more expensive, at 819. Apple hasn't given a reason, but it is thought Brexit may have pushed the price up, after the UK's decision to leave the EU caused sterling to plummet in value. OnePlus raised its phone price from 309 to 329 in response to Brexit.

Check out our pricing table below for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus UK prices.

iPhone 7 best deals

If you're happy to sign up to a 24-month contract for your iPhone, networks are furiously competing with each other to offer the best deals available, with inclusive minutes and texts, a variety of different data options and extra perks such as free music subscriptions or inclusive roaming abroad.

Three

Although Three's tariffs are by no way the cheapest per month, they do offer more data, minutes and unlimited texts. For example, opt for a mammoth 4GB data for the 32GB iPhone 7 and you'll pay just 38 a month, although there is a 149 upfront cost.

For the 128GB version, this increases to 43 a month, with the same 149 upfront, while the 256GB version will only cost an extra 5 a month - for all that extra storage!

As is usually the case, the best prices are for two-year contracts, so although long-term, they're the most manageable on a monthly basis.

O2

If you'd rather pay a lot less upfront, but are happy paying a bigger monthly fee, O2's tariffs could be just the biscuit. Starting at just 39.99 upfront for the 32GB iPhone 7, this network's cheapest tariff is 60 a month. But that will give you an absolutely ridiculous 30GB a month data, meaning you can probably scrap your broadband too.

For a more sensible, everyday option, you can pay the slightly higher fee of 59.99 upfront and then 46.50 a month if you think you'll only use 3GB data a month

That same tariff for the 128GB version will add an extra fiver onto the monthly cost, while upping the capacity to 256GB will set you back 56.50 a month, with the handset costing a tenner cheaper at 49.99 upfront.

EE

EE's forte is 4G network coverage and as you'd expect, all of its iPhone 7 plans come with 4G support.

Like O2, EE is focussing on cutting the upfront cost of the iPhone 7 in order to attract those who'd rather pay for the majority of their device over a two-year period.

For example, 55.99 a month will get you the 32GB iPhone 7, 7GB data, unlimited calls and texts, plus you'll only need to pay 9.99 upfront. Upgrade to the 128GB iPhone 7 and you'll pay 49.99 upfront, with monthly repayments of 55.99. OK, maybe not as attractive as the smaller capacity iPhone 7, but not a bad proposition if you're after 5GB data.

The best deal for the 256GB iPhone 7 will increase that upfront payment to 99.99 a month, but it'll give you 10GB data for 60.99 a month.

Vodafone

Vodafone offers the most interesting added extras for anyone who likes a freebie. With the company's Red bundles, you can opt to add on a NOW TV Entertainment Pass, Spotify Premium or Sky Sports Mobile TV package when you sign up, but beware - these add-ons come with a cost because the contract prices are some of the highest out there.

The 32GB version is available from 32 a month, with a hefty 250 fee upfront, while the 128GB version ups this to 37 a month with 300 upfront. If you want to get your hands on the 256GB version, that'll cost 42 a month with 320 when you sign up. These lowest tariffs will get you a tiny 500MB data, 500 minutes to UK phones and unlimited texts, which probably won't even satisfy the average device user.

GiffGaff

If you want to buy the iPhone 7 upfront from Apple whether by paying the full 599-799 or its pay monthly plan, GiffGaff offers the best rolling, SIM-only contracts to save you money over the lifetime of the device.

The no-frills network is charging 20 a month for its tariff, which, if you add that onto the cost of the handset, turns out you're paying between 1,079 and 1,179 over a 12-month period.

iPhone 7 colours

The iPhone 7 is available in five colours - Jet black, regular black, silver, gold and rose gold.

The exclusive Jet black colour, which is a brand new colour for Apple, is only available in 128GB and 256GB iterations, presumably designed to exude luxury.

It's a high-gloss finish produced using a nine-step anodisation and polishing process and although its surface is equally as hard as other anodised Apple products, the company warns its high shine might show up scratches more than the other colourways. It therefore suggests you hide the shiny surface away by slipping it into a case to protect the fragility surface - a bit pointless if you want to show off you have the brand new colour.

In terms of pricing for the different coloured editions, they all enter the market at the same price, although it's possible retailers will reduce some of the more unpopular colours as the iPhone 8's appearance approaches in order to get rid of stock.

iPhone 7 features

iPhone 7 operating system

The iPhone 7 family runsiOS 10.

The advantage of iOS 10 is it will automatically protect against a recently discovered iPhone threat, dubbed Trident. Trident is particularly dangerous for companies with iPhone deployments, because once installed, it syphons off messages - encrypted or not - to the hacker who launched the attack. That means all data on a business device is at risk of being stolen. While Apple quickly addressed the vulnerability with a patch in iOS 9.3.5, not everyone will have downloaded it, but iOS 10 will include the patch too.

iPhone 7 camera and photos

The camera has become something of a flagship feature for Apple's smartphones and the iPhone 7 is no exception.

The iPhone 7 sports a 12-megapixel camera, the same as the iPhone 6s, and offers three times longer exposure than its predecessor. It also lets 50% more light onto the sensor, which is 60% faster than the 6s's, too.

Apple's image signal processor, which is the brains of the camera, uses machine learning to identify people and objects in photos and to set white balance. The processor is also capable of recognising a greater variety of colours, as well.

While the iPhone 7's camera is a clear improvement on the last, it's the iPhone 7s camera that really catches the eye. For a start, it has two cameras - a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens, allowing it to zoom up to 10x on a shot without compromising image quality.

iPhone 7 display

Compared to the iPhone 6s's screen, the iPhone 7 is 25% brighter, utilising a feature called Wide Color for the first time. Wide Color is Apple's term forDCI-P3, a range of colours that became a standard for digital movie projection in the US film industry.

While both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have Wide Color, they lack True Tone (which the 9.7in iPad Pro does have).

One of the biggest changes on the iPhone 6s was the 3D Touch screen - an advancement on the Force Touch technology seen on the Apple Watch and most recent MacBook. You'll be glad to know that 3D Touch has now made it to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

3D Touch allows sensors below the screen to detect whether the user has applied a tap, a press, or a deep press. It is this deep press recognition that is used for Live Photos, as well as 'Peeks' which let you see previews of emails, websites and photos, and 'Pops', which let you open the full email, site or photo simply by pressing down harder.

Siri

Siri has been part of iPhone since 2010, but its appearance in iOS 10 brings a whole heap of updates to the six-year-old voice assistant, so it's cleverer than ever before.

It alreadysits at the heart not just of iPhone, but also iPads, Apple TV and the company's burgeoning smart home ecosystem.

But with iOS 10, Siri becomes a bigger part of many of your go-to apps. On stage, Craig Federighi showed how wider Siri support works: You can instruct it to "Send aWeChattoNancysayingI'll be five minutes late", for instance. By opening up Siri to third-party developers, Apple has made it more useful - it'll soon be present in WhatsApp, Uber, Lyft, Slack, Map My Run, Pinterest and more.

Continue reading for iPhone 7 specs

iPhone 7 specs

iPhone 7 processor, storage and RAM

In terms of hardware, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus use a new A10 system-on-a-chip (SOC), the successor to the A9 SOC that powers the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and SE.

The A10 is 40% faster than the A9 and is twice as fast as the old A8, while it boasts 3.3 billion transistors and four cores.

While the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have 2GB of RAM, the same as the 6s and 6s Plus, Apple has overhauled its storage tiers. Starting by axing the 16GB and 64GB models, the 7 and 7 Plus double the storage capacities of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Instead of 16GB, 64GB and 128GB, the 7 family comes in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB sizes. The Jet Black colour iPhone is only available in the last two sizes.

iPhone 7 battery life

Apple believes the 7's battery life is two hours longer than that of the 6s, and the 7 Plus offers one hour longer than the 6s Plus.

By the tech giant's count, the 7 offers up to 14 hours talk time on 3G, compared to the 7 Plus's 21 hours. The iPhone 7 offers internet use for 12 hours on 3G and 4G and 14 hours on Wi-Fi; the 7 Plus can do 13 hours on 3G and 4G, and 15 hours on Wi-Fi.

Standby time is up to 10 days on the 7 and 16 days on the 7 Plus.

iPhone 7 casing and headphone jack

We'll get to the headphones in just a moment; one important, less-talked-about improvement on the iPhone 7 is the much-hated antennae bands that covered the top back of the chassis on previous models.

These were included to allow radio waves to penetrate the new metal chassis design, but Apple has improved its technology and design to do away with them on the iPhone 7, hiding them away inside the chassis instead.

Headphone jack

Apple has killed the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Yes, that's right, the 3.5mm port for headphones is no more. Instead, Apple is shipping EarPods with each iPhone 7 sold - these connect through the Lightning port instead of the jack. If you're attached (forgive the pun) to your own set of headphones, though, don't worry: Apple also includes an adaptor in the box, so you can plug your own headphones into the Lightning port instead.

But, of course, Apple hasn't stopped there. Always intent on surprising people, the tech giant also revealed the AirPods (pictured above). These wireless earpieces rely on Bluetooth to connect to your iPhone, and use infrared to detect when they're in your ears - they won't play when they're just in your pocket. In a neat touch, you can also double tap them to speak to Siri.

Continue reading for iPhone 7 colours, versions, accessories and to find out if it will be a success

iPhone 7 versions, colours and accessories

iPhone 7 versions and colours

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will keep the iPhone's current dimensions of 4.7in and 5.5in across the diagonal respectively, but they'll boast all new colours.

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be available in RoseGold, Gold, Silver, Black, and Jet Black, getting rid of the Space Gray colour of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s.

Accessories

All iPhones come with ear pods included, and the iPhone 7 is no exception. However, tech-loving users may choose to upgrade and buy the AirPods (above) or even one of Apple's Beats wireless headphones, instead.

As with previous editions, the iPhone 7 will have its fair share of accessories, including a smart battery pack case that can charge the phone on the go, and a Lightning Dock to charge and sync the device.

Will the iPhone 7 be a success?

At a consumer level, it is highly unlikely that the iPhone 7 and its variants will bomb. As reported by Nikkei in January, although there was a glut of inventory in the first quarter of 2016, "Apple's products and brand have not lost their appeal, and older models have continued to sell".

Indeed, iPhones were a major driving force behind Apple's record-breaking Q4 2015 financial results.

Additionally, the iPhone 7 is a new model, rather than an 's' series update like the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

iPhone 7 in the enterprise

Apple has been working hard to boost its presence in the enterprise, primarily through partnerships with other large tech companies such as Cisco and IBM, leveraging these to create a $25 billion business selling to B2B.

While it has largely been thought these alliances have been formed to help push the use of iPads as business devices, officially they are for all products running on iOS - which includes iPhones.

However, research group Ovum tellsIT Pro that the iPhone 7 won't enhance Apple's enterprise strategy particularly.

Mike Sapien, analyst for Ovum's US Enterprise Practice, said: "I did not hear anything specific that will build on its enterprise strategy or adoption. At the same list price, it seems like the only major attraction will be any upgrade program that promotes the upgrade or switch from Android devices, which are not likely but may be offered by the mobile operators. I can't see major moves by businesses to promote the switch from what I have heard so far."';

However, the use of iOS in business grew in Q3 2015, according to a report from Good Technology, having lost some market share to Android in the first half of the year, and it has always been the most popular OS used in the enterprise.

With this in mind, it is likely, therefore, that the iPhone 7 will eventually be a success in the enterprise although uptake will almost certainly be slower and steadier than in the consumer space.

News

06/03/2017:A red iPhone 7 could be the newest addition to Apple's flagship device line up, according to rumours. Not only that,Get Readinghas suggested it could be launching later this month at an as yet unannounced Apple event that could also see the release of a new iPad Pro and a higher capacity iPhone SE.

This would be in keeping with Apple's usual March announcement, which is the only time it tends to launch new products apart from September.

A red iteration of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus would be in support of Bono and Bobby Shriver'sHIV/AIDS campaign, under the (RED) banner. Apple has taken part in the campaign for the last few years, alongside other companies such as Mophie, which makes a special edition red Juice Pack for the iPhone 7 already and Beats, another Apple-owned company, which has launched special edition headphones for the cause.

The (RED) iPhones in the past haven't cost any extra, although companies involved are required to donate a proportion of the sales to the charity.

24/02/2017:Samsung isn't the only mobile maker with battery woes: Apple is now investigating an apparent battery fire on the iPhone 7 Plus.

Video of a phone owned by a teenager in Arizona is making the rounds, showing the device smoking with a cracked body.

The iPhone owner had brought the device into an Apple Store the day before the incident, complaining that it wasn't turning on. It started to smoke while plugged in to charge next to her as she slept.

Apple has reportedly said it's in touch with the customer and looking into the incident.

While there have been reports of other iPhone 7 Plus batteries overheating, the handset has been on sale since September with few such complaints, suggesting the issue may be a few flawed or damaged batteries, rather than a widespread fault like that seen by Samsung.

09/11/2016:Apple's new iPhone 7 came with a new choice of colour, 'Jet Black', which gives the smartphone a glossy appearance, thanks to a nine-step process that includes anodisation and polish.

This new colour was extremely popular among iPhone 7 customers, despite reports that it was extremely delicate and could be damaged fairly easily.

According to a report written by the Japanese publicationMac Otakara, Apple could be considering whether to add a new 'Jet White' colour to those available for iPhone 7 smartphones.

Demand for Apple's new device is particularly high, with many customers still waiting to receive their iPhone 7, particularly in the new Jet Black colouring, and in its Plus version.

On October 25, during a conference call with analysts, Apple chief financial officer Luca Maestri said: "Worldwide demand for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus has significantly outpaced supply, particularly on iPhone 7 Plus."

Apple's new flagship smartphone was launched on 16 September and comes with new features such as dual camera and wireless headphones connected to the phone through a new system called lightening.

Other colours for the iPhone 7 include silver, normal black, gold and rose gold matte.

27/10/2016:Several websites are offering iPhone users in China the possibility to purchase 'iPhone makeover kits', false cameras and dust plugs that hide the headphone jack, to make an iPhone 6 or 6s look like the new iPhone 7.

Several iPhone users are buying these items and re-vamping their old Apple devices instead of buying the new flagship model.

Should this trend spread, it could be detrimental for Apple, which is hoping the new device will help boost its sales.

This mirrors the popular opinion among Chinese Apple users that iPhone 7 is not innovative enough to prompt them to buy it.

A Beijing-based sales workertold Tech 2he was getting a Shenzhen firm to replace his iPhone 6's case, saying: "I don't have the money to upgrade, and the (iPhone) 7 is just so-so."

On Tuesday, Apple's last quarterly statement showed a decline in iPhone sales globally, with Greater China's revenue down by 30% to $8.79 billion.

Counterpoint analyst Neil Shah said: "The iPhone 7 series should help Apple regain lost (China) market share as demand is tracking better than for the iPhone 6s series. Apple needs to offer something cutting-edge to appeal to maturing Chinese smartphone users who are warming to local brands."

10/10/2016:Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said he now thinks the new Lightning audio port on iPhone 7 was a good idea, inan interview withTechRadar.

In August, Wozniak toldThe Australian Financial Reviewthat he believed dropping the headphone jack would "tick off a lot of people".

However, he has since changed his mind, andhe said: "Not that many people used it, I never used it. For those who do use it, you can buy a little adaptor dongle."

Wozniak also had a change of heart in regards to the Apple Watch. "I've come to like my Apple Watch more... I use it enough in my life for things...I enjoy using it and having it. And when I don't use it, I don't even know it's there," he toldTechRadar.

In March, the Apple co-founder had expressed his scepticism about the wearable in a post onReddit. The post read: "I worry a little bit about- I mean I love my Apple Watch, but - it's taken us into a jewelry market where you're going to buy a watch between $500 or $1100 based on how important you think you are as a person.

"The only difference is the band in all those watches. Twenty watches from $500 to $1100. The band's the only difference? Well this isn't the company that Apple was originally, or the company that really changed the world a lot."

Wozniak engineered Apple 1, the first home computer with keyboard and TV screen as a display. While Steve Jobs took care of the creative aspect of Apple products, Wozniak was the mind behind the construction of Apple's first computers and devices.

30/09/2016:An iPhone 7 has reportedly exploded during delivery, prompting fears that Apple's flagship may be suffering similar battery problems tothe ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

One customer received their device only to discover that it appeared to have caught fire and exploded while en route, according to colleague andReddit user 'kroopthesnoop'.

They posted photos of their coworker's destroyed iPhone, noting that they're "not certain" what happened but adding, "something happened between the factory and delivery".

The pictures show that the iPhone was discoloured, partially melted and with the screen coming away from the chassis. The unit bears a strong resemblance to the Note 7 models which overheated and exploded, an incident which prompted Samsung to initiate a full recall of the device.

However, unlike the Note 7, this fault does not appear to be affecting numerous devices. Apple did not respond when asked if multiple customers had reported similar issues.

26/09/2016:Research firm GfK has revealed iPhone 7 sales were lower than expected, saying sales of both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were down 25 per cent year-on-year.

If GfK's numbers are right, that means Apple shifted less than 10m iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus handsets between September 16th and 19th.

However, unlike previous years, Apple didn't release its own sales figures for the iPhone 7 on its launch weekend, explaining in its statement it was due to distribution complications rather than negative shipment results.

"In years past, we've announced how many new iPhones had been sold as of the first weekend following launch. But as we have expanded our distribution through carriers and resellers to hundreds of thousands of locations around the world, we are now at a point where we know before taking the first customer pre-order that we will sell out of iPhone 7.

These initial sales will be governed by supply not demand, we have decided that it is no longer a representative metric for our investors and customers. Therefore we won't be releasing a first-weekend number any longer. We are reiterating the financial guidance for the September quarter that we provided on July 26."

However, Apple said it was expecting the same amount of interest from consumers in the launch weekend because it was allowing preorders a week before it was available from stores.

Last year, Apple sold 13m iPhone 6S and 6S Plus devices over the launch weekend compared to 10m iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices in 2014.

14/09/2016:The iPhone 7 has already broken pre-order records, according to US mobile networks.

Wireless carrier T-Mobile announced that once presales opened on 9 September, the iPhone 7 set a single-day sales record, more than any other smartphone ever sold by the company.

Sprint also announced that iPhone 7 and 7 Plus preorders increased by around 375% over the first three days of availability, when compared with last year's 6s and 6s Plus.

This demand was mirrored in the UIK, where the iPhone 7 launch spurred the biggest one-day spike in UK traffic to Apple's website that the site had ever seen. According to digital market intelligence firm SimilarWeb, the site received a 235% boost in visits on the iPhone 7's launch day.

07/09/2016 update:The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have both launched today at Apple's special event in San Francisco.

They have a new home button with force touch and taptic feedback, an A-10 chip, which makes them both faster and more battery efficient than their predecessors, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and have a brighter, higher-resolution screen.

The worst-kept secret in tech - that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will have no 3.5mm headphone jack - was also confirmed. As expected, the devices will use the lightning connector as an audio output and will ship with a pair of lightning EarPods. The company is also launching a set of wireless "AirPods" (EarPods with no physical connector) in October, but they will cost 159.

Another widely rumoured feature a dual lens rear camera also turned out to be true. However, it is only available on the iPhone 7 Plus, not the iPhone 7.

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus are available in five colours - Rose Gold, Gold, Silver, (shiny) Jet Black and (matte) Black.

Both smartphones are available to pre-order from 9 September and ship on 16 September when they also hit shelves in retail stores. iOS 10, which the devices will run on, is available to download from 13 September.

07/09/2016:It's iPhone 7 launch day!

The iPhone 7 and its big brother, the iPhone 7 Plus, are set to be announced today at a special launch event in San Francisco, amidst much fanfare.

Rumours so far indicate the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will look identical to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with a handful of new features - some controversial, others a little more mainstream.

Last night, a leak from Apple's own store showed the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus listed as compatible devices for some accessories, including the company's new EarPods.

Recent rumours suggest Apple will scrap the 3.5mm headphone port and instead insist people use Bluetooth to connect or be forced to buy an adaptor so they fit into the device's Lightning port.

It also may introduce a pressure-sensitive home button that won't have moving parts like the iPhone, which will also help it be more waterproof too.

The camera may be upgraded too, with storage options ranging from 32GB to 256GB.

Additionally, while the iPhone doesn't normally go on sale the same day it's announced,IT Prosources have indicated it is likely to be in UK shops from 19 September.

You can find out how to watch the event, plus follow our live blog from 5.30pm UK time,at our dedicated page.

Image credits: Main image and page 3 concepts Yasser Farahi - Oval Picture. Page 1 concepts, Marek Weidlich on Behance. Page 2 concept Jan-Willem Reusnik - Flickr. All image rights remain with the original creators.

After the initial wave of hype for smartwatches, it seems interest is beginning to wane with worldwide shipments down by 51.6%.

Total smartwatch sales for the third quarter of 2016 reached 2.7 million, down by over half from last year's 5.6 million sales, according to research by market analyst IDC, published on Monday.

Leading providers of smartwatch devices including Apple, Lenovo, and Pebble all saw considerable losses in the third quarter.

Although Apple successfully maintained its role as market leader, it posted the second largest year-over-year decline among the biggest vendors, with a 71.6% decline in growth. Lenovo posted the largest year-over-year decline at 73.3%, plagued by a lack of availability of the Moto 360 devices.

"It has become evident that at present smartwatches are not for everyone," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst at IDC. "Having a clear purpose and use case is paramount, hence many vendors are focusing on fitness due to its simplicity."

"However, differentiating the experience of a smartwatch from the smartphone will be key," added Ubrani. "We're starting to see early signs of this as cellular integration is rising and as the commercial audience begins to pilot these devices."

US tech company Garmin was a surprising exception, seeing a staggering 324.2% increase in growth, helped largely by its focus on fitness. This has further increased its market share to 20.5%, helping to close the gap on the 41.3% share held by Apple.

Researchers are quick to point out that despite the apparent drop in sales, the impact of some newer devices such as the Apple Watch 2 has not been analysed.

"The sharp decline in smartwatch shipment volumes reflects the way platforms and vendors are realigning," said Ramon Llamas, research manager at IDC. "Apple revealed a new look and feel to watchOS that did not arrive until the launch of the second generation watch at the end of September."

Many vendors have had to "rely on older, aging devices" to satisfy customers, as some devices are either still to be released, such as Samsung's Gear S3, or have been pushed back, in the case of Google's Android Wear 2.0.

Apple's latest update fixes a bug that lets hackers take over iPhones, iPads and Macs after showing a picture to users.

The bug, called CoreGraphics, and was disclosed yesterday by security specialist Marco Grassi, of Keen Lab.

In an advisory on Apple's support forum, the tech giant warned that the flaw allows hackers to create a jpeg file that takes advantage of a memory bug, running code on the user's device when it displays a hacked picture.

All it took was for users of an Apple device to open a jpeg or PDF file that contained the malicious code, and hackers would be allowed control over their device.

Attackers could launch the attack remotely, with no form of authentication required.

Apple's iOS 10.1 software update contains a fix for this bug, and is available for iPhone 5 and later generations of iPhones, iPad 4 and later generations, and iPod touch 6 and later generations.

Other updates for Apple watchOS, macOS and tvOS also appear to solve the problem.

For those running iOS, the release includes updates that tackle 12 CVE-listed security vulnerabilities.

IT Pro approached Apple for comment, but had received none at the time of publication.

The UK's new Prime Minister, Theresa May, appears to have banned smartwatches from official cabinet meetings, on the grounds that foreign governments could hack them and listen in on political conversations.

"The Russians are trying to hack everything," an anonymous inside source told the Telegraph, which broke the story.

IT Pro contacted Number 10's press office, which declined to comment.

Smartwatches like the Apple Watch were allowed in David Cameron's cabinet meetings during his tenure as PM, and caused hilarity last year, when Michael Gove accidentally pressed play on a Beyonc track.

However, they now join the list of electronic gadgets banned from cabinet use, which also includes smartphones and tablets, banned in late 2013.

The worldwide political climate has become tenser in regards to cyber security, following several incidents attributed to nation state hackers.

A leak of 19,000 emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) occurred in July, which Homeland Security today blamed on Russia.

Last year, the German government accused the NSA and GCHQ of spying on Angela Merkel and other German officials through the use of malware called Regin. This malware, which was said to be one of the most advanced malicious software ever exposed, was found on the laptop of one of Germany's high-ranked leaders.

Smartwatches have also been banned in Australian cabinet meetings, after Alastair MacGibbon, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's cyber advisor, said as they could be a potential risk to national security.

Apple has launched five new Apple Watches at its annual hardware launch event in San Francisco.

The Apple Watch Series 2 is once again available in two sizes, 38mm and 42mm. In addition to the existing aluminium, steel and Herms editions in the now rebranded Series 1, the company introduced two new options - ceramic and Nike+.

A wide variety of straps is also available, made from materials including fluoroelastomer, leather and steel, all of which come in different colour options (more on this below).

There have been no changes to the battery life on the Apple Watch Series 2, compared to the Apple Watch Series 1, however it does now have a more powerful system chip - the SiP 2 - and is waterproof to a depth of 50 metres, a welcome feature for swimmers and surfers. It also has a new screen and, for the first time, a built-in GPS.

Quick facts

Price: 369 - 1,550UK release date: 16 September 2016Battery life: 18 hours

Apple Watch 2 aluminium

Formerly known as Sport, "aluminium" is the entry level device for the Apple Watch Series 2, as it was in the first iteration of the device. It is more expensive than the original Apple Watch Sport was at launch (369 vs 299), which could be attributed to its new features, including dual-core processor and brighter screen.

The Apple Watch Sport 2 is available in four case colours: silver, black, gold and rose gold, all of which are made from Aluminium. 12 different colour fluoroelastomer and woven nylon straps are available at launch and, if the last Apple Watch is anything to go by, more colours could be joining the ranks in about six months' time.

Apple Watch 2 steel

Formerly known simply as "Apple Watch", Apple has decided to update the name of its mid-market wearable, calling it the Apple Watch Series 2 steel. With grey, black or silver brushed steel casing and leather, metal and fluoroelastomer strap options, it's once again the up-market-but-not-too-flashy entry for the Apple Watch.

Apple Watch 2 edition

Apple has ditched the 18-carat gold and rose gold Edition lines and introduced instead a ceramic casing option in series 2. It's not quite as pricey as the original Edition was, starting at 1,249 and going up to only 1,299. It is available with just one strap, white fluoroelastomer, to complement the white chassis.

Apple Watch 2 Herms

Apple's collaboration with French fashion house Herms began last year and continues with Apple Watch Series 2. It's the watch straps, rather than the casing (which is all brushed aluminium), that sets the Herms range apart. Indeed, the most expensive device in the range, clocking in at 1,549, is the Apple Watch Herms Stainless Steel Case with toupe Swift Leather Double Buckle Cuff.

Apple Watch 2 Nike+

Building on its reputation as a sports and fitness device, Apple has teamed up with Nike for the Apple Watch Series 2 to bring the Nike+ version of the device. The main differences between the Nike+ Apple Watch and the rest of the range are on the software side - specifically the Nike Running Club App, which is built in, as well as some exclusive watch faces. There is one cosmetic difference, though, which is a Nike-designed fluoroelastomer band.

Apple Watch 2 Apps

Apple Watch Series 2's built-in GPS has opened up a wealth of new apps. One of the most interesting is ViewRanger, a hiking app, that guides the wearer along a given route. It will monitor their fitness along the way and tell them when they have come to the end of their route.

Apple also debuted Pokmon Go on the Apple Watch, once again focusing on its fitness credentials and working kilometres walked - an integral part of the game for trainers wanting to hatch eggs - into the device's fitness monitoring. The device will also tap the wearer on the wrist when there is a Pokstop nearby.

Software

Apple Watch Series 2 will run watchOS 3 straight out of the box.

Is it worth upgrading?

It's always hard to tell before we've had a chance to review a new device properly. We are pretty excited by the swimming, hiking and Pokmon Go-ing capabilities of the Apple Watch Series 2, although we will have to wait to test them ourselves to see if they live up to expectations.

What we would say is that, if you were holding out for the second iteration of the Apple Watch, you haven't wasted your time.

Apple is expected to hold its next Special Event on 7 September, with the launch of the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, Apple Watch 2, new MacPro, new iPod Touch, MacMini and new MacBook all possibly making an appearance.

Here we round up all the latest news and rumours about Apple's 7 September Special Event. Be sure to come back from 5.30pm UK time, when we will be running a live blog of the main announcements right here.

Please manually refresh this page for the latest on our live blog of Apple's Special Event

Apple September Event at a glance

• The Apple event starts tonight, 7 September, at 6.00pm UK time
• iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch 2 all expected to launch
• iOS 10, macOS Sierra and WatchOS3 all expected to release
• Live blog available here from 5.30pm with all the news from the event

Apple Special Event live blog

20:20: That's all, folks

So just to wrap up - we have two new iPhones, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, boasting battery, camera and memory upgrades.

We also have an Apple Watch 2 that will soon have Pokmon Go and Super Mario Run to play on it.

The devices will use iOS 10 and WatchOS 3respectively - check out our hubs in these links to get more details on each of these!

Thanks for staying with us, and enjoy the rest of your day!

20:00:iPhone 7 price and release date

Here it is, what we've all been waiting for - how much is it and when can we buy it? First of all, both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are available in three sizes - 32GB, 128GB and 256GB.

Both models are available for pre-order from 9 September, and widely available from 16 September in the below countries (UK and US included):

The 7 and 7 Plus are available in Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Black and Jet Black. The US price for the 7 is $649, and the 7 Plus will cost $769.

In the UK, the iPhone 7 will cost 599, and the 7 Plus will cost 719. So far both Vodafone and Three have confirmed they can offer the flagship iPhones.

19:53: Battery specs

The iPhone 7's new battery stats aren't bad at all, but the 7 Plus's are better. At 60 hours, it's the longest battery life ever on an iPhone, the tech giant boasts. We'll have to put those claims to the test in our review, of course, but that's two more hours than the 6s and one hour more than the 6s Plus.

19:50: iPhone 7's revolutionary A10 chip

The iPhone is running on a new A10 chip, which Apple claims is 40% faster than the 6s's A9 processor, boasting four cores and 3.3 billion transistors. It's also twice as fast as the A8.

19:31: iPhone AirPods and EarPods: Apple confirms it's killed the headphone jack

Apple finally comes clean and confesses it's done away with the beloved headphone jack. It's gone, wave goodbye.

It's replacing the jack - as expected - with the Lightning port, and will ship Lightning EarPods with every copy of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. For people who have headphones they love, don't worry - Apple will also ship an adaptor that will connect your headphones to the Lightning Port.

However, you can also use Apple's AirPods to listen to your music wirelessly. These headphones run on a new W1 chip that uses infra-red to detect when they are in your ears, and will only play when they're snug inside your lugs.

You can also access Siri with a quick double tap on the AirPods - something very reminiscent of AI movie Her.

19:25:iPhone 7 and 7 Plus display

Apple show us the iPhone 7's display - it's 25% brighter than the 6s, rendering it to a "cinema standard" of quality. It also boasts 3D Touch, which has surpassed the Force Touch technology on previous models.

With 3D Touch, the iPhone 7 can register a wider range of pressure, and Apple says iOS 10 will introduce new features (and, most likely, apps) that take advantage of this improved sensor.

19:15:The iPhone 7's camera looks fantastic - really impressive. Apple reckons it has three-times longer exposure, and the lens receives 50% more light onto the sensor. Its high speed, 12 megapixel sensor is 60% faster than the 6s's, too.

The camera's brains is an image signal processor, which identifies people and objects in a photo (relying on machine learning to do so), sets the white balance and also records wide colour - meaning the range of colours it can replicate is much vaster.

Onto the iPhone 7 Plus's camera: It actually has two. One is a wide-angle megapixel camera, and the other a telephoto megapixel camera. This means the 7 Plus can zoom up to 10x and still retain a high level of focus and image quality.

19:05: It's time for the iPhone 7! Here's what it looks like:

Importantly, designer Jony Ive confirms the antenna bands on the phone are now hidden within the casing, effectively making them disappear - this will be very popular.

Apple also introduces two new colours - Jet Black and Black - and the new model is now water and dust resistant.

Taptic engine

Apple's taptic engine is more responsive than ever, distinguishing between various notifications to vibrate differently:

18:54:It's confirmed - Apple Watch 2 is available for pre-orders from 9 September. It'll hit the shops on 16 September. Watch OS3, its operating system, is available from 13 September for download. A special Nike version of the Watch 2 will come out in October.

18:42:Now to the Apple Watch 2 - Apple's confirmed the device has built-in GPS, meaning you can go for a run without taking your iPhone. This is a big feature that should make the Watch 2 much more attractive as a sports wearable.

A new app, ViewRanger, will be the first app (for hiking) to take advantage of the GPS.

Onto ranges - the Watch 2 comes in aluminium, stainless steel, and erm, ceramic. This is what it looks like.

The others are a bit more normal:

18:39:The Watch version one was splash proof, but the new one is swim-proof - Apple's tested Watches by attaching them to a revolving arm that simulates strokes for hours every day, and says they still work just fine. Mind you, you might not want to put that to the test after you've coughed up a few hundred quid for a Watch 2.

Watch 2's display is twice as bright as any previous display, Apple also claims.

18:22: Now Apple's talking about the Apple Watch. It's the top selling smartwatch, and the second-best selling watch, after Rolex, Cook boasts.

But watchOS 3 is really impressive - your favourite apps launch instantly, you can add them to the Dock, and even just swipe to change your Watch face. You can jot custom replies with Scribble and a Breathe app reminds you daily about deep breathing exercises.

But the big news is that Pokmon Go is available on the Apple Watch! It'll be available before the end of 2016. Here's what it looks like:

Interestingly, Go developer Niantic's CEO, John Hanke, comes on stage and refers to Pokmon Go Plus, a "heads-up display" that helps you see Pokmon in front of you - rather than staring at your iPhone. That's all the detail we have on that for now, though.

18:06:Tim Cook starts the Special Event by doing carpool karaoke with James Corden. Yes, you read that right. Here's them in action:

Now Tim Cook's on stage with an update about Apple Music - it now has 17 million subscribers.

Another update on the App Store, Cook says it's changed software and our lives, but momentum now has never been greater, with 140 billion apps now downloaded. "In the last two months we've seen growth rates of over 100% year-on-year," boasts Cook. It's also garnered twice the revenue of its closest competitor, and 500,000 gaming apps (pictured).

But the biggest early news is... Mario is coming to iOS! Super Mario Run is in action below, and will come out in time for Christmas 2016.

17:50:But what else can we look forward to?

Picture courtesy of sister site Alphr

Well, quite a few things, actually. The Apple Watch 2 is heavily rumoured to get an airing tonight, and promises some major upgrades on the first model.

For one thing, it could have its own GPS system, meaning you won't need to tie it to your iPhone anymore. It should also come with a boosted battery life too, making it a much more independent device than its predecessor.

There's also iOS 10. The latest mobile operating system will run on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and one major advantage of this is it's not susceptible to the devastating hack discovered earlier this month, where cybercriminals can spy on all your messages. Apple's already patched the issue, but not everyone downloaded the fix. With iOS 10, you won't need to.

Here's what else the team at IT Pro would like to see Apple announce tonight, but stay tuned and refresh this page every 10 minutes to find out all the latest coming from the tech giant's San Francisco event.

We're now just 10 minutes away from the start...

17:30:Welcome to our Apple Special Event live blog!

It promises to be quite a show tonight. Thanks to Apple's Hong Kong store accidentally listing them on its website, we know for certain the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will make an appearance this evening.

The big question is will the new flagship iPhone be good enough to turn around Apple's fortunes?

The tech giant has come under plenty of pressure recently, battling a 13 billion tax bill in Ireland, but also combatting falling revenues and profits.

After record success thanks to the iPhone 6, Apple has been on a downward slope. Analysts call it peak iPhone', where the device has reached saturation point, and new versions don't improve enough on their predecessors to warrant an upgrade, leading to a 27% dent in profits.

However, it could all change with the iPhone 7. One survey suggests half of iPhone owners plan to upgrade to the new smartphone, and Apple will certainly look to capitalise on Samsung's disastrous Note 7 release, with reports of the device exploding forcing Apple's rival to officially recall and exchange devices.

07/09/2016:Apple has just given the game away about the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus in the most embarrassing way possible.

Reddit user Jasper Greenham spotted both the 7 and 7 Plus online in Apple's Hong Kong store today, virtually confirming their appearance at tonight's Special Event.

Greenham's screenshot, below, also confirmed that the headphone jack on both devices is definitely dead.

As has been much-rumoured ahead of the iPhone 7's launch, neither of the latest devices will feature a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Instead, the store shows a variety of headphones you can buy for the iPhone, and lists the connection types as Bluetooth, wireless, and AirPlay only.

The iPhone 7 is expected to launch this Friday after its official unveiling this evening, in storage versions of 32GB, 128GB and 256GB.

When is the Apple Special Event?

Apple has confirmed its 2016 Special Event will be taking place on 7 September. In past years, the Special Event keynote has been used to launch the lates flagship iPhone, which this year is expected to be the iPhone 7. It has also previously featured the launch of the new Apple Watch, new MacBook and new iPads.

Reliable leaker Evan Blass has stated the iPhone 7, which is widely expected to be the flagship launch of the autumn event, will be on sale in shops on 16 September, one week after the 7 September Special Event.

This would more or less fit in with the known timeline now that the date of the Special Event has been confirmed. Typically, Apple's launch event for the new iPhone has occured one week before the device becomes available for pre-order and about two weeks before it hits the shelves.

If Blass's information is correct, this would mean Apple has condensed its timetable by a week or more. Alternatively, his source is mistaken and it is preorders that will open on 16 September, rather than general retail sales.

How to watch the Apple Special Event

Apple likes people who like Apple, which is why its live streams have always been largely focused on adressing those who have already bought into the brand. Historically, only Apple device users have been able to watch the live stream, but this year Windows 10 users can watch it too. Here's all the different ways you can watch:

How to watch the Apple Event on a laptop or desktop PC

If you have an iMac or a MacBook, you can watch the event live by following this link to Apple's dedicated page, but you must be using the computer's built-in Safari browser. Other browsers will not work.

On Windows 10 laptops and PCs, you can follow the same link and watch live, but you must be using the built in Edge browser. Once again, other browsers will not work.

How to watch the Apple Event on a smartphone or tablet

If you have an iPhone, iPad or, indeed, iPod running iOS 7 or higher, you can watch the live stream on Safari by following this link.

Unfortunately, there's no way for Android devices (or any other non-iOS device for that matter) to access the live stream.

How to watch the Apple Event on TV

If you have an Apple TV, you can watch Cook and Co's presentations on the big screen. Make sure your Apple TV is on TVOS 6.2 or newer (fourth generation Apple TVs will work automatically) and navigate to the "Apple Events" icon on the home screen. Please note that the icon may not show up until later this evening, closer to the 6.00pm start time.

If you can't do any of the above, don't fret!IT Pro's deputy editor, Joe Curtis, will be on hand right here with a live blog of all the evening's key announcements, while features editor Jane McCallion will be live tweetingtoo. Be sure to tune in from 5.30pm tonight!

Apple September Special Event: iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 launch is the most likely thing to happen at the Special Event. This year, there could be up to three handsets launched, although the smart money seems to be on two for now, with more colour options available and all of them featuring a more powerful camera.

Aside from tradition, another indicator that the iPhone 7 will be coming this September is the beta release of iOS 10, with the general release promised in autumn this year. Typically the new version of the mobile operating system is released alongside - and preloaded on - the next generation iPhone.

Click here to visit our dedicated iPhone 7 page.

Apple September Special Event: Apple Watch 2

The Apple Watch 2 is also expected to launch at the special event, with up to five versions going on sale.

While the release of the original Apple Watch took place in April 2015, the latest release of a new model - the Apple Watch Herms - took place in September 2015, with only new bands having made an appearance so far this year, in March, at the same time as the iPhone SE was revealed.

Another indicator that Apple Watch 2 will launch at the Special Event is the arrival of watchOS 3 at WWDC in June, which is currently in private beta, with Apple saying it will become generally available in the autumn. This is normally the pattern for iOS and iPhone as well, with the OS becoming available as a beta at WWDC and general release coming alongside the release of the flagship phone (see above).

The final hint that the Apple Watch 2 may make an appearance is the event invitation itself, which could be interpreted as being made up of several of the Apple Watch's circular home screen icons (at least that's what some of us atIT Pro see...)

Click here to visit our dedicated Apple Watch 2 page

Apple September Special Event: iMacs and MacPro

There hasn't been a new version of the powerful Mac Pro, Apple's cylindrical stand-alone computer, since it launched in December 2013 - more than 900 days ago. This is double the average period between refreshes, according to MacRumors - 449 days - although this has been steadily lengthening over time. While this isn't bulletproof evidence of a new Mac Pro being released this year, it has almost got to a now-or-never stage.

Apple September Special Event: MacBooks

There are two devices that can be ruled out almost immediately with regard to this year's potential new Apple laptops: the MacBook and the MacBook Air.

The reason we doubt there will be a new MacBook at the September event is that the latest refresh only occurred in April this year, making the earliest date Apple is likely to release a third generation device April 2017.

As for the MacBook Air, its standout feature - the fact it weighs so little - has been surpassed by the MacBook, which weighs 0.92kg compared to the smallest Air, which weighs 1.08kg. Therefore, while nothing official has been said, we suspect the MacBook Air has, in fact, been retired.

The MacBook Pro, however, is due for an update, so, unlike the other two, may make an appearance in September.

Apple September Special Event: iPads and iPods

When it comes to iPads, there's one perennial question - will the iPad Air 3 ever make an appearance? Or has it been superseded by the iPad Pro?

While you can never say never, it does seem likely that the latter is correct. While the original 12.9in iPad Pro was significantly heavier (and generally bigger) than the iPad Air 2, the 9.7in iPad Pro has exactly the same dimensions and weight.

As for the iPad Mini, it normally receives some kind of refresh each autumn, so it is possible an iPad Mini 5 may arrive at the September Special Event, as may a new iPod Touch, which has an annual autumn refresh too.

Apple's watchOS software is the operating system that sits of the core of the Apple Watch. While it's similar to the iOS mobile and tablet software, it's specially adapted for wearable use, running modified versions of iOS apps.

At WWDC 2016, Apple launched the third and latest version of the watchOS software, which brings with it performance boosts, new features and a series of cosmetic tweaks and upgrades. Here's everything you need to know about watchOS 3.

Apple watchOS 3 at a glance

• Apple Watch apps now launch instantly
• Improved navigation through app dock and Control Centre
• New SOS function enables quick emergency alerts

Apple watchOS 3 latest news

07/09/2016: watchOS 3 will launch on 13 September, Apple has announced.

While the features of the new OS were largely already known, the company did reveal several new apps, including Pokemon Go, which will integrate the features Pokmon Go with the Watch's fitness focus.

10/08/2016:Apple has seeded watchOS 3 Developer Beta 5 one week ahead of schedule. The beta allows developers to get their heads around the updated operating system for Apple's wearable and develop new apps for it, or work on their existing ones.

This beta releasejustcontains bug fixes, rather than new features. It solves a problem in Siri,where the virtual assistant "may not provide the intended response" when a user makes a request involving a deleted app.

Alongside that, it eliminates a bug in Xcode that caused the debugging console to sometimes print out excessive amounts of logging indicating WCSessionState changes when using Watch Connectivity in watchOS Simulator.

watchOS Developer Beta 5 is one of four fifth-iteration developer betas released simultaneously, the other three being for iOS 10, tvOS 10 and macOS Sierra. Unlike iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, however, there is no public beta for Apple Watch.

The completed version of watchOS 3 is due to launch this autumn, potentially at Apple's anticipated September Special Event, where the Apple Watch 2 could also make an appearance.

13/06/2016:Apple has announced watchOS 3, the latest version of the Apple Watch's operating system, along with a host of new features.

One of the most important new features is that the Apple Watch's performance has been vastly improved, with apps launching seven times faster than in watchOS 2.

Watch apps now launch instantly, thanks to the fact that they can now update in the background. The watch will also store your favourite apps in memory, meaning it can access them even quicker.

Navigation settings have been overhauled too. Pressing the side button will launch a customizable dock of your favourite apps, similar to the one found in macOS. All apps in the dock are viewed live, allowing you to preview apps without fully launching them.

WatchOS 3 now includes a Control Centre tab to give you instant access to your settings - just swipe up from the bottom of the face. Watch faces can quickly be changed by swiping from left to right, and they now support more complications.

For those who felt the selection of faces was getting a little stale, Apple is introducing some new options; a Minnie Mouse watch face to compliment the Mickey Mouse offering, one based on the Apple Watch's activity rings, and a more elegant option dubbed 'Numerals'.

Reply settings have been spruced up too. In addition to making message replies more streamlined, watchOS 3 now includes a handwriting input feature, which Apple has dubbed Scribble. It may be familiar to Android fans waiting for the Android Wear 2.0 update.

One of the most important additions to the Apple Watch, however, comes in the form of the SOS app. By pressing and holding on the side button, users can initiate a call with emergency services.

At the conclusion of the call, it will share your location and an emergency message with both the emergency services and with an ICE contact, followed by the users' medical information. This feature will work internationally.

Elsewhere, the activity app has been updated with new sharing tools to compare and compete against friends and family, and has been overhauled for wheelchair users.

'Time to stand' has been replaced with 'time to roll', and the activity rings have been adapted to take advantage of wheelchair users' different physical movements.

Apple Pay can now be used from within apps, allowing developers to include the feature directly on websites. A host of new developer tools were also unvailed, designed to allow the creation of more watch apps, including watch-specific games.

The developer preview is available today, and will roll out for all Apple Watch owners in Autumn 2016.

13/06/2016:A significant update to watchOS 2, or perhaps even the next version of the operating system, watchOS 3, could appear at WWDC this evening during Tim Cook's keynote.

WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference) has traditionally been focused on software updates, with OS X 10.12 and iOS 10 both expected to launch as well. It's therefore not unreasonable to think a new version of watchOS could appear, although it's only been nine months, rather than a year, since the launch of watchOS.

Other rumours for tonight's keynote include an update to tvOS, a new Apple Watch, the iPhone 7, the iPad Air 3, new AI capabilities for Siri and a push into home automation with updates to HomeKit.

Find out all about what to expect from WWDC and follow the coverage as it happens on our dedicated page.

17/05/2016: Apple has released the latest update for watchOS 2, which includes minor bug and performance fixes.

This update comes almost two months after the public release of watchOS 2.2, which introduced multi-watch support for iPhone, Apple Maps improvements and other tweaks.

Apple seeded two betas of watchOS 2.2.1 to developers, before releasing its publically. It contains a number of security and performances patches that are partly described on the Apple security log.

This is the fourth update Apple has released for the second version of its watch operating system.

More details on the Apple Watch 2 and the next iteration of watchOS are expected at WWDC 2016 in June.

More information on this watchOS update can be found on Apple's support page.

09/09/15 - Apple's much-hyped WWDC event back in June confirmed that Apple Watch users wouldn't have to wait too long to upgrade to an updated OS on their device.

Today, at a special Apple event - which also saw the iPhone 6s and iPad Pro, among other things, unveiled - the tech giant confirmed Apple Watch OS 2 will roll out on 16 September.

Apple said the next-gen OS would ensure apps operated much more quickly and with greater fluidity by running natively through the Watch's software. What's more, the firm will enable third-party developers to display information as 'complications'.

"Our customers love Apple Watch and tell us its incredible health and fitness features are having a huge impact on their lives," said Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice president of operations.

"We're excited to expand Apple Watch's functionality with watchOS 2 and offer even more personal choice with beautiful new styles and colors."

Apple watchOS 3: release date and pricing

Apple launched WatchOS 3 at its WWDC developer conference on 13 June. The developer preview is currently available, with a full public rollout of the software coming in Autumn 2016. Just like other OS releases from Apple, this update will be free to users.

Apple watchOS 3: specs and features

While Apple has not released an updated version of the Apple Watch - as many were expecting - the company has instead made significant improvements to the device's core operating system.

For many users, this is likely to make their Apple Watch feel like a new device, as in addition to new features and functions, watchOS 3 is also slated to bring in some impressive performance benefits.

Instant apps

Apple Watch apps can now be launched instantly, with boot times up to seven times faster than watchOS 2. This is thanks to the fact that favourite apps are now saved in memory, and apps can retrieve data in the background.

Improved navigation

WatchOS 3 includes a Control Centre feature for quick access to all your device settings, which can be found by swiping up from the watch face. Also introduced in the new OS is a dock system similar toMacs, which allows users to store their favourite apps for easy access.

SOS app

Apple has intorduced the SOS app with watchOS 3. This allows users to press and hold the side button to start a call with the emergency services. Once the call has finished, it will send the relevant authorities - as well as your ICE contact - your location and a message. The app will also display your medical info.

Social activity tools

New features integrated into the Apple Watch Activity app allow you to directly compare your fitness results with your friends and family. You can send them encouragement (or trash talk) and see detailed metrics on how your performance stacks up.

Wheelchair activity optimisation

Apple has taken the needs of wheelchair users into consideration, and retooled the Apple Watch's Activity app to better accomodate them. For example, the 'time to stand' reminder has now been changed to 'time to roll', and the app includes two dedicated workouts for wheelchair users.

The activity tracking algorithm has also been optimised to take into account the different physical movements of wheelchair users.

New developer tools

Apple Watch apps can now use ApplePay from directly within apps, opening up more opportunities for developers to introduce the technology. Apple also announced a bunch of new features, including SpriteKit and SceneKit support, to make it easier for developers to create great Apple Watch apps.

Thinking about buying an Apple Watch? Don't until you've read our Apple Watch review to help make an informed decision...

This article was originally published on 09/09/2015. It was updated on 13/06/2016 to reflect current news.

With Apple's Special Event taking place later today, we asked ourselves exactly what the tech giant will reveal in a few hours' time.

Because it's fun to speculate, too, we also wondered what Apple might have up its sleeve to surprise people with tonight, as well.

Read on for our verdict on the major launches tonight, as well as the stuff we'd love to see.

Jane McCallion, features editor

What I expect Apple to launch:

A new flagship iPhone is a no brainer for Wednesday's Special Event and, given the past two years' launches, I think we can expect to see an iPhone 7 Plus as well as an iPhone 7.

Another Apple Watch is also more-or-less a given. I do believe there could be up to five variants - Apple has to do something new to make the launch worthwhile.

Could there be anything unexpected? Maybe, but there have been no leaks about anything else, so we may have to be content with the iPhone 7 being the "one more thing".

What I want Apple to launch:

I would like to see Apple launch something really innovative that will break new ground. I don't really know what this could be, but that's kind of the point of seeing something unexpected!

For purely selfish reasons, I'd like to see a new Apple Watch launch as well. My current fitness tracker has seen better days and I quite fancy a smartwatch, so a price drop in the original Apple Watch would suit me down to the ground.

For the record, I don't think we're going to see an Apple Car this year. Maybe one day, but not yet.

iPhone 7 image courtesy of Marek Weidlich

Rene Millman, freelance journalist

What I expect Apple to launch:

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are pretty much a given for today'sevent. Someone at Apple has let slip on this one with an update on itswebsite showing iPhone 7 compatible earphones. It is all but confirmedthat the headphone jack is going and this is no bad thing; wirelessearphones are getting better and the Lightning port can do doubleduty without any problems. However, Apple needs to announce more than justa new flagship device to keep interest in the company alive.

What I want Apple to launch:

I hope that Apple Watch will get a refresh, with better batterylife and 3D Touch to replace Force Touch. I'd like to see better Siriintegration on the Watch so I wouldn't have to pull out my phone sofrequently. It would be great if it had a bigger screen too, but Ithink I'm in a very small minority on that issue.

Adam Shepherd, staff writer

What I expect Apple to launch:

The fact that Apple is ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack is now one of the worst-kept secrets in tech. However, the fact that it's axing the regular port almost certainly means that the iPhone 7 will come with a brand-new set of Bluetooth earphones in the box.

This is actually a fairly interesting prospect, as it will be the first major shake-up to Apple's ubiquitous accessory in years. The new AirPods' are also likely to be quite impressive, given that Apple now owns one of the most well-known audio peripheral companies in the world.

What I want Apple to launch:

The concept of a truly connected smart home is now coming tantalisingly close to being a reality, but what would really seal the deal is for Apple to release a standalone smart home hub, similar to the Amazon Echo.

The infrastructure is already in place most available smart home products have some form of Siri and/or HomeKit integration. All Apple would need to do is centralise that control into a single appliance, with always-on voice control and access to all Siri's regular functionality.

Apple Car concept courtesy ofJean-Patrick Lee-Pat-Yuen

Paul Franklin, IT Pro, Cloud Pro, and Channel Pro publisher

What I expect Apple to launch:

Beyond the highly anticipated iPhone 7 and subsequent iterations, there are almost certainly updates for the Apple Watch and the iOS software upgrades powering the devices.

Given the comparative novelty of the Watch there are undoubtedly improvements in functionality to come. It also feels like there's plenty more to say about iOS 10. How can it help Apple's drive into the enterprise, for example?

Similarly, perhaps Apple will touch on their vision to drive artificial intelligence given their recent acquisitions this summer.

What I want Apple to launch:

In terms of what I'd like to see from Apple well continuing on the theme of artificial intelligence, and a fairly large competitor of theirs making big strides in this field, I'd like them to announce an Apple Car I can buy for Christmas! Beyond that, and only because I'm in the market for one right now, is a decent TV. Not just a viewing platform, but a fresh TV kit itself.

Joe Curtis, deputy editor

What I expect Apple to launch:

Apple has already accidentally confirmed that it's releasing the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus tonight. Beyond that, it's highly likely that the Apple Watch 2 will make an appearance. With its own GPS and a longer battery life, this is the device they should have waited to release, instead of rushing to produce the first Watch. It will be much better than its predecessor, chiefly because it won't be tied to the iPhone.

What I want Apple to launch:

I'd be most excited to see some real breakthroughs with Siri, Apple's voice assistant. Currently it lags behind the likes of Microsoft's Cortana in terms of functionality and usefulness, and with the growing importance of bots, voice assistants will soon rule how we communicate with our devices and by extension the wider world.

Apple's rumoured push into building an Apple Car won't come off for years, but its focus on providing software for smart cars might lead to some interesting innovations in Siri that I'd hope might become available sooner rather than later.

Apple Watch at a glance

• Apple Watch has gone on sale worldwide online and in Apple Stores
• There are four models of Apple Watch: Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, Apple Watch Herms and the 18k gold Apple Watch Edition. Prices range from 299 to 13,500 inc VAT.
• The smartwatch features a maximum 18-hour battery life and MagSafe 'wireless' induction charger.
• Standout Apple Watch features include making and receiving calls, viewing email and messages, and "taptic" notifications.
• Over 3,500 Apple Watch apps are available to download now.
• WatchOS 2, the updated Apple Watch operating system, is available now

Apple Watch: latest news

25/07/2016: Apple has launched a range of Apple Watch bands especially for the Olympics, but they will only be available from one store in Brazil.

A range of straps, in national colours, are on sale in the Apple Store at VillageMall in Barra da Tijuca the only place where punters will be able to buy the items, according to GQ.

The straps will be available from early August and come in a variety of colours corresponding to the national flags and colours used by 14 major competing teams, such as US, UK, China, Germany, and Brazil, to name a few.

Despite the lack of availability, US sprinter Trayvon Bromell has managed to get his hands on the US strap and posted a picture on Twitter to prove it.

The straps will be priced at R$329.

21/03/2016:Apple has announced a price-cut for the Apple Watch, as well as a new selection of bands for the device.

Unveiled alongside the iPhone SE at a special event earlier today, the new bands include updated colour options, such as a black version of the Milanese Loop.

Apple also revealed an entirely new band, made out of woven nylon, which will also be available in a selection of colours.

As part of the announcement, Apple also revealed that the Apple Watch was the most popular smartwatch in the world, despite initially slow uptake compared to the company's other devices.

To celebrate this, the company has lowered the price, bringing the cost of the Apple Watch down to a mere $299.

03/02/2016:A man in Aberystwyth has won a court battle against Apple after his Apple Watch broke within 10 days of purchase.

Gareth Cross, 32, bought the Apple Watch Sport in July 2015, only to spot a crack in the screen just over a week later. When he took it to Apple to be fixed, the company said it was not covered by warranty, despite the device being described as scratch-resistant.

Subsequently, Cross took Apple to the small claims court in his home town, claiming the company had broken the Sale Of Googs Act 1979.

Apple fought the case for six months, but has now been ordered to refund Cross the cost of the Watch and pay 429 court costs.

Cross told BBC News: "I couldn't understand why they would want to go to court over the issue, but ultimately I wanted [to] stand by my consumer rights."

The experience has not put Cross off buying another Apple Watch, however, who added: "I plan to buy another Apple Watch, as for the 10 days I had it, I really liked it. But I may wait until the next model is out."

IT Pro contacted Apple for its response to the ruling, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

25/01/2016:The Apple Watch could receive a refresh in March with new straps, casings, and partnerships with fashion brands all on the cards, it has been claimed.

9to5Mac reports that the spring update is unlikely to feature any new hardware functionality, although it could launch alongside WatchOS 2.2, which is expected to introduce some new features. A full update in the form of the Apple Watch 2 is expected to come in September.

The company has also released two limited edition Apple Watch Sport models for Chinese New Year, one with a silver aluminium case, the other with a gold case and both with a red fluoroelastomer band. They are only being released in China, however.

13/01/2016: Juniper Research has revealed the Apple Watch was responsible for more than half of all smart watch shipments in 2015, despite only going on sale in September.

James Moar, who wrote the report, said overall, 17.1 million smart watches shipped last year, of which 8.8m were Apple Watches. Android Wear-branded competitors accounted for less than 10 per cent of sales.

Juniper attributed the watch's success was its wealth of apps, with 10,000 available on Apple's device compared to only 4,000 for its Android-powered counterparts.

"The smartwatch is now a category waiting for a market," Moar said. "Newer devices have offered more polished looks and subtly different functions, but no large changes in device capabilities or usage. With smartwatch functions established, it is now up to consumers to decide if they want them, rather than technology companies providing more reasons."

The report added that there are still barriers against smart watch adoption, including that people still don't see the need for one. In fact, of those surveyed, 30 per cent said they probably wouldn't use one even if they bought one.

04/01/2016:Researchers in Taiwan have invented a way to use the Apple Watch as a remote control capable of piloting drones and controlling lights.

The software, dubbed 'Dong coding' by company PVD+, has been in development for 18 months, and now its creators claim that it can be installed on any device.

"Previously we've needed complicated controls to fly drones, but now we can use a wearable device, and through human behaviour and gestures directly interact with them - using a hand to control and fly drones directly," the company's founder, Mark Ven, told Reuters.

Lights can also be turned on and off, or changed colour, by simply clapping twice or writing letters in the air.

Drawbacks of the technology include interference from environmental factors such as wind, and high battery drain with the Watch typically only able to support the software for 20 minutes before losing power.

10/12/2015:Rumours have started to circulate about the new version of the Apple Watch, which is expected to launch next year. According to our sister titleKnow Your Mobile,Apple Watch 2 will be unveiled in March 2016. IT Pro, however, is a little skeptical of this timeline, particularly as the original Apple Watch range and the Watch Herms were both revealed at Apple's annual September special event in California, which is when Apple traditionally launched new hardware, including the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s ranges respectively.

Whichever date it turns out to be, the Apple Watch 2 will undoubtedly offer new features. One rumour is that it willbe able to operate independently of an iPhone, although some analysts suggest this won't happen until 2017. Other rumours include a better battery, more storage, better Siri functions, built-in GPS, a camera and even more sensors.

04/12/2015:A document released by the US Patent Officeshows a new screen technology that could make their way into the second version of the Apple Watch.

The patent, titled "Woven Display", was filed on 30 May 2014 - about three months before the current Apple Watch was revealed - and pretty much does what it says on the tin.

The abstract for the patent describes: "A woven fabric includes light transmissive fibers woven into the fabric to provide a visual display. The fabric may be used as a tether to releasably connect a portable electronic device to a user. The light transmissive fibers may transmit light to convey information to the user. The fabric may also be used as part of the housing of an electronic device."

What this could mean in practice is, instead of using Bluetooth, the next Apple Watch will connect directly to the wearer's iPhone and that, rather than having a separate case and strap, it will be one integral unit.

IT Pro would at this point like to sound a note of caution, however. Not every patent becomes a working product - they are a way of protecting inventions not a promise to make them in real life.

05/11/2015: All eyes will be on Apple Watch sales during the Q4 holiday quarter as a barometer of the strength of the nascent smart watch market," analyst house Canalys has claimed.

According to Canalys' figures, Apple has shipped a total of 7 million Apple Watches since the devices launched this summer, and was the only company to ship more than 300,000 units in Q3.

"After experiencing significant supply chain constraints early on, Apple managed to overcome its production struggles with the Apple Watch and is building momentum going into Q4," analyst Daniel Matte said.

Principal analyst Chris Jones added, "WatchOS 2 has brought native apps to the platform, and new colours and styles have refreshed the lineup, but Apple needs to continue to generate demand six months after launch."

28/10/2015: The Apple Watch was one of the products that helped Apple's profits reach new highs this quarter. Products not including the iPhone and iPad (so that's the Watch, iPods, apps and other accessories), increased 15 per cent in the last quarter to $3.05bn (1.99bn) in revenue, which marks a 61% year-on-year increase. Commenting on Watch revenues specifically, Tim Cook said they were up "sequentially," but wouldn't go into the specifics.

07/10/2015: Rumours are starting to circulate about a successor to the Apple Watch. Unsurprisingly dubbed Apple Watch 2, some analyst houses believe this will be the device that Apple starts to make serious money. That's what a reportby analysts at Mizuho Securities is saying. The analysts said that customers are waiting to see what Apple does next in the market before committing to buy. According to IT Pro sister publication Alphr, the next Apple Watch will be faster, thinner and have a bigger battery.

Apple Watch release date

After a supply chain hiccup that saw the release delayed by two months, Apple Watch went on sale in shops in the UK in late June 2015, although it had been available to pre-order since 10 April.

As well as the UK, Apple Watch can be bought online or in store in the US, Canada India, Chile, South Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, China, Mexico, Spain, South Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan and Japan.

Apple Watch Price and different versions

Apple watch is being pitched squarely as fashion and fitness device, with supermodel and marathon runner Christy Turlington Burns becoming a spokesperson for both sides of the coin.

It is available in two screen sizes, 38mm and 42mm, four models - Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch, Apple Watch Herms, and Apple Watch Edition - eight different case types and two different screen materials, and ranges in price from 299 to 13,500.

Apple Watch Sport

Apple Watch Sport is the entry-level Apple Watch and costs 299 for the 38mm screen version or 339 for the 42mm screen version.

At launch, Apple Watch Sport was available only with a silver or Space Gray anodised aluminium case, but on 9 September the company unveiled two new case styles - rose gold aluminium and yellow gold aluminium - colours that had until then only been available on the high-end Apple Watch Edition.

Apple Watch Sport is only available with a fluoroelastomer band with pin-and-tuck fastening at the point of purchase, although customers can choose from eight different colours, including blue, orange, lavender and midnight blue.

Apple Watch

The rather confusingly named Apple Watch is the mid-range smartwatch from Apple and costs between 479 and 949 depending on the configuration.

Apple Watch is the most customisable device in the entire range. While its stainless steel case is only available in two colour options, silver and Space Black, customers can choose from 12 different strap options, three in fluoroelastimer, two with a classic buckle, two bracelets, two leather loops, two with modern buckle, and a milanese loop.

Apple Watch Herms

Apple Watch Herms is, as the name would suggest, a collaboration between Apple and luxury French accessories maker Herms. The new addition to the Apple Watch family was launched on 9 September 2015, exactly one year after the range was originally revealed and costs from 1,000 to 1350.

This version of the Apple Watch offers three Herms-designed strap styles - Single Tour, Double Tour and Cuff - all of which are made from leather and are available in three, four, and one different colours respectively. It also has three numeral display options and three unique typefaces to choose from - Clipper, Cape Cod, and Espace - making it rather less customisable than the rest of the range.

Unlike the Sport, Edition or Watch, Apple Watch Herms can only be purchased in the UK at Apple's Covent Garden and Regent Street stores, the Apple Store within Selfridges, Dover Street Market and Herms' shop on New Bond Street (all of these locations are in London).

Apple Watch Edition

Apple Watch Edition is the top of the range version of Apple's first wearable and has a price scheme to match, starting at 8,000 for the 38mm 18-carat rose gold case version with a white fluoroelastomer band, all the way up to 13,500 for the 38mm 18-carat yellow gold case with bright red Modern Buckle and 38mm 18-carat rose gold case with rose grey Modern Buckle.

While the luxury device can be purchased online, it is also possible to buy it from Apple Stores selected high-end outlets such as Selfridges in London and Galleries Lafayette in Paris. Would-be owners can't just turn up and buy an Apple Watch Edition, though.

Instead they must pre-book an hour-long, one-to-one appointment with an in-store expert, during which they will be taken on their own personalised "journey", as Apple has apparently termed it, ending in the purchase of the Watch.

Special Editions

In January 2016, Apple released a special model of the Apple Watch Sport for the Chinese market ahead of the Chinese New Year, which falls on 8 February 2016. The device features a red fluoroelastomer strap - considered an auspicious colour in Chinese culture and also deeply associated with the Chinese New Year - and a choice of silver aluminium or gold aluminium case.

Apple Watch specs and features

Apple Watch iPhone support

Apple Watch is not self-sufficient and requires an iPhone 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, or 6s Plus running iOS 8.2 or later in order to work. This is because, even since the release of WatchOS 2, much of the "heavy lifting" is done by the phone which then pushes information to the device.

Upgrading to the latest version of iOS 8.2 will automatically make users' iPhones Apple Watch-ready, as it includes a bundled Apple Watch app.

While this may be handy for future Apple Watch owners, the fact it is immoveable it has drawn the ire of Apple customers who have no intention of buying the wearable.

Apple Watch specs

Apple Watch boasts a significant amount of new technology and design features.

The most immediately apparent of these is the Digital Crown, which lets users scroll, zoom and navigate their way around the screen quickly and easily without interfering with any information displayed.

The screen, made from Ion-X glass in the case of the Apple Watch Sport and sapphire glass on the Apple Watch, Apple Watch Hermes and Apple Watch Edition, features a new Force Touch sensor, which can tell the difference between a tap and a press, and react accordingly. The new Taptic Engine, meanwhile, notifies users of messages or alerts via a gentle wrist tap and can also be used to remind them to move more frequently.

During a speech at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet conference, MacRumours reports, Apple chief Cook said: "If I sit for too long, it will actually tap me on the wrist to remind me to get up and move, because a lot of doctors think sitting is the new cancer."

"Ten minutes before the hour, [the smartwatch] will remind you to move. We have a lot of people using the Apple Watch at Apple, and ten minutes before the hour, suddenly they all get up and move. It took a little to get used to, but it's great," he added.

The Glances functionality, meanwhile, puts the wearer instantly in touch with the information they care about most - from the weather to sports results and more, and Digital Touch lets users interact with other users by tapping or doodling.

Users can also personalise their device by choosing from dozens of watch faces, from classic watch hands to Mickey Mouse.

Inside, the Apple Watch features the new S1 "system-on-a-chip", which was built specifically for the smartwatch. It also has an optical heart rate sensor on the rear of the case and contains standard fitness sensors including an altimeter, gyroscope, pedometer and accelerometer.

Apple Watch Battery life and charger

Apple Watch's lithium-ion battery is considered by many to be a make-or-break issue for the success of the device.

Paul Jackson, principal analyst at Ovum, said: "This is still the major deal breaker for mass adoption. Sure, tech firms have trained us to charge our phones every day, but devices like watches, fit bands, glasses etc need multi-day capacities."

Sadly, that's not a criteria Apple Watch meets. Apple has said the device is designed for all-day use, which it defines as 18 hours, although how much the user interacts with it, by repeatedly activating the screen or making calls, for example, can reduce that figure.

An Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch in March that the battery would be replaceable, quelling fears that the device would become obsolete within a few years as battery life drops off. iFixit seems to have confirmed this in its teardown review, although it did apparently "take a bit of prying".

Apple Watch uses a "wireless" magnetic induction to charge, rather than a plug-in cable like the iPhone. We've put wireless in quotation marks as the charger is attached to the mains electric supply by a cable and adheres to the back of the smartwatch while charging using MagSafe technology.

That said, Apple Watch is compatible with wireless Qi charging pads as well if you are happy to take your watch off and lay it down on an enabled coffee table.

Apple Pay and NFC

Another flagship feature for Apple Watch is Apple Pay. The technology, which is also boasted by the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus allows wearers to pay for goods by tapping their smartwatch against an NFC reader in much the same way as contactless cards work.

The service was rolled out in the USA initially, where it gained some good traction, according to Apple, and has since appeared in the UK, where it is supported by a number of retailers and banks.

Apple Watch Apps

There are already 3,500 apps available for Apple Watch, from proprietary Apple apps, such as iTunes and Mail, to significant third-party offerings from the likes of Salesforce and even Starbucks.

Health and Fitness

As well as being a mobile device, Apple Watch is being strongly positioned as a health and fitness companion, with Apple launching the HealthKit developer platform alongside iOS 8 to encourage app makers to create new health and fitness apps for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and, by extension, Apple Watch.

As well as built-in fitness tracking and motivation apps like Workout, Move and Activity, third-party apps like Nike+ Running, Runtastic, Strava, and Lifesum are also available straight away. Apps for more holistic exercise regimes, such as yoga, are available as well.

Travel

There is an abundance of travel apps available on Apple Watch, from flights to taxis to comparison sites. Airline apps for Apple Watch, such as British Airways and EasyJet, allow the user to track their flight status in real time, as well as informing them of when their gate has opened and providing a weather forecast for their destination.

Expedia and TripAdvisor also have apps on the Apple Watch. The former lets users check their upcoming travel itineraries, including flights and hotel information, while the latter can provide them of things to do, restaurants to visit and other important tourist information in their surroundings.

Other travel apps include National Rail, Uber, and remote car unlocking for VW and BMW cars.

Social Media

No mobile device would be complete without social media apps, so it's no surprise to find Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest all have Apple Watch apps available.

The Twitter app notifies users of new tweets or retweets via a tap on the wrist, which they can also read in full on the Apple Watch Screen. Wearers can also use the app to compose tweets via voice and follow trending topics.

Instagram, meanwhile, lets users browse their feed, like photos, and leave emoji comments, as well as delivering notifications.

Business

There has already been a significant number of work and productivity-focused apps announced. These include Salesforce and over 20 Salesforce partners, Invoice2go, Wunderlist and OfficeTime, with more expected to follow.

Apple Watch predictions and expectations

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is anticipating demand for Apple Watch Sport will be highest out of the three models, with half of the first quarter production run of five to six million devices being given over to the entry-level device.

The Apple Watch is said to account for around a third of the total first quarter production order, with the top of the range Apple Watch Edition making up the final 20 per cent.

However, analyst James McQuivey from Forrester predicted Apple will sell 10 million devices before the end of 2015, which, when taken with the WSJ's estimates, could go some way towards explaining the serious delay seen between ordering online and delivery at launch.

McQuivey said: "By [the end of the year], at least 100 million people will have an iPhone 5 or 6 that is capable of connecting to Apple Watch. All Apple needs is a 10 per cent conversion rate to sell 10 million units."

Technology market research firm CCS Insight has gone even further, predicting Apple will sell 20 million of its smartwatches this year. This would boost wearables market growth by an estimated 150 per cent to 75 million gadgets in 2015, hitting 350 million come 2018.

Other wearable tech creators are also pinning their hopes on the success of the Apple Watch, Reuters reported. Ben Wood, a gadget reviewer at CCS Insight, told the newswire: "If Apple is successful, it'll create a rising tide that will lift the whole market."

Will Apple Watch be a success?

The launch of the Apple Watch marks the consumer electronics giant out as a relative latecomer to the wearables party, with rivals Samsung, Sony and LG having already released products over the past year.

However, given Apple's track record for popularising existing technologies that have previously failed to capture the imagination of consumers (particularly in the case of the MP3 and tablet sectors), market watchers seem assured the Apple Watch will prove to be a hit.

Analyst firm Forrester Research has predicted the devices will go on to dominate the wearables market right through 2015, until its competitors catch-up and eat into its sales. This will cause Apple Watch sales to slow to the extent that its share of all smartwatch units sold will fall below 50 per cent during 2016.

This is far from the consensus, however, and sales expectations as put together by Business Insider have figures for Apple Watch varying significantly from one analyst to the next.

However, there's no doubt Apple sees the Watch as an important product, one which will be a significant business for it in the long run. Plus, it's well-crafted enough that it will influence other smartwatch makers making the Apple Watch a glimpse into the near future.

Conclusions

Compared to other smartwatches, Apple Watch isn't a revolutionary product nor does it do anything profoundly unique.

Having said that, it is significantly better than any of the Android Wear or Tizen watches released so far by the likes of Motorola, Samsung and LG. It's better looking on the wrist, there are more options available if you care about how it looks, and the software although obviously unfinished in places is slick and easy to use.

There's enough here to give us a glimpse of the future of the smartwatch, and on that basis we think the future of the Apple Watch and of smartwatches in general looks pretty bright.

Smartwatches are almost, by definition, luxuries. But if you're tightly wedded to iOS, then the Apple Watch adds enough day-to day convenience to make buying one worth considering. Many of the interactions you would have had to pull your phone out to do can now be done on your wrist. It's particularly useful for the kind of quick interactions checking the time, reading a message which, if you'd have pulled out your phone, would probably have lead into five minutes of reading email, checking Twitter, and so on. In that sense, it's a time saver.

It's hard to capture the entire experience of such a personal device in a review, which will inevitably focus on tangibles: the specs, the appearance, and so on. However, it's worth saying that, despite having tried many smartwatches in the past, the Apple Watch is the first one which hasn't failed our 'three week test'. Where other smartwatches tend to stop getting picked up and put on the wrist after a few weeks of use, the Apple Watch is something we still put on every morning, and miss if it's not there. That's a good indication that, in the long term, Apple is on to something with the Apple Watch.

This review was originally published on 01/09/15 and has been updated multiple times (most recently on 21/4/16)

Verdict

It's hardly essential, but the Apple Watch's series of small conveniences add up to a surprisingly meaningful and useful experience

Requires iPhone 5 or later running iOS 8 or later; Not compatible with iPad or iPod Touch

Apple has launched a new 4in iPhone and new 9.7in iPad Pro, as well as the general availability of iOS 9.3, new Apple Watch bands and new features for Apple TV.

Here we round up the key points of each of the announcements made, for the last time, at the Town Hall theatre at its Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino.

iPhone SE

The iPhone SE was the most widely rumoured device to appear at the 21 March event, and Apple didn't disappoint.

The 4in device was the first hardware announcement of the night and is, aesthetically, quite similar to the iPhone 5s that it replaces, except it is available in rose gold and gold as well as silver and "space gray". It retains the 5s' circular volume buttons and appeared to have roughly the same dimensions.

But it's what's on the inside that's interesting. The device has many of the same specifications as its larger siblings, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, including the flagship Live Photos feature, A9 chip, 12-egapixel camera, and NFC for Apple Pay.

The iPhone SE is available to pre-order from 24 March. More details of the new iPhone's specs, features, price and availability can be read here.

iPad Pro

No, you're not experiencing dj vu, Apple really did announce the iPad Pro again this evening - only this time, it's a 9.7in screen rather than the 12.9in behemoth that launched last year.

Other than the size difference, there's not a lot to say about the new iPad Pro: it's the same as the original, but smaller. The one notable exception is the True Tone display. This means the screen of the iPad Pro 9.7in will adapt not just to the brightness of ambient light, but to its warmth too, behaving more like objects such as paper, which reflect light, and reducing eye strain.

It will also work with Night Shift, the new feature in iOS 9 that adjusts the amount of blue light emitted by the device's screen after sundown. Exposure to blue light from the screens of electronic devices has been blamed for causing sleep disruption, although the evidence for this is far from conclusive.

As for the fate of the long-rumoured iPad Air 3, your guess is as good as ours. The iPad Air 2 remains on the market for the time being, so the 9.7in iPad Pro isn't a replacement for that, but with a new iPad just announced it seems that this may be the end of the line for the Air range.

New Apple Watch straps

As predicted, new straps for the Apple Watch made an appearance at the event on 21 March. As well as additions to the existing Sport, leather and Milanese Loop band ranges, Apple also introduced a new Woven Nylon range. While strictly speaking nylon is a plastic, this range is effectively the fabric band option without being made of natural textiles.

iOS 9.3 general release

After months of beta testing, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 9.3, is now generally available for all users with a compatible device to download. More information on iOS 9.3 is available here.

Apple TV tvOS

Having once been the poor relation of the Apple device family, Cook once again lavished some attention on Apple TV, introducing an updated tvOS for the set top box.

The latest version of the operating system, tvOS 9.2, makes Siri the default mode for text input, including dictating sign-in credentials, introduces folders for grouping apps - handy if you have a long list - and provides better input control for the Apple TV remote, so it is less likely to accidentally register accidental inputs as commands.

Apple vs FBI

Apple's event comes just one day before the company's mammoth legal showdown with the FBI, and CEO Tim Cook didn't let the opportunity pass him by to make a comment about the case.

Opening the event on the topic, Cook said Apple has "a responsibility" to oppose the US government, adding that the company's executives "owe it to our customers, and ... to our country" to fight for encryption.

The end of 1 Infinite Loop

This, Tim Cook confirmed, is the last event to be held at Apple's Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino. The company is building a new headquarters in San Jose, which will be completed and ready to move into in 2017. You can read more about the new building and see some amazing drone footage of the site at our sister site, Alphr.

Apple 21 March event Live Blog: as it happened

You would think that if you were the CEO of a mega-successful company that just announced record-breaking profits and revenues, then the market would repay that good news with a rise in your firm's stock price.

That's not the case for Apple.

Despite pulling in revenues of $75.9 billion and profits of $18.4 billion, the market looked at other figures and promptly Apple saw its share price fall. So why did this happen, and what should Apple do about it?

Device woes

Those figures mentioned above were the highest Apple has ever recorded for one quarter, but what worries the market and financial analysts is the lack of growth in iPhone revenues.

These were $51.65 billion from 74.7 million units shipped, an increase of one solitary per cent on the same quarter last year, when Apple managed to flog 74.4 million handsets with $51.18bn of revenues.

Meanwhile, Macs are down on last year, with revenues of $6.74 billion from 5.3 million units, down from 5.5 million units a year ago.

So too are iPads, with tablet revenues having dropped by over a fifth (21 per cent) to $7 billion. Only 16.1 million units shipped compared with 21.4 million the previous year.

The glimmers of hope for the firm lie in its various stores and that mysterious "Other Products" category. Its iTunes, iCloud and App Stores registered $6.05 billion of revenues for the quarter, up 26 per cent on the previous year's quarter. Meanwhile, "Other Products", which include Apple Watch and Apple TV among others, reported revenues of $4.35 billion, a jump of 62 per cent over the first quarter of 2015.

You could read the results and react to them in a number of ways.

Either you can punish Apple for not selling enough iPhones and iPads or punish them for not selling enough of the other things to make up the shortfall.

It would seem the markets are hitting on Apple for the former, rather than the latter. The Apple Watch has just come on stream for the firm and judging by its inclusion in the Other Products category, this hasn't been the success Apple hoped it would have been. Still we would guess that it has easily sold more smartwatches than the competition combined though just how many, admittedly, is anyone's guess.

iPhone issues

Also, the main focus here is still on the iPhone. While the iPhone 6 was a runaway hit, and the iPhone 6s also got people out to upgrade, the reason the latter beat the former in terms of sales was because of its debut in China.

It was expected that the iPhone 6s party would go on and on in China, and that sales would reflect this. But it now looks like the party may have fizzled out rather early, leaving Apple with a strange hangover.

Now it must wait for the iPhone 7 to come out and wow customers again, especially in China.

But Apple needs to do more than simply perform its rinse and repeat method of bringing out another new iPhone in a year's time.

To keep the figures going the right way for the market, Apple needs to get a few more products selling better. The iPhone can't keep delivering record-breaking sales and shipments, sooner or later (sooner, I think) we will reach 'peak iPhone'. Then what?

It's time to diversify

Apple needs to get on with developing those other products. The Apple Watch was a good start but it wasn't quite what people were expecting, and somehow it fell short of those expectations. The next Apple Watch needs to address the perceived flaws of its predecessor. These would be better battery life, a simpler interface and a hardware redesign, for a start.

It also needs to show what its killer use case really is; a sidekick to the iPhone? Or a device that takes its place for most of your day? A glorified fitness tracker? At the moment it is hard to say.

Sadly, a killer app for the smartwatch seems as far away as ever. There doesn't seem to be anything on the horizon apps-wise that would make customers turn out in their droves to buy the device. And people buying it are seemingly leaving them in the drawer to gather dust.

The company also needs to take its Apple TV device more seriously than its "hobby" tag would suggest. Google's Chromecast and Amazon's Fire TV Stick show a lot of promise, with both of these flying off the shelves. This is an area Apple could dominate if it wanted to, but it just doesn't seem to have the heart to try. A more rounded proposition here could knock the competition out of the park. Apple is taking steps to rectify this with more apps and games but it seems there is a long way to go here.

Finally, we need to know whether or not Apple will actually produce its long-rumoured car. Tesla's Elon Musk called it an "open secret" that something was in development (possibly he was annoyed at his engineers being poached by Cupertino), but the rumour-to-fact ratio here is high and needs to decrease in order for the market to know if this will ever see the light of day and, more importantly, whether it will make money for the company.

Diversification is a must if iPhone shipments continue to fall alongside those of the iPad and Mac. Whether Apple can get these products out to market quickly enough remains to be seen.

Security firms Kaspersky and Wisekey are worried about the amount of unprotected data shared between smartphones and wearables. Which leads me to ask, just how insecure is your smartwatch?

I'm not going to dismiss these security vendors concerns off the bat, but I will throw a quick MRDA (Mandy Rice-Davies Applies) into the conversation. After all, this is the same industry that seems to think that anti-virus products on the desktop are still somehow valid.

Let's agree that if wearables become a conduit for mobile payments, and smartwatch technology will allow that across most platforms soon enough, then obviously there's the potential for cyber-theft.

Well, maybe.

Most of the emphasis has to be on the word 'potential', which is very different to the word likely'.

Not that there aren't questions to ask when we think seriously about the smartwatch sector (something that's hard to do when they all look like Christmas cracker toys).

Those questions will grow in stature if more people start wearing the things. Questions such as, can they be hacked, is there the potential for malware or man-in-the-middle attacks, and what happens to your data if your watch gets stolen or is lost?

Sound familiar? They should do - we asked the same ones when our phones started getting clever. For the most part, we've answered them too.

And that's the thing, wearables are paired with those smartphones for which we have mostly sorted the data security now. Which leaves us to ask, are smartwatches even a threat at all?

Well, they are not just dumb terminals. They display notifications from your smartphone, and notifications contain valuable data, lots of it.

A smartwatch is a conduit to more data, in your pocket and beyond, and that will eventually make them attractive to the bad guys.

When Trend Micro tested smartwatches for hardware protection, data connections and local data storage, it found all of them had weaknesses that could be exploited. All of them saved notification and calendar data locally, making it possible for hackers to get it without the smartphone being required.

When HP Fortify studied smartwatches for security, it also found them lacking, particularly when it came to user authentication and poor encryption of data in transit. Most were vulnerable to attacks enabling man-in-the-middle threats or using outdated, and therefore vulnerable, protocols such as SSL 2.0.

Not that bad guys are targeting smartwatches just yet, as far as we can tell. The attack surface is, quite literally, way too small. Not enough users, not enough data, not enough resources to install malware, not enough anything.

A lot of alleged smartwatch insecurities that the media trumpet are hard to imagine outside of a lab environment. Take a look at MoLe: Motion Leaks through Smartwatch Sensors if you want a shining example.

But as the tech on your wrist gets more powerful, and the apps more complex, threats will grow and emerge. Until that is the case, there's not really much that is likely to be done in terms of cyber-badness.

The whole wearables security sector right now reminds me a lot of Chicken Little. The sky isn't falling, and getting too squawky about smartwatches right now just serves to distract from the real problem: securing your data in the cloud and on your smartphone.

Apple has announced a number of big changes in the company's leadership team, with Jeff Williams becoming COO and a number of other shifts that demonstrate a potential change of focus for the company.

Williams joined Apple in 1998 and has been working as vice president of operations since 2004. He has led Apple's supply chain division since 2010 and worked heavily on the launch of the iPhone back in 2007 to help it become one of the most popular smartphones to date. He has also been instrumental in the Apple Watch's success, helping to ensure retailers are supplying demand of the wearable.

Johny Srouji has also been promoted, into the position of senior vice president for Hardware Technologies. Apple said he has shown great promise, overseeing Apple's research and development of components including batteries, application processors, storage controllers, sensors silicon, display silicon and other chipsets.

"We are fortunate to have incredible depth and breadth of talent across Apple's executive team. As we come to the end of the year, we're recognising the contributions already being made by two key executives," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO.

"Jeff is hands-down the best operations executive I've ever worked with, and Johny's team delivers world-class silicon designs which enable new innovations in our products year after year."

Additionally, Apple VP Phil Schiller will take on more duties, including over-looking the App Store across all platforms, while Tor Myhren will join Apple from advertising agency Grey Worldwide as vice president of marketing communications.

Cook added: "Phil is taking on new responsibilities for advancing our ecosystem, led by the App Store, which has grown from a single, groundbreaking iOS store into four powerful platforms and an increasingly important part of our business.

"And I'm incredibly happy to welcome Tor Myhren, who will bring his creative talents to our advertising and marcom functions."

Although Fitbit and Apple topped IDC's Worldwide Wearables charts, Chinese manufacturers Xiaomi and BBK gave the better-known American manufacturers a run for their money.

Fitbit's market share accounted for 22.2 per cent of the market in the third quarter of 2015, while Apple followed closely behind with 18.6 per cent, showing strong interest in the Apple Watch in the year of launch.

Fitbit has the advantage in the wearables market because the brand sells more than one product in the space and has been selling its Fitbit Charge and Fitbit Surge for longer than Apple has been selling Apple Watch.

However, Chinese manufacturers Xiaomi and BBK, alongside Garmin, are gaining momentum, with the three vendors taking 17.4 per cent, 3.1 per cent and 4.1 per cent of the market respectively.

"The early stages of the wearables market have led to tight competition among the leading vendors, and Chinese vendors have seized upon market momentum to grab market share," noted Ramon Llamas, research manager for IDC's Wearables team.

He explained the reason for Asian manufacturers rising through the ranks is because wearables are becoming increasingly popular in China especially, where customers are more likely to buy a local brand.

"China has quickly emerged as the fastest-growing wearables market, attracting companies eager to compete on price and feature sets. In addition, multiple vendors have experimented with a broad range of products and applications. The challenge, however, is whether these vendors can expand their presence, as few have extended beyond the country's borders and into other markets."

IDC is predicting that more niche players will start to enter the market in the coming months, especially as cost becomes a bigger factor in customer buying decisions.

"The bifurcation doesn't just exist in features, but also in price," said Jitesh Ubrani, Senior Research Analyst for IDC Mobile Device Trackers. "The average smart watch or band came in at just over $400 and the average basic watch band at $94. This leaves a lot of room for new players like Fossil and niche players like Pebble as they have an opportunity to address this space."

Apple Special Event at a glance

• Apple has revealed iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, iPad Mini 4 and new Apple TV
• iPhones available to pre-order from 12 September and on sale from 25 September
• iPad Pro on sale from November
• Apple TV on sale from October
• iOS 9 available from 16 September

Apple Special Event Live Blog

Apple Special Event 2015: latest news

10/09/2015: Apple last night unveiled the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, a new set of Apple Watch Sports, the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4, and new Apple TV.

The bumper list of products was largely in line with what was expected, including the new 3D Touch feature on the iPhones and improved Siri interaction with the TV.

Nevertheless, Apple did have some tricks up its sleeve, including new "Live Photo" feature that creates Harry Potter-style short video clips when a "deep press" is applied to a photo.

There was also an Easter Egg in Craig Federighi's part of the keynote, announcing OS X 10.11 El Capitan will be officially launched on 30 September.

More information on the Apple Watch, WatchOS 2, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, Apple TV, iOS 9, El Capitan, the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 can be found on our dedicated pages.

09/09/2015:Siri has played a key role in the build up to tonight's special event and over the past 24 hours has added a new set of replies to her repertoir when you ask her to "give us a hint" - the strapline for the event.

It seems that, despite us being in the UK, her time settings are linked to San Francisco, hence the response in the picture below.

Whether, as rumoured, Siri will be playing a key role in the iPhone 6s and new Apple TV that are expected to launch tonight, or she is being used merely being used for entertainment and promotional purposes remains to be seen, however. Come back at 5.30 when we will be running a live blog of the event and bringing you the latest announcements as they happen.

07/09/2015: With just two days to go until Apple's September Special Event, a slew of new rumours and information has appeared.

As reported by appleinsider, a large Apple logo has been mounted on the exterior of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, with the phrase "Special Event" being put up just above the main entrance and smaller posters of the event logo adorning the exterior walls.

Additionally, the New York Times reportedthat Apple will be launching a new, gaming-focused Apple TV, although it will be aimed at casual rather than dedicated gamers. The newspaper also claimed there may be a cheaper version of the gold Apple Watch launched.

28/08/2015:The iPhone 5c will be retired following Apple's upcoming event, which is slated to reveal the iPhone 6s (iPhone 7) and iPhone 6c to attendees on 9 September.

According sources and reported by 9to5Mac, handsets will be taken off the shelves in late September, around the same time the iPhone 6s is likely to go on sale, which means it could be replaced by the rumoured 4in iPhone 6c.

28/08/2015: Apple's next major product announcement will take place at a 7,000-seater venue in San Francisco on 9 September, the tech giant has confirmed.

Both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6c are widely expected to be showcased at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, as well as the iPhone 6s Plus and possibly a new iPad.

With Apple usually unveiling product announcements at the 750-seat capacity Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the larger venue indicates a much larger invite list than the usual mix of press and analysts.

The invitation and Apple's webpage for the event both feature a close-up of the top of Apple's logo, whose curves diffract into various pastel colours, with the cryptic message "Hey Siri, give us a hint" superimposed on top.

Anyone who asks Siri that question will receive a reply along the lines of "The only hint I can give you right now is a hint of lime. And that there's a big announcement on 9 September", as the voice assistant told IT Pro.

Apple Special Event 2015: hardware

Apple released even more hardware than usual at this year's September event, including two new iPhones, two new iPads, a new Apple TV and three new Apple Watch Sports.

Jump to

New iPhones

New iPads

New Apple TV

New Apple Watch

New iPhones

As anticipated, two new iPhones were released last night - the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Both are the same size as their predecessors, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but come with a hefty amount of new technology. This includes a 5-megapixel selfie camera and 12-megapixel main rear camera, which is capable of 4k video capture, and 3D Touch screen, which can tell the difference between a tap, a press and a deep press.

For full details of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, including UK price and release date, visit our dedicated page.

New iPads

The strongly rumoured and long anticipated iPad Pro, with 12.9in screen, was finally revealed last night. The device has a retina display, and A9X processor which, according to Apple, makes it nearly twice as powerful as its effective predecessor, the iPad Air 2.

Controversially, Apple introduced a stylus, the Apple Pencil, and smart keyboard cover for the iPad Pro - much like those seen on Microsoft's Surface range - although they must be bought separately.

Apple also introduced the iPad Mini 4, albeit in passing. The device has a 7.9in Retina display, two cameras, and an A8 chip that makes it 30 per cent faster than its faster than the Mini 3 and has 60 per cent faster graphics.

Unlike the other hardware presented last night, the iPad Mini 4 is also available to buy immediately, with prices starting from 320.

For full details of the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 are available on our dedicated pages.

New Apple TV

The New Apple TV was the third star of the show. Boasting improved Siri voice recognition and suggestion capabilities, a new remote that includes a touch screen panel and app-based interface that allows owners to use the device for shopping and gaming as well as watching film and TV.

Full details of the new Apple TV can be found on our dedicated page.

New Apple Watch

An Apple Watch update was anticipated ahead of the September event, however, contrary to expectations, it was the luxury Apple Watch Edition that got a new set of wrist bands, while the Apple Watch Sport got new gold case options.

For the Edition, Apple has collaborated with French designer accessory brand Hermes to produce three new leather straps - single tour, double tour and cuff. For the Apple Watch Sport, the fashion conscious consumer can now match their smartwatch with their iPhone even if the can't afford an Edition, with new gold and rose gold versions of the entry-level device launching last night.

For full details of last night's Apple Watch news, plus everything else you need to know about the devices, visit our dedicated page.

Apple Special Event 2015: software

While iOS 9 and Watch OS weren't released last night, their official launch date of 16 September was revealed. Additionally, Craig Federighi snuck in details of OS X 10.11 El Capitan official launch date - 30 September - during the iPhone 6s presentation.

For more details on the software, visit our dedicated pages: iOS9, WatchOS 2 and El Capitan.

Google has announced it is developing an Android Wear app for iOS, allowing people to use their iPhone (5 or later) alongside their Android wearable device.

The Android Wear iOS app is currently compatiable with the LG Watch Urbane, with more Android smartwatches to follow.

Like the companion app to the Apple Watch, the iOS Android Wear app works in conjunction with the user's smartphone, providing notifications and alerts.

In a blog post confirming the announcement, David Singleton, director of engineering for Android Wear, said: "When you wear something every day, you want to be sure it really works for you. That's why Android Wear offers countless design choices, so you can find the watch that fits your style.

"With Android Wear you can do all of that. And now, Android watches work with iPhones."

However, some unofficial ways to get Android Wear to work on an Apple device have existed for some time, with Android product manager Jeff Chang recently telling The Huffington Post it was something the company had in mind.

"We always want as many users as possible to enjoy our experience," he said. "So in terms of enabling more people to use Android Wear, we're very interested in making that happen."

Given that this would increase the rivalry between Android and iOS wearable platforms, it's hard to imagine Apple would embrace an Android Wear app for iOS with open arms.

This story was originally posted on 10/04/2015 and has been updated since to reflect the most recent information.

The Apple Watch has come up trumps in IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker report, shipping 3.6 million smart watches in the second quarter of 2015.

Although FitBit topped the manufacturer charts with 24.3 per cent of the market share, Apple was hot on the company's tail with 19.9 per cent of the share. Xiaomi also freshly entered the charts with 17.1 per cent of the wearables market, just behind Apple, while the fourth place contender was Garmin, with less than a four per cent share.

IDC said this demonstrates the power that Apple has in the technology market, whatever new innovations it launches.

"Anytime Apple enters a new market, not only does it draw attention to itself, but to the market as a whole," noted Ramon Llamas, research manager for IDC's Wearables team. "Its participation benefits multiple players and platforms within the wearables ecosystem, and ultimately drives total volumes higher."

He explained how Apple forces other technology vendors to re-think about their products and innovate in order to stay competitive.

"Fairly or not, Apple will become the stick against which other wearables are measured, and competing vendors need to stay current or ahead of Apple. Now that Apple is officially a part of the wearables market, everyone will be watching to see what other wearable devices it decides to launch, such as smart glasses or hearables," he continued.

The report also revealed a very definite divide between smart wearables such as the Apple Watch and Samsung's range of wearables that can run third-party apps and those that only work with one application, such as fitness bands.

Those producing basic wearables will need to compete with the smart wearables, while keeping their price points low to be attractive to consumers.

Hi Mark. SAP's latest Business Suite update, S/4 HANA, brings it to cloud as well as on-premise. Do you see this as a good starting place for people to start using SAP's cloud services?

For a lot of organisations the move to things like S/4 things like HANA [SAP's in-memory data processing and cloud platform] also allows them to move to cloud and vice versa. So you can kind of hit those two goals with the one set of activities really. I can run HANA in a cloud so I can run S/4 on a cloud. I get those two goals for the price of one.

We saw in SAP's most recent financial results that it's got around 400 users now - do you know who's going to the cloud versus on-premise?

Some customers have already started using it, we have a spate of customers going to places like Waldorf to get their hands on it and understand what it means for them in their environment. You're not going to see that division come out clearly yet because some people start and then halfway through go whoa' we could be doing this on cloud and get that extra advantage in early.You will start to see that much more clearly towards the end of the year.

Simple Finance is already available as well and I should also say you're already seeing things like native connectivity with the business network and with Internet of Things (IoT). I would expect to see a blossoming of that as the year progresses.

One of the advantages of the S/4 HANA cloud is it works across lots of devices, including the Apple Watch - 12 apps and counting. Is this SAP responding to the mobile working trend, and do you think the Apple Watch will actually prove useful?

It's nice that you've got that consistent experience from desktop down to device, or desktop down to watch, even. Others have done it the other way round. They've said 'here's all my capabilities on the Apple Watch', and that's great but when you're in the office you're not going to be using your Apple Watch so much, it'll look a bit odd.

Having a consistent experience across all devices hits the right note and that's more important than just targeting the one device.

Wearables are just starting to find use cases. How will you encourage those customers whose businesses are slow to adopt devices to move with SAP as you push more into cloud and Internet of Things (IoT)?

S/4 boasts much better backend capabilities combined with a front end that goes from desktop down to watch, and you're seeing SAP demonstrate what all these products can achieve. If there's a customer for whom some of those are more or less simple , we can phase how they adopt. You don't have to do everything at once if that's not what you want to do.

But customers are very excited about what we can achieve for their back-ends - reduction in tin, greater capabilities, being able to do analytics on the same data, these are big ones for IT and for the business.

Being able to then choose as and when you put that in the cloud or whether you want to put it on-premise, they don't have to make that decision today, they can move things around so there's agility and there's a really easy front-end to use.

Also, you've got connectivity between premise and cloud so you could split things, equally you could do multi-tenancy.

With the focus on cloud, will customers start to see an increasing ability to link different SAP products together?

One of the most interesting aspects of S/4 is its connectivity to our business network. We've already talked about Concur, but also things like Ariba, for things like indirect procurement, Fieldglass for contingent and workforce. It's not just about having a faster business, it's also a more connected business.

You're eliminating bottlenecks and integration painpoints throughout your business, whether it's how your workforce operates, how your employees operate, how your back-end operates.

Being able to combine that business data, your expenses and travel costs with what's going on in your financial stuff takes the risk out, it gets stuff done faster.

You recently made a string of IoT announcements, targeting industries like shipping and telecoms. What potential do you see for IoT and wearables in the UK market?

The fastest growing sector of the wearbles market at the moment is health technology and that's a very interesting area. You are going to see more IoT solutions.

What has maybe been limited in the UK up until now has been the business models. The technology isn't too much of an innovation. That's been reflected in some of the partnerships we've started, like with Jasper, which is about making it easier to manage IoT services and resources.

What do you mean by business models?

Some of it has been that classic question of this will only work once the technology's cheap enough. Some of it's been readiness of acceptance. It's about people consuming and interacting with technology in the ways that IoT business models might promote.

Do you want to be woken up by something detecting you've had half an hour of light sleep, or would you like an alarm clock that goes off at 6 o'clock in the morning? There's an increased awareness that IoT is a business model but it also changes the interaction between you and technology. Technology might in one way become more invasive, but the technology often becomes a lot more useful and a lot more compatible with you.

I really like how Jawbone can detect how much deep sleep and light sleep you've had and figure out the right time to wake you up as opposed to waking you up at exactly the same moment everyday. I might quite like that, my employer maybe less so.

The time it takes people to get sued to technology, you flip that around and that's people adopting the new business models of the IoT, isn't it?

Apple has promoted revolutionary designer Sir Jonathan Ive to the position of chief design officer at the company.

UK-born Ive was previously senior vice president of design, and revealed the news during aninterview with Stephen Fry published today in The Telegraph.

The designer has been with Apple since 1992, and has helped to create some of the company's most iconic and game-changing products over the years, includingthe iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

An email from Apple CEO Tim Cook to employees (via 9to5Mac) confirming the change, read: "I have exciting news to share with you today. I am happy to announce that Jony Ive is being promoted to the newly created position of chief design officer at Apple.

"Jony is one of the most talented and accomplished designers of his generation, with an astonishing 5,000 design and utility patents to his name. His new role is a reflection of the scope of work he is doing at Apple for some time."

The position has been created for Ive, with managers for industrial and software design to also be appointed next month. Richard Howarth will take the former, while Alan Dye will head up user interface design.

Ive, meanwhile, will be in charge of the hardware and software design teams, working specifically on Apple's "current design projects, new ideas and future initiatives", such as its stores and a new campus, set to host 12,000 workers.

"Design is one of the most important ways we communicate with our customers, and our reputation for world-class design differentiates Apple from every other company in the world," Cook added.

The first killer usecase for wearables will appear on Apple Watch, Citrix CEO Mark Templeton has claimed.

Speaking at a press Q&A at the company's annual Citrix Synergy conference in Orlando, Templeton said: "My early assessment is that there are sparse, small usecases, but not one killer usecase. I think we will get to a stage where there are a few killer usecases that could be personal, [but] we think a lot [will be] in business computing, for example ... maybe the watch is an incredible authentication device."

Templeton said that everyone is "dabbling [and] trying to find what the compelling usecases are". Indeed, Citrix is included in these "dabblers", having produced one app each on Android Wear and Apple Watch, GoToMeeting and SlideStream respectively.

However, Templeton believes Apple Watch will be the platform where a clear usecase for wearables will appear.

"I put Apple in the driving seat simply because developing apps for [Apple Watch] is so simple and they will get more experimentation faster than anyone else in the market, I think," said Templeton. This in turn leads to a greater probability of a clear reason to buy appearing on that platform rather than a rival's as "whoever gets the most experimentation will find out where those usecases are".

Additionally, despite only having recently come out, Apple Watch is more commonplace than Android Wear devices, according to Templeton.

"I've got every single version of an Android wear watch and wherever I went I was the only one, that's not the case with Apple Watch," he said.

"[Developers] will learn from that and the consumers will take them there," he said.

OPINION:The Apple Watch is the biggest tech news of 2015. With the world at large seemingly obsessed with Tim Cook's wearable brainchild, I figured it was about time I got myself down to the Apple Store to try it out. And so, it was with my smartwatch expert' hat on that I embarked upon my quest to the Regent Street branch of the Apple empire.

When I arrived at 9.30am, I was greeted at the door, asked which product I was interested in, and then told they don't open until 10.00am unless you have an appointment. At this point, the store was virtually empty, with just a handful of people in conversation with the staff.

Nevertheless, off I duly trundled to get a cup of coffee and wait for 10.00am to roll round. After I'd killed half-an-hour in Pret, I went back to the store and proceeded to faff around with the demo models for a bit.

Although it was a weekday morning, the store was by now fairly busy, with various people drifting around, gawping at the Watches. After almost 20 minutes of mucking about with (and taking copious photos of) the watch, an Apple employee materialised at my elbow and asked if I was interested in it.

When I replied that "Yes, I was," I was taken and offered one to try on. Unfortunately, the models you can actually wear are all locked in demonstration mode meaning they'll cycle through a series of functions, but they'll not be taking orders from you, thank you very much.

Apple Watch experience - Design

The actual wearable ones are purely for aesthetic appreciation. For many people, though, that's likely to be a key component, and I overheard several people cooing aver how pretty they were.

It has to be said that it's a gorgeous bit of kit. The design looks sleek, professional and attractive, and it's got that particular Apple flair to it. The screen's equally stunning. The curved sapphire glass display (used in all but the sport models) is bright, clear and sharp as anything.

Unfortunately, it's also ridiculously teeny, measuring just 42mm for the larger variant. It's usable, but just barely. The smaller 38mm version is even worse. Sausage-fingered though I am, I'd struggle to see anyone using it effectively.

Both versions also have big black borders of dead space round the edges of the watch face. They mar the look of it quite a bit, especially compared to rival devices that are getting closer and closer to totally edgeless displays.

On top of that, it's a lot bulkier than you'd think. This is thanks largely to the optical heart-rate monitor located on the underside of the watch, which bulges out from the main body. The end result is a watch that, while not unreasonably chunky, still doesn't lie as snugly on your wrist as might have hoped.

In terms of straps, there are a wide variety on offer depending on personal taste. There are traditional leather straps for the sensible, plastic sports straps for the tacky, and the Milanese loop' style fasteners for the slightly unhinged.

That last one has caught the most attention, partly because of how unusual it is. Comprised of a link bracelet not unlike chainmail, it feels flimsy and insecure. It's magnetically fastened as well, so the slightest flex of your wrist is liable to annoyingly loosen it.

Thankfully, changing straps is easy, if you don't mind paying Apple an exorbitant premium for the privilege. A button on the underside releases the straps, which then slide out of their groove in the side, ready to be replaced.

Apple Watch experience - Functionality

Although it's nice to see how they look in the flesh, it's the functionality that really counts. If you want to get a sense of what it's actually like to use one, you'll have to try out one of the display models, all of which are firmly bolted into a big white block.

Featuring a touchscreen display that's linked to the watch, the unit gives you more information about whatever app you're currently on, including operating instructions. It also surprise, surprise shows a catalogue of all the different Apple Watches and their respective price.

Although demonstration models of the watches are plentiful, what they can actually do is extremely limited. The apps and interactions are pretty minimal, with the standard suite of stock Apple tools each featuring a few example functions.

The communication software email, SMS and the watch-exclusive quick-messaging app was all semi-useless without the ability to actually talk to anyone. Even so, the watch messaging, with taps, sketches and vaguely creepy heartbeat messages, was a frustrating and finicky exercise in why bother?'

Navigating the photos app was among the highlights, surprisingly. All your pictures are presented as a big grid, with the digital crown used to zoom in for a better look. It's a great system for navigation, especially in conjunction with regular swipes.

It can also be used to launch apps. The home screen has all your watch apps laid out in a honeycomb pattern, with the crown used to zoom in and open them. However, this is offset by the fact that manual touch selection is an absolute nightmare. The app icons are teeny-tiny, and I found myself repeatedly opening the wrong thing by mistake.

I had a little play around with Siri as well, who seemed to be on decent form, along with with the maps. Here I was a little let down; although navigating the map is fairly simple thanks to the digital crown's simple zooming function, the tiny screen meant that trying to actually find anything was akin to an aerial game of blind man's bluff'.

The demonstration models loaded pretty much all data and apps smoothly and swiftly, but I suspect that's because they're embedded in the aforementioned iSlab.

In addition to the touchscreen, it almost certainly contains the iPhone components powering most of the watch's functions, thus negating the long loading times caused by communication delays between watch and phone.

Apple Watch - Taptic Engine and Force Touch

One of the most disappointing things about my visit was that, as the functional watches were bolted down, I couldn't really try out the Taptic Engine'. Much vaunted by Apple, this is the watch's feedback system, which (supposedly) vibrates in a way that's actually like someone tapping you on the wrist.

It seems cool, and does somehow feel a little more right than standard vibration. However, it's not as unique as it's been made out to be, and there's not enough to differentiate it from the other vibration alerts out there, despite the customisable patterns.

The other innovation devised for the Apple Watch is Force Touch. This, by contrast, is pretty neat, and it works fantastically. In addition to run-of-the-mill taps and long-presses, the watch can also register a firm press, allowing a new set of inputs and functions.

This has already been incorporated into the new MacBook to much acclaim, and when it inevitably reaches the iPhone, it could be a serious game-changer. Here, however, it looks sadly underused. Beyond swapping between different app tasks, there's not a lot of functionality on show.

Apple Watch experience - verdict

One of the main problems with the in-store Apple Watch experience is the fact that the staff know roughly as much about the products as any punter can find out from Google. It's not their fault, though the simple fact is that Apple hasn't deigned to release the actual devices to stores yet, so staff are trying to sell you these things, effectively, sight unseen.

Because they haven't actually used them, Apple Store employees' usual level of personal experience and expertise (such as it is) just isn't there. Instead, they're half-heartedly regurgitating the marketing spiel Cupertino's been pushing, and visibly squirm when asked any kind of in-depth questions about the functionality.

They also have less than no idea when they'll be available - one staff member said that she didn't expect pre-order customers to get their watches till mid-summer, with in-store stock potentially arriving as late as next year.

According to my designated Apple Minion, the majority of Apple Watch sales have so far been online pre-orders, who only then came in to actually try out the watch for themselves. While you can place in-store pre-orders, apparently virtually no-one has done so.

Given my experience with it, I'm not hugely surprised either. Other tech, like the iPhone or the MacBook Air, has the immediate wow factor' when you try it in the Apple Store. It's essentially fully-functional, and you instantly get a sense of what it would be like to own one, and how it could improve your day-to-day life.

With the Apple Watch, that's not as present. It's possibly due to the type of device the fact that it has to pair with an iPhone to properly work but it still feels like it isn't an inherently exciting product.

It's also currently suffering from a real lack of apps. When pressed for her favourite upcoming watch apps, my iHelper could only come up with a third-party fitness tracker and a CityMapper port. For the Apple Watch to really justify its ridiculous price, it's going to need something a bit better than that.

By and large, Cupertino's debut wearable is a prime example of technology that's going to pave the way for greatness. As it stands, the Apple Watch is outdone by its Android rivals in most areas, but it has undeniable potential. Whether it realises it before the public lose interest, however, remains to be seen.

Apple could become the only $1 trillion company thanks to innovations like the Apple Watch and its rumoured self-driving car, one analyst claims.

Brian White, analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, cited Apple's strong performance in China as another factor behind his estimate, detailed in a note to investors.

He said: "Next month, Apple will enter its first new product category in five years, while media reports over the past several weeks have highlighted potential new areas of future innovation.

"Also, we believe Apple's iPhone portfolio and position in China have never been stronger.

"Finally, Applehas shown its commitment to returning cash to shareholders, and we expect more in April. We believe the combination of these forces will drive the market to reward Apple's stock."

The prediction comes after the tech giant netted the highest profit ever recorded by a company in a single quarter in the last three months of 2014.

The $18 billion profit, and record $74.6 billion revenue, were chalked up to the popularity of the iPhone 6.

Cantor Fitzgerald think that Apple's shares could soon be worth $180 per share.

Currently they are at $127, which puts the company at a value of $733 billion.

If Apple does hit $1 trillion in value, it will be worth more than each respective GDP of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia or the Netherlands, according to statistics from the World Bank.

However, some sources are predicting the opposite of Cantor Fitzgerald's positive speculations.

Berenberg Bank predicted that their share could crash to $85. According to Forbes, the average prediction for the company's stock is $135.

Apple's first foray into the wearables market, the Apple Watch, will boast a variety of business and consumer apps designed specifically for your wrist.

With pre-orders for the wearable availabled from April 24, plenty of developers and companies are taking advantage of the new platform, and a slew of apps have also been unveiled ahead of the watch's release.

Here are some that have stood out so far.

Uber

There's nothing worse than being stranded in the middle of nowhere at some ungodly hour and having to keep your phone out, constantly checking it for the status of your Uber taxi, so having the app on your Apple Watch seems like a great idea, and one of the most obvious choices for the device.

Instagram

An image-based app like Instagram might not be the first thing you think of when imagining how the Apple Watch could be utilised, but the new app gets around the obvious problems by streamlining its functionality, to allow users to quickly browse their feed, favourite particular photos and leave emoji comments.

Twitter

Possibly best for those who keep their 'Following' count to a minimum, this simplified version of Twitter's app lets users view individual tweets on the device, retweeting and favouriting as they please.

It can also notify you of a new tweet with a small tap, and tweets can be composed with dictation.

eBay

Instead of checking your current auction on the web or your phone every few hours (or minutes), the eBay app for Apple Watch will make keeping on top of purchases and bids so much easier.

Wherever you are, you'll see alerts and notifications about auctions, ensuring you can act fast if someone outbids you at the last moment.

Evernote

Evernote is in many ways the perfect app for the Apple Watch, with users able to make notes by simply speaking into the device when they need to record a note, random thought or task for a later time. Designed as a companion to the iPhone app, it'll add convenience and productivity.

Todoist

With this to do list app, users can sync their tasks and errands with the cloud and have instant access to Todoist at all times. When you're busy, digging out your phone or tablet can be more trouble than it's worth, and so its inclusion on Apple's wearable platform is ideal.

Salesforce

One of the most enterprise-specific app packages to be highlighted so far, Salesforce for Apple Watch brings a snapshot of customer analytics, sales opportunities and more available on the app, making it easier to create graphs, get updates and more from the three apps the company has made available so far.

Invoice2go

Tracking time is easier with a watch, of course, and so the presence of something like Invoice2go on the Apple Watch is the perfect evolution of that for freelancers paid by the hour.

When starting a job, users can begin tracking time, before sending their invoice and getting a notification when payment is received.

OPINION: I am thoroughly unimpressed with smartwatches. Admittedly, in reviewing Android Wear watches for IT Pro's sister title Computeractive, I've seen glimmers of potential in features like Google Now.

For the most part though, the clunky software design and appalling battery life have left me pining for my trusty analogue Seiko. Apple, however, works on its own terms. At no point does Apple ever use the term smartwatch' to describe its simply-named Watch both semantically, functionally, aesthetically and in terms of price, Cupertino is trying to set the Apple Watch apart from all other wrist-worn computers.

My smartwatch scepticism stems from their complexity and lack of purpose. Apple is all about simplicity and elegance. Watches are already supremely simple and elegant timepieces that track the time very well. Then there's purpose. To put up with battery life of a day or two, compared to years for a standard analogue or digital watch, a smartwatch has to offer something truly, profoundly useful.

Android Wear, thus far, has fallen far short of this lofty goal. Google Now is too imperfect. The constant flood of notifications from a paired smartphone is infuriating rather than useful. The selection of apps is anaemic and hardly more convenient than using your phone. The available selection of watch faces are hideous looking and barely functional attempting to find a watch face with minute markers and the date which wasn't butt ugly proved impossible.

Convenience is the key word here. The Cupertino Cook crew is betting that the series of little conveniences offered by the Apple Watch will make it indispensable in your everyday life. Using it for contactless payments (at stores that support Apple Pay). Literally opening doors at hotels and airports by using it as a wrist-worn replacement for boarding passes and room keys. Sending quick messages, either text, audio, drawings or even heart beats taken using its built-in heart rate sensor, to loved ones. Notifications from your iPhone, but those heavily customised to your exact preferences. Apps from the likes of Salesforce, giving you quick snippets of information when you need them most.

It's a bold, daring bet by Apple. Especially as many consumers, the intended market, have yet to be convinced by smartwatches never mind businesses. It's an especially bold bet given the cost. The cheapest Apple Watch costs 299 with an aluminium casing and a rubber strap.

This quickly escalates though. There are too many variants to list here, but the cheapest version with a steel casing and band costs 819. This is pricey by the standards of other smartwatches, but pocket change for moneyed watch aficionados who dismiss Rolexs and Omegas as chav chaff.

Then there are the limited edition gold versions with prices that quickly reach four and even five figures. These would be small prices to pay for those that can afford them and want an heirloom to pass onto their progeny. That's conceivable for a timeless Patek Philippe or Christian Jacques.

Technology ages fast though and it's very hard to imagine an Apple Watch holding its value for decades like a luxury Swiss watch does especially for a product with chips and screens that can and will stop working and will likely be irreparable.

Still, if any technology company can pull off this delicate balance between technology and fashion then it's Apple. The Apple Watch is nothing if not physically beautiful. The straps and bands alone are intricately eye-catching. The ease with which they can be interchanged with each other makes the fiddly jeweller's tools needed for standard watch straps and bands seem antiquated in comparison.

I remain to be convinced by smartwatches. If the rest of you share my scepticism, then Apple has a lot of hard sells to make. Still, a product as bold and risky as the Apple Watch is exactly what I've come to expect from Cupertino. The future of the Apple Watch is murky but it'll be damn interesting to watch unfold.

Apple will confirm more details of its first wearable - the Apple Watch - later today at a dedicated event in San Francisco.

The action starts at 5pm and we'll be bringing you all the news as it happens in the live blog below. So check back later to have all your Apple Watch questions answered.

The Apple Watch may not have an official release date yet, but that hasn't stopped retailers from tapping into to the unknown possibilities the smartwatch could potentially offer the marketing world.

The WatchKit software development kit has already been released by Apple, allowing developers to work on apps for the upcoming wearable device.

Vendors have thus begun to talk about how ads and other features can be targeted at Apple Watch users, with inMarket recently telling Ad Week about beacons being developed in line with Marsh Supermarkets.

The company's plan is to extend app functionality for things such as shopping lists or recipes for the device that are triggered by the wearer entering certain locations.

Marsh Supermarkets alone has reportedly installed beacons in 75 stores in preparation for the Apple Watch's 2015 release.

Todd Dipaola, CEO of inMarket, said: "If you look at that situation when you're running through a store, how much more convenient is it to have a hands-free option to see what you're making for dinner or understand what the deals are when you're in-store?

"We've built the integration ahead of the debut so on day one as the Apple Watch comes out these apps can be ready for prime time."

It is unknown how these advertisements and notifications will be received on the Apple Watch, with the smaller screen and the ubiquitous nature of a device worn at all times making it markedly different from a smartphone or tablet. Apple has yet to release clear details on ad integration.

It has been rumoured that the Apple Watch will be released this spring, possibly in time for March.

Rumours surrounding two of Apple's next big releases, the Apple Watch and iPhone 7, have mentioned a larger OLED display for both devices.

The rumour comes from MacX.cn (via Design & Trend), a relatively reliable source for advanced news on Apple products, which says that various-seized OLED screens have been requested from Apple manufacturers Foxconn in time for 2016/2017.

Based on the information given, the iPhone 7 could very well sport a 5-inch screen with 400ppi resolution. The iPhone 6, Apple's latest smartphone release, has a 4.7-inch screen with 326ppi.

The screen would offer improved sharpness, and may be one way in which Apple plans to upgrade the iPhone 7. The rumour also states the Apple Watch could also make use of an OLED screen.

Speculation has the iPhone 6S launching in 2015, which would suggest that an iPhone 7 would not arrive until the following year. Other theories have the two devices launching together, which would suggest that rumours about the display of the latter could be false.

The Apple Watch is also mentioned by the source, however, and could be the first Apple device to make use of an improved OLED display.

No official release date for the Apple Watch has been announced, although it is thought the wearable will launch in "early 2015" after a recent change to Apple's EU website.

Inside the enterprise: If you were a villain in a Bond movie, you didn't want to be on the wrong end of 007's wearable technology. All too often, the consequences were lethal.

But, although some officer workers might yearn for an exploding watch or a bracelet hiding a poison dart, wearable technology is more likely to be an update on the 1980s' digital watch. Any security issues are, fortunately, likely to be of a less lethal variety.

The question of wearable tech and security, though, is a live one. Organisations already struggle with policing their networks and preventing data loss, especially if they allow employees to use their own smartphones or tablets at work.

Creating a watertight data protection policy, where personal devices are involved, is close to impossible.

Short of an outright ban unlikely to be acceptable in fields outside defence and central government it is hard to prevent employees using a smartphone camera, to take just one example, to capture sensitive data. Then there is the power of modern personal devices: a smartphone can copy even a sizeable company database many times over.

Miniaturisation does pose potential, additional security issues, however. Although there may well be business benefits in using wearable technology the idea of a watch that can conceal or control a camera or a data transmitter is likely to worry CIOs, especially in sensitive industries.

It is one thing to ban the use of cameras or cameras in smartphones; it is quite another to control the use of a device that could, potentially, take a picture at the flick of the wrist. Again, devices that can hook up to a PC and capture data over Bluetooth, or maybe even record or transcribe a conversation, pose a threat to confidentiality.

You don't have to be Bond's gadget maker Q to obtain sophisticated surveillance tools today. A whole range of spy gear, from miniature cameras to hidden microphones, is easy enough to find online. If someone is really determined to obtain company secrets, then they probably will.

The challenge for CIOs is controlling either casual data theft, or accidental data loss. Both of these problems may become worse with wearables.

From a data theft perspective, an employee might be tempted to snap the details of a celebrity customer's records with a watch, in a way they never would with a smartphone, let alone a full-sized camera. When it comes to data loss, if wearables can store company information then they can also lose it too.

A recent study, carried out by Vanson Bourne for Trend Micro, fleshes out some CIO concerns. The firm found that a quarter of companies were rolling out wearables, but 85 per cent thought they did pose a security risk. Almost half of the IT directors surveyed worried about data theft, and a further 34 per cent, about the auto-synchronisation of business data.

Of course, some of these problems can be addressed through policies and education. But maybe CIOs need to take a leaf out of Q's book, and fit wearables with a self-destruct button.

Stephen Pritchard is a contributing editor at IT Pro.

Despite being announced after the much-hyped Apple Watch, the Microsoft Band wearable has pipped its rival to market. Judging by the specifications, the Microsoft device could also be the more comprehensive health monitoring tool.

Below we take a look to see the key features of both wearables:

Compatibility

With Microsoft's commitment to cross-platform support, the Band is confirmed to work with Android, iOS or Windows Phone devices. All users have to do is to download the free Microsoft Health app from the relevant app store.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch will be locked into the iOS ecosystem, with Cupertino telling users they will need to pair the device with an iPhone 5 or above for it to work.

Hardware

Microsoft has squeezed more sensors into its Band so it should provide more data points compared to the Apple Watch.

Heart-rate is the core metric almost all smartwatches offer. Unsurprisingly, Microsoft and Apple have taken a opposite approaches when it comes to measuring this.

The Microsoft Band uses a traditional optical sensor, with Microsoft claiming it will track heart-rates 24/7 to get an accurate picture of overall health.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch will use a custom-built sensor made up of infrared/visible-light LEDs and photodiodes to detect heart rate. It appears this feature will have to be activated manually by users but a nifty feature will also enable them to send their heartbeat to other Apple Watch users.

Display

The Microsoft Band ships with a compact 1.4in TFT touchscreen display (320 x 106). It looks more like a dedicated fitness wearable rather than a traditional watch.

Apple will offer three models - a standard Watch, Sport and 18-carat Edition models. There will be two screen sizes available, but only the heights have been confirmed - 38mm and 42mm. No details have been released on the exact screen size or the display resolution but Apple does state the watches will ship with a Retina Display.

Battery Life

Microsoft is claiming 48-hours of battery life with moderate usage. However, the firm does state that this will reduce when intensive activities such as GPS mapping are used. It will take 1.5 hours to fully charge the Band.

Reports have suggested Apple has struggled to make its Watch last a full day and the firm is trying to improve this before the 2015 launch. Apple has confirmed the Watch will be charged using the MagSafe technology.

Apps

The Microsoft Health app is the primary interaction tool and is available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

Powered by the cloud, Microsoft Health aims to provide "actionable insights" to help you keep on top of your fitness. It will give you information like how long your body needs to recover before your next training session. When synced with calendars, the software will also be able to tell you whether having more meetings impacts on your sleep.

The Microsoft Band will be compatible with third-party apps including RunKeeper, Gold's Gym, My FitnessPal, and Starbucks. The firm says it plans to add more partners and also expects developers to create apps for its device. Users will also be able to share their data with the HealthVault app, which can be shared with other family members or a healthcare professional to keep track of any existing medical conditions.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch has a bespoke Activity Monitor app built into it. This is made up of three graphical rings telling you everything about your daily activity. The Move ring will show how many calories you've burned. The Exercise ring shows how many minutes of brisk activity and the Stand ring will show how often you stood up.

A dedicated Workout app will track time, distance, pace and calories burnt in real-time.

Core apps set to ship with the Watch include Apple Pay, Maps, Calendar, Passbook and developers will be able to create third-party software for the device too.

Pricing & Release date

The Microsoft Band is available now exclusively through Microsoft Stores in the US. It's priced at $199.

The Apple Watch will launch in early 2015 with prices starting at $349.

Overall

Based on the paper specifications, Microsoft appears to have served up one of the most attractive wearables on the market. The Band is capable of being connected to Android, iOS or Windows Phone platforms, it touts a 48-hour battery life and has more sensors built into it than the Apple Watch.

Apple's device aims to mimic the look and feel of a more traditional watch. It has less health monitoring capabilities, but it appears Apple is focusing on quality not quantity with the first generation.

If Microsoft's device is capable of accurately tracking all the data points it promises, then it should be the more useful device.

The Apple Watch could get you in hot water if you use it while you drive.

Safety experts are advising UK drivers to scrap the watch and keep their eyes on the road, otherwise they could be slammed with the same fines and points on their licence as they would for using a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

The UK's Institute for Advanced Motorists is one of the organisations campaigning for drivers to be responsible when using smart watches behind the wheel.

They said the watch could be like "having a wristwatch linked to users' mobile phone only suggests a higher proportion of drivers' performance will be significantly impaired."

The organisation said, to date, mobile phones had contributed to nearly 2,000 road traffic accidents in Britain and having a wearable that is connected to your phone and the internet could exacerbate these problems.

As is the case when using a mobile phone behind the wheel, anyone who is caught using a wearable while driving will be subject to a 100 fine and three points on their licence.

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman told the BBC: "If records show you were texting from said watch, you've given police enough material to be able to charge you. We are considering a number of further options to deter drivers."

The Institute of Advanced Motorists is another body behind the campaign, although it said manufacturers have a big part to play in advising drivers not to use the devices while in control of a vehicle.

"It's possible that manufacturers might think it's not their responsibility to warn drivers about the dangers, but they need to be pushing the responsible message too."

Inside the enterprise: Hardly anyone was surprised when Apple announced earlier this week that it will be making watches. There have been rumours about the company's plans for wearable technology for some time and nor is Apple new to miniature electronics. Just look at some of its earlier designs for iPods.

The Apple Watch will compete with other consumer electronics brands' offerings, including Sony and Samsung. And smart watches have been around for some time before even those. Microsoft had a programme of smart watches, named SPOT, supported by a low bandwidth wireless data service, more than a decade ago.

Apple, though, has a track record of creating consumer desires for devices that are otherwise viewed as overly techie, or overpriced. In fact, the Apple Watch is not particularly expensive. At around 215,the Apple Watch is comparatively cheap, in a market where a "dumb" fashion watch can cost several hundred pounds and a quality chronograph, many thousands.

For that price, the new watches come with a suite of advanced technologies, including accelerometers, heart rate monitors, and GPS.

Apple is already touting the Watch as a fitness and health accessory, and will release a sports version. Again, compared to high-end sports watches or fitness monitors from Garmin or TomTom, the Apple Watch looks competitive. And there is the potential to add new functions, through the watch's ability to run apps.

And, although the new watches will not go on sale until 2015, it is inevitable they will make their way into the enterprise. Apple's cachet means they will appear on plenty of executives' wrists, whilst pricing keeps it in range of younger technology adopters too.

No doubt this will lead to concerns about security in the workplace, although the watches will not have Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity in their own right: owners will need an iPhone to provide that. So it should be possible to secure the Apple Watch, by securing its associated iPhone.

The productivity benefits of smart watch technology, though, are harder to gauge. With WatchKit, developers will be able to create scaled-down versions of apps, so it is perfectly possible that we will see wrist-based business applications in the near future.

Apple has already said productivity apps are likely to focus on areas such as notifications and calendar updates, and being able to "hand off" a message started on the Watch to an iPhone.

But there could also be scope for business "dashboards" or even data analysis tools to send alerts, or allow for queries. This could work well, if combined with Siri's voice technology.

Firms may also benefit from customers being able to pay for services using Apple Pay, although this will initially only be available in the US. The watch will even allow frequent travellers to keep all their airline boarding cards in one place. CIOs will not be the only ones to justify buying an Apple Watch on the company credit card.

Late to the party, Apple has finally entered the wearable tech game, launching its Apple Watch at its 9 September event to a crowd of anticipatory technology enthusiasts, Apple devotees and for the first time fashion bloggers and journalists.

It was significant precisely because it was a first, and virtually confirmed the presence of the Watch (previously known as the iWatch) before the event begun. It's the company's first toe dipped in the water of wearables and smartwatches, with its competitors having already gone through a lot of trial and error in preparation for the sector's mainstream explosion.

The event, perhaps coincidentally, also took place right in the middle of New York Fashion Week, with style journalists and bloggers already on high alert for the new and the innovative. The event has been more tech-focused than usual even without intervention from Apple, as Intel and Opening Ceremony also unveiled their MICA smart bracelet last week.

The bracelet is notable for being designed as a fashion accessory first and tech device second, which is also how Apple has chosen to present the Watch.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, took the stage on Tuesday, saying of the company's new device: "We set out to make the best watch in the world. We've been working incredibly hard for a long time on an entirely new product. And we believe this product will redefine what people expect from its category."

With three varieties a standard Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Sport and the high-end Apple Watch Edition the company has seemingly approached the launch in a completely different way. These watches haven't been designed with tech-heads in mind, though they sport some impressive features, but rather they're actively targeting sceptics and newcomers those who have previously dismissed wearables as clunky and obtrusive.

Starting from $349 (217), the Apple Watch will still be a luxury item a status symbol that only becomes more remarkable when you consider it must be paired with an iPhone in order to work. The decision to introduce three separate models with varying price points also supports this.

Jeremy Davies, CEO of Context, told IT Pro ahead of the event: "It's one thing to have a single killer product in a relatively new area that you can dominate, [but another] fighting to compete with a host of imitators all doing it at much lower prices, while still searching for the next big thing.

"If wearables are going to be the next growth consumer IT product, Apple has to be there with a product that may not invent the sector, but redefines it the way the iPod and original iPhone have done."

Back in July, Beecham Research released a report that urged the fashion and technology industries to combine efforts in order to remove the barrier between cutting-edge technology and widespread adoption.

The report focused on the importance of image, branding and consumer needs in addition to functionality and impressive specifications, with Saverio Romeo, principle analyst and co-author, saying of the company's entering the wearables sector for the first time:"These are technology-focused individuals. They produce some fantastic technology-based ideas, but they do not consider any other consideration that they should do as a company.

"I'm talking business models who's going to want to buy this device? Where are you going to sell this device? This is a strong limitation."

The most high-profile example of a supposedly game-changing device being rejected because of negative perception was Google Glass, which spawned the unflattering nickname Glasshole' for its early adopters and more or less destroyed any chance of the wearable smartglasses becoming as ubiquitous as promised in the near future.

Claire Duke Wooley, fashion technology analyst at Beecham research, said in July: "There is a real difference between making technology wearable versus making technology products that are desirable and genuinely engage with consumers through good design practice.

"The market is still wide open for trail blazing products that deliver desire, image and perceived value," she added. "And it is greater knowledge share between the technology and fashion industries that is the key to success."

But it seems that the market is no longer as wide open as it was before Apple's announcement, with its smartwatch entrant apparently combining all of the elements outlined in Beecham's report. If anyone can do desirable, after all, it's Apple.

"The interchangeable straps options and multiple cases and sizes shows they've thought more about the fashion and jewellery elements compared to their competitors," Paul Jackson, principle analyst at Ovum, told IT Pro. "This watch, along with the Moto 360 and LG G Watch R finally offer something non-techies might consider wearing.

"The four smart watches we've seen announced over the past few weeks Samsung Galaxy S, Apple Watch, Moto 360, LG G Watch R really represent an optimistic second wave of devices that, while still flawed, point to a genuinely useful category of devices emerging over the next 18 months."

So many existing examples of smartwatches, fitness bands and other wearable devices have failed to take off for consumers and businesses in the way tech companies hoped for but, with Apple now coming in to upset the game, will the Apple Watch be the item that finally breaks through?

Its unwavering focus on impressing fashion gurus and influencers as well as the tech-savvy and the already-devoted suggests that, yes, it just might.

It's an imperfect product that still has some convincing to do, and it's not as revolutionary in terms of design as many were expecting but, in a sector where perceived value is the key, Apple's decision to combine fashion and tech in a way others refuse to could be a game-changer.

Apple Pay, a proprietarywireless payment service made its debut during the grand unveiling of the iPhone 6/6 Plus and its wearable Watch, last night.

We take a closer look at the technology to ascertain how it works, how secure it is, and find out why it took so long for Apple to launch it.

What is Apple Pay?

It's a wireless payment system that's being introduced as part of iOS 8 for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users that will allow them to pay for goods and services using their smartphones.

Apple Pay: Fast FactsRelease date: October 2014 in the US. UK date to be confirmed.

Works with: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and the Apple Watch.

Where can I use it?: At 220,000 locations across the US.

For added security, users won't be able to make a payment unless they keep their finger on the iPhone 6's Touch ID biometric finger scanner during transaction, as this will be used to verify their identity.

Hold up. What is NFC exactly?

As mentioned, it stands for near-field communications and is a set of standards that allows mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to communicate wirelessly with other items when in their vicinity.

Usually, the devices have to be a few centimetres apart, or even touching, for a connection to be established and for a payment to be made.

Does that mean my credit card details will be stored on my iPhone if I want to use Apple Pay?

The device draws on either the credit card details the user has registered with iTunes to pay for goods, or they can take a picture of their credit card and upload it to Apple's virtual wallet, Passbook.

During the iPhone launch event, Apple explained that no credit or debit card numbers will be stored on the device or on the company's servers.

Instead, each device is assigned its own Device Account Number (DAN), which is encrypted and stored on the Secure Element chip in the iPhone or Apple Watch.

Each purchase a user makes is authorised with a one-time unique number using the DAN, before Apple Pay creates another single-use security code to verify the transaction.

What happens if I lose my iPhone or Apple Watch?

Nothing, according to Apple. Thanks to the inclusion of Secure Element, the vendor reckons if your device is lost or stolen, your payment details will be impossible to pilfer. But, we will see.

Does Apple Pay only work with the iPhone 6?

Nope. You will also be able to use the service to wirelessly pay for goods and service using the Apple Watch, once it's released in early 2015. This will also make it possible for iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c users to use Apple Pay, if they purchase the Watch first.

What's Apple Pay's release date?

Apple Pay is going to be released as a free update to iOS 8 for US-based iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users in October. At the time of writing, it was unclear if it will also make its debut in the UK around that time or later.

Where can I pay for goods and services using Apple Pay?

During the iPhone 6 keynote, Apple CEO Tim Cook said 220,000 US stores will accept Apple Pay as a form of payment from launch. At present, it's unclear how many in the UK will be in a position to.

Why has Apple introduced NFC now?

Good question. NFC functionality isn't new, and has featured on a slew of Android and Windows Phone devices over the past couple of years.

It was also hotly-tipped for inclusion in the iPhone 5s and its predecessor, but never materialised, which has left some questioning why it's taken Apple so long to join the NFC party.

In 2012, Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple, shed some light on this while talking to tech site AllThingsD.

During the discussion he suggested baking NFC capabilities into the iPhone was unnecessary, and wasn't something customers were desperate for either.

Instead, he flagged Passbook Apple's virtual storage wallet for loyalty cards, gift vouchers and flight boarding passes as the feature that "does the kind of things customers need today."

According to YouGov stats from 2013, Schiller's assessment of the market demand for NFC appears fair, as just 35 per cent of UK adults said they knew what the technology can do.

This figure is largely the same as the one flagged in the analyst house's 2012 report, adding further weight to Schiller's claims made at the time.

The study, which featured respondents from 1,051 UK adults, also revealed fewer than 10 per cent realised their smartphone was capable of NFC-enabled wireless payments, while 22 per cent made use of it.

The reasons cited in the report as to why uptake of NFC was so low included concerns about the heightened financial risks users fear they face should their device be lost or stolen.

Meanwhile, 56 per cent said they were simply not interested in using NFC technology to pay for items.

Apple has Touch ID and Secure Element as answers to users' security concerns, but how can it encourage more people to use NFC?

Industry watchers have been projecting strong growth in the frequency that users opt for NFC-style payments, as well as total transaction values in the years to come, way before Apple got involved. So, adoption is on the up, albeit slowly.

Apple could feasibly use its iBeacon technology, which uses location data to alert iPhone users to special promotions being offered in nearby stores, to inform iPhone 6 users that the shop they're in a shop that accepts NFC payments.

That would certainly go some way to solving the awareness issue flagged in the YouGov poll, while Apple could capitalise on this further by offering further in-store discounts to people who shun cash and credit cards to buy goods using Apple Pay.

Apple looks set to take the wraps off a host of products at its launch event in Cupertino later today, with the iPhone 6, iWatch and the next generation iPad Air all expected to put in an appearance.

The event is likely to be presided over by Apple CEO Tim Cook and Phil Schiller, the consumer electronics giant's vice president of worldwide market, if previous launches are anything to go by, and will kick-off at 6pm, UK time.

The IT Pro team will be covering all the news from the event as it happens, with comprehensive breakdowns and comparisons planned for all the kit Apple decides to debut during the keynote, so make sure you check the site often for updates.

Industry sources are suggesting tonight's event could be one of the most ambitious in Apple's history, with two new iPhones tipped to make their debut, along with news of the vendor's first foray into wearable tech in the form of the iWatch, as well as the next-generation iPad Air.

We're also likely to see a comprehensive walkthrough tonight of the various new features packed into Apple's soon-to-be-launched iOS 8 mobile operating system, and possibly how its HomeKit and HealthKit offerings will tie-up with the devices it unveils at the launch.

Below, we take a quick run through the devices that are hotly-tipped to be unveiled tonight, with links to articles we've written about them already, and place our bets on how likely they are to make an appearance.

iPhone 6

September has traditionally seen Apple announce details about a new iPhone it's bringing to market, and this year - as was the case in 2013 - the rumour mill seems to be suggesting that two models could be in the offing.

Last year, this resulted in the highly-praised iPhone 5s, which marked the introduction of the firm's TouchID biometric finger scanner, and the lower cost iPhone 5c.

Whereas cost and specs were the key differentiators between last year's two devices, in 2014 it seems it's all about size for Apple.

According to various reports, the firm is planning to bring a 4.7in smartphone and a 5.5in phablet-style device to market.

You can find out more about both devices, and what's rumoured to be bundled in with them here.

Likelihood of launch: 99.99999 per cent Apple always debuts new iPhones in September, and last year's crop are already falling behind the competition on the specs front, so a refresh is well overdue.

iWatch

With Asus, Sony, Samsung, LG already touting smartwatches of some description, Apple has been accused of being late to the wearable tech party.

However, given Apple's track record for popularising the use of, and improving on, technology that already exists, market watchers have been quick to bat away suggestions the firm's decision to bide its time will cause it harm.

Industry sources claim the device is likely to sport a 2.5in touch screen, which arcs around the wrist, and will have wireless charging capabilities. Furthermore, it's thought the device will also act as a fitness tracker by monitoring health metrics, such as heart rate, calories burnt and the number of steps taken.

Here's a link to our latest news about the iWatch.

Likelihood of launch: The momentum surrounding Apple's iWatch has markedly ramped up in recent months, with the announcement Apple had recruited a former Tag Heuer sales director to help with its development.

Early reports hinted at an October release date for the iWatch, so we'd say there's a75 per cent chance of a shiny wristwatch.

iPad Air 2 AKA New iPad Air

Apple officially did away with the numeric naming convention for its tablet family last October with the launch of the 9.7in iPad Air, which it declared the "lightest, full-size tablet in the world."

The device is due a refresh, with reputable KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggesting last weekthat tonight will be the night Apple announces the iPad Air's successor.

Little is know about the prospective, new device at the moment, although reports suggest it could feature 2GB of RAM and come equipped with Touch ID.

Here's a link to an article featuring further details on the iPad Air 2.

Likelihood of launch: 30 per cent.The iPad Air 2 was a late, prospective addition to the keynote line-up, and - given Apple usually debuts new additions to its tablet family in October, ahead of the holiday rush - we're a little dubious about claims it'll be launched tonight. We could be wrong, but Apple rarely tampers with its release cycles.

Be sure to check back here once the keynote ends to see if any of our predictions were true.

Experts have predicted a huge boost for wearable devices over the next few years, with CCS Insight's global forecast expecting sales to rise from 9.7 million in 2013 to 135 million by 2018, reports Marketing Week.

Of these sales, it is thought that wrist-worn devices such as smart watches and smart bands will account for more than 80 per cent. These devices have become known as "quantified self" devices, which track the movement, behaviour and activity of the wearer before feeding data back to their chosen device.

CCS Insight claims the overwhelming popularity of wrist-worn devices comes down to their affordability and marketability due to their "clear purpose". Devices with their own SIM cards, that don't require a smartphone or similar device to work, are also expected to make an impact from the latter half of 2014.

Christmas will likely spark a rise in sales for wearables, and the company has pointed to the need for tech companies to develop devices that appeal to a wider audience.

Marina Koytcheva, CCS Insight director of forecasting, said: "The wearables market is in its Stone Age right now. There needs to be huge improvements to broaden their appeal. This is particularly acute when it comes to devices for women: wearables need to quickly move on from black, clunky devices fortunately we're starting to see the first steps in this direction."

The move away from using smart bands in conjunction with smartphones poses its own problems, of course, requiring manufacturers to include screens to those devices. Smart watches may have the advantage as these changes start to become apparent.

Though it is quickly changing, wearable devices have not yet become mainstream enough to go unnoticed, and manufacturers will have to come up with new ways to make some of the more obtrusive tech more appealing to consumers.

In July, Beecham Research highlighted the need for the fashion and technology industries to join together in order to achieve this, with fashion technology analyst Claire Duke-Wooley saying: "There is a real difference between making technology wearable versus making technology products that are desirable and genuinely engage with consumers through good design practice. The market is still wide open for trail blazing products that deliver desire, image and perceived value."

Commenting on Apple's rumoured plans for their own smart watch, the iWatch, Koytcheva added: "History shows us that when Apple enters a market it can reshape the way people think about a product."

Apple could push production of its iWatch back to November as speculation about the firm's first wearable tech device continues.

"We have pushed back our estimated time of iWatch mass production from late-September to mid-/ late- November," KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a research note, according to 9to5 Mac.

"We also lower our forecast of iWatch 2014 shipments by 40 per cent to 3 million units."

The analyst firm initially predicted Apple could shift 10 million units by the end of this year.

This report contradicts sources, who told Reuters the device would be ready to go into production in July.

Specifications of Apple's iWatch remain unknown. It is tipped to have a 2.5in touch screen, which arcs around the wristband and wireless charging capabilities as standard.

The wearable is expected to sync with Apple's Healthkit app and measure key metrics like heart rate, calories burnt, steps taken and quality of sleep. By pairing with iPhones, the iWatch will be able to showcase alerts and message notifications.

Reports in July 2013 suggested Apple was hampered by a number of engineering issues ranging from problems with the display to battery life. At the time Apple was believed to be 12 months away from a final product.

However, the recent hiring of a sales director from Tag Heuer suggests a launch event is likely to occur later this year, with many expecting the device to be unveiled in October.

A sales director of Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer has reportedly left the firm to join Apple. The move will further fuel rumours of an imminent launch of a smartwatch by the Cupertino company.

According to a report by CNBC, the unnamed executive in charge of sales at the luxury watch brand left to help Apple with the launch of what has been dubbed the "iWatch" in October.

The move was confirmed by Jean-Claude Biver, head of LVMH's watch brands, which include Tag Heuer, Hublot and Zenith.

"If it had been a direct competitor, I would have felt a bit betrayed, but if he goes to Apple I think it is a great experience for him," Biver told CNBC.

Biver said the executive left late last week "to take a contract with Apple" in order to help the iWatch launch.

The report said that Apple had made a number of advances to executives from Swiss watch makers over the last few months with no success - until now.

Apple is reported to be starting up production of the iWatch this month with Chinese manufacturer Quanta expected to make the devices on its behalf. Sources say Cupertino is expected to shift 50 million iWatches in the first 12 months of the release.

Apple is expected to green-light production of the iWatch imminently, with the firm targeting an October launch.

Mass production will start in July, sources have told Reuters. Chinese manufacturer Quanta, which makes Apple's laptops and iPods, has been tasked with manufacturing the iWatch.

Sources say Apple is aiming to ship 50 million units in the first 12 months of release.

Specifications

The iWatch is expected to ship with a 2.5in touch screen, which arcs around the wristband. Wireless charging capabilities are also tipped to be included as standard.

The wearable is expected to sync with Apple's Healthkit app and measure key metrics like heart rate, calories burnt, steps taken and quality of sleep.

By pairing with iPhones, the iWatch will be able to showcase alerts and message notifications.

LG, Samsung, Sony, Microsoft and Motorola are other prominent manufacturers eager to establish a presence in the wearable market.

The companies are using health metrics as the main selling point and wearables are expected to be the new cash cow in the midst of slowing smartphone sales.

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicked off earlier today with an opening keynote by CEO Tim Cook.

What did Apple launch at WWDC?

• Mac OS X Yosemite
• iOS 8 was unveiled with a raft of new features focused on end users and developers
• Health Kit and the Health app
• Home automation features
• A new SDK that showcases the most revolutionary changes since the App Store was launched

In anticipation of iOS 8 being unveiled today, we outlined the

top features we'd really like to see in Apple's latest OS

. Deeper Siri integration and an Apple Maps upgrade were on the wish list, as is split-screen view and enhanced Touch ID support.

But did we get what we wanted? Apple users are a vocal and fickle bunch and the firm will be hard pushed to please all of those people all of the time.

We've outlined some of our WWDC predictions here. But check back for all the action as it happens as we'll be live blogging the keynote from 6pm.

Live blog

UPDATE 17:41:The final countdown has started, and we're less than 20 minutes away from kick off of the WWDC 2014 keynote. We'll keep you up to date with everything as it happens in our live blog below. We'll also have more indepth insight as to what the news means for you, during and after the event too.

UPDATE 15:19:Less than three hours to go now until the big event kicks off. Excitement is building at the Moscone Centre if recent tweets and pictures are anything to go by. Some of these people have been queuing up since yesterday - that's dedication for you.

Apple's iPhone 6 will be released in August, a month earlier than expected, according to a Taiwanese source.

The new device, sporting a 4.7in screen, will hit the shelves in August. A 5.5 or 5.6in model will follow in September, according to the Economic Daily News, which cited an unidentified supply-chain source.

Eighty million units will be designed prior to the launch event, the source claims. There was no mention of which markets would receive the phones first.

Initial rumours suggested Apple would unveil the new iPhones in September, the month the company typically releases its latest models. If true, the reports indicate that Cupertino seems happy enough with its designs to shorten the schedule.

Other rumours suggests that screen size is set to be a key battleground for Apple. The firm will attempt to combat rival Samsung, with the South Korean company's Galaxy range impressing in that category. It has also been suggested the company is planning to release a 5.5in "phablet" in the near future.

Apple will look to ape the design style of the iPod Nano and the iPhone 5c, making the iPhone 6 available in a number of different colours.

The iPhone 6 might also include new features to allow interoperability with its rumoured iWatch, which is expected to be confirmed by the company in the near future.

A patent filing from Microsoft has been spotted suggesting the company has designs on releasing its own biometric smartwatch.

The patent outlines a central device, fitted into the band of a watch, which boasts a touchscreen display on top and an optical light sensor underneath. The sensor will be used to measure exercise-related metrics from a user's skin, which can be manipulated on the device's display.

Images alongside the release show three modes of interactive biometric data: a running man, which displays the length of the current run, a heart for heart rate, and a small flame, for showing the amount of calories burned. To avoid any possible corruption of the data, the watch will include gaskets to prevent unwanted light reaching its sensors.

Though the patent makes a lot of noise about the biometric potential of the smartwatch, other features will include a cloud-based music player, alarm clock, telephone app and messaging platform.

The central device can be removed from the watch and mounted into a compatible dock for charging the display or storing information. According to the patent, the plurality of the frame means it will be compatible with other electronic mountings, like gym equipment.

This isn't the first time Microsoft has made a move on the wearables market. The company launched Smart Personal Objective Technology (SPOT) watches back in 2002, with the project ultimately falling short and being discontinued in 2008.

A patent report does not mean a product is definitely on the cards. Though with Samsung's Galaxy Gear and Google's Android Wear already released, and rumours around Apple's iWatch growing stronger, Microsoft might just be preparing to throw its hat into the ring before it falls behind in the market.

Samsung's latest Galaxy Gear smart watch is much more than just a device to tell the time.

It connects to a Samsung Galaxy S4, S3, Note 2 or Note 3 and will become compatible with the Galaxy S4 mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3, and S4 zoom.

The Galaxy Gear allows you to make and answer calls and view incoming messages and notifications via the watch's 1.63-inch screen. If you want to view the whole notification, you can pick up your Samsung Galaxy device and it will automatically show new messages, missed calls, text messages or any other supported notification in full, without you touching a button.

There's a 1.9-megapixel camera onboard, although the photos you can expect to take on the device won't win any awards. You can also control a range of other phone features via the watch, including the music on your mobile nd measuring your activity during the day with a pedometer.

Apps can be installed on the watch, although it's pretty slim pickings at the moment.

The Galaxy Gear has been targeted more at consumers than business users, but with Apple rumoured to launch a watch in the coming months, does this mean a shift for wearable technology like the smart watch? Indeed, we saw business phone policies shift towards BYOD/CYOD as people increasingly turned to the iPhone as an all-in-one business and pleasure solution. Will history repeat itself?

Avi Greengart, research director of consumer devices at Current Analysis, thinks wearable technology and, in particular, smart watches will begin to gain momentum in the workplace.

"I can certainly imagine plenty of business use cases for wearable technology - providing alerts, physical and digital access, personnel tracking, hands-free communication, and more," he said.

"To an extent, these uses are enabled today by other "wearable" technology such as pagers and key cards."

This doesn't mean smart watches will become a business necessity though.

"Smart watches are more likely to enter the boardroom via consumer use cases. Thus far, all the smart watches I've seen have been aimed at early adopters. The market is still waiting for the right combination of practicality, simplicity, and style for the category to go mainstream."

However, as Quocirca principal analyst Rob Bamforth explained, wearable electronics such as smart watches and Google Glass will become an interesting concept for business users.

Bamforth recently attended a briefing by Fortinet focused on research it had carried out, taking a look at the relationship between generation Y (those born in the 1980s and 1990s) and wearable technology.

When asked how long it would take for wearable technologies such as smart watches and Google Glass to become widespread at work or being used for work purposes, 16 per cent of the respondents said they would enter the workplace immediately. A further 33 per cent said they would use wearables at work when costs came down. Just eight per cent of the entire sample disagreed that the technologies would become widespread.

"However, these Gen Y folk are not yet in the boardroom, so I'd expect a little more pragmatism in the short term," Bamforth explained.

There are some themes that look to counter the widespread adoption of smart watches, according to Bamforth. This includes the fact that a watch is essentially a piece of jewellery and, as such, anything that looks cheap/tacky/geeky is generally less appealing than a Rolex- especially to a board member.

Another reason smart watches won't necessarily catch on is the fact for many - especially the younger generation - mobile phones are used as a viable alternative to wrist watches and alarm clocks. Putting something on one's wrist is a diminishing trend, Bamforth claims.

But can Apple make these people take a u-turn and adopt smart watches with the launch of the iWatch?

"There is no guarantee Apple will launch this rumoured product. An Apple introduction of a predicted iWatch would however help to validate the fledgling market for smart watches," said Kevin Restivo, senior analyst at IDC's mobility research arm.

Bamforth however, thinks Apple has the ability to make the geeky appear cool. He adds that boardroom members have been early adopters before, with mobile email on Blackberry, tablets and so on.

"As to whether wrist-wear' hits the right buttons for them, I'm less sure. It really depends what it does. After all the perfect audio accessory for voice calls on the mobile phone is the Bluetooth earpiece, yet they are hard to find among those driving cars (who probably should be using them), let alone those in the office or the boardroom," he explained.

"Something similar happened with the adoption of pagers, especially in the UK. In the US (pre-mobiles) they were often a tool for the busy exec, but in the UK it was more likely to be maintenance engineers and emergency responders again a task-oriented not general purpose use," Bamforth added.

Both Bamforth and Restivo think smart watches will never appeal to business users because as yet, smart watches haven't taken off anywhere else.

"There are relatively few offerings that have captured the imagination of the masses like a flagship phone," Restivo said. And Bamforth thinks they are just companion devices, designed to work with a smartphone or tablet. "It may turn out to be the same dead end as previous companion devices," he commented.

However, Bamforth thinks if a smart watch has a purpose of its own and is directly supported by cloud-based services, there maybe a future for such devices.

Manufacturers must answer two questions though: What purpose does it serve? And, if that purpose is already served by another device, what is the incentive to switch?

Restivo however, thinks the problem with bringing smart watches and other wearable electronics to the market is with IT policies essentially the same issue brought about when smartphones became personal and employees wanted to bring their own high-specced smartphones into the workplace.

"Wearable technology will supersede corporate policies in many instances making network administration more difficult for companies as computing is becoming ever more personal," he explained.

Samsung wasn't the first company to announce a smart watch. Sony is on its second wrist accessory, LG's debut was an actual phone in a watch and the Pebble arrived with a twist in the form of an e-ink display. That said, it is Samsung's offering that has piqued interest of late. But surely, as has happened before, it's lilkely to be Apple who will make smart wearables a revolution.

Apple is expected to launch a larger version of the iPhone in 2014, supply chain sources have told financial investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

iPhones are offered with a 4in display at this time, but it looks like the one-size only rule is going to be relaxed just like it was for Apple's iPad devices.

"Our meeting with a tech supply chain vendor during our China/Taiwan Tech Tour today highlighted a bigger iPhone is in the works, and our contact expects a launch in the 2Q:14/3Q:14 time frame," noted Brian White, global head of technology at Cantor Fitzgerald in a blog.

"We are confident a larger iPhone will be launched in 2014."

The lack of screen size choice was seen as a missed opportunity in our review of the iPhone 5s and it looks like Apple is actively addressing this issue.

White also shared details about Apple's iWatch, noting the firm is aiming to position it as more than just a companion device.

"As an Apple supplier, our contact offered insight into the iWatch' and described this potential new device as much more than an extension of your iPhone but as a multi-purpose gateway in allowing consumers to control their home (i.e., heating/cooling, lights, audio, video, etc.)," White continued.

"In our Apple initiation report dated 9/4/13, we estimated that Apple would launch the iWatch' before the end of CY [calendar year] :14, and we continue to stand by this view."

Apple has had success with being first to market in the smartphone and tablet categories, but has not rushed out a smart watch.

The smart watch market is still in its infancy, with devices seen as a novelty rather than a necessity like a smartphone. So far the most popular device appears to be the crowd-funded Pebble watch, which shipped 85,000 units between January and July 2013. However, Sony claims to lead, with the firm stating that it has sold a total of 500,000 smart watches.

Samsung entered the market in 2013 with the Galaxy Gear, but the Korean firm's device received a critical mauling. Many reviewers gave the device two stars and labelled it as an expensive, ugly and unnecessary device.

The ferocious rivalry between Apple and Samsung is set to spill over into another battleground as the firms gear up to launch wearable devices in the coming months.

There are a handful of smartwatches on the market at present including the Sony SmartWatch 2, Nike Fuelband, MotoActiv and Pebble Watch. However, such devices are still seen as novelty purchases and Apple and Samsung are expected to drive the market forward. So what can we expect from the companies which are dominating everything else mobile related?

Samsung

Indications suggest the Korean manufacturer is almost ready to go to market with its smartwatch dubbed the Samsung Galaxy Gear.

In its patent filing, Samsung describes the Galaxy Gear as a "wearable digital electronic device in the form of a wristwatch, wrist band or bangle capable of providing access to the internet and for sending and receiving phone calls, electronic mails and messages."

Diagrams filed with the patent application also appear to suggest a flexible display is used.

GigaOM claims to have got hold of the specification list from sources.

Name: Samsung Galaxy Gear

Display: 2.5in display (320 x 320)

Processor: Samsung Exynos 4212 dual core 1.5GHz with Mali-400 MP4 GPU

Software: Android 4.x, Twitter + Facebook integration, Samsung Watch Manager App

Connectivity: Bluetooth 4 and NFC

Launch date: 4 September has been set as a tentative unveiling date.

Apple

After popularising the smartphone and tablet form factors, Apple has been uncharacteristically slow to enter the smartwatch race. Reports indicate this is because Apple has had trouble with the development of its iWatch.

Cupertino was reported to have been aggressively hiring engineers to work on the project to help iron out design issues. Most recently, Apple has hired Jay Blahnik, a fitness-industry consultant who was involved in the development of the Nike Fuelband.

Name: iWatch

Details about specifications are scarce. Reports suggest Apple is trialling a 1.5in display with some form of flexible glass. Little else is known about the iWatch, but it is expected to include Bluetooth connectivity, use some form of iOS and interact with other Apple devices including iPhones.

Reports about the launch date vary wildly too. The iWatch was originally expected to be available at the end of 2013, but the common consensus is that the device will be revealed in 2014. Some sources even suggest Apple could be as far away as 12-months from a finished product.

Bob Mansfield, SVP of technology at Apple, has been removed from the executive board and is now working on "special projects".

The executive raked in over $85 million in 2012 thanks to Apple's high-flying stock. He briefly retired from the firm last year before returning weeks later.

"Bob will no longer be on Apple's executive team, but he will continue to work on special projects," Katie Cotton, an Apple spokeswoman told Bloomberg.

Apple has not confirmed what Mansfield's new remit consists of but reports suggest he is focused on boosting Apple's wearable technology ambitions and will report directly to CEO Tim Cook.

Mansfield was previously responsible for planning Apple's long-term chip strategy. In 2012, the division experimented with running all of Apple's products on the same architecture, under his leadership.

Apple currently uses lowered-powered ARM processors for its iOS products and high-performance, high-powered Intel chips in its Mac OS X range. This is likely to be the case for the forseeable future.

The iPhone maker has had mixed fortunes lately. Sources claimed the firm recently had to go on a hiring spree as it had run into engineering problems with its iWatch.

Despite selling a record 31.2 million iPhones during the June 2012 quarter, 20 per cent up on last year, Apple saw net profits drop to $6.9 million.

Apple is aggressively hiring people to work on its forthcoming iWatch, but there are concerns the wearable device will not be ready until late 2014.

Sources told the FT the creation of a smartwatch is not proving to be straightforward as hoped and that"engineering problems" have held up development. There are no details as to what the trouble could be, but given the small form factor the device is expected to take there could be issues with any number of components ranging from the display to its power source.

According to another unnamed source, a senior member of the iWatch team also considered leaving Apple, but opted to stay after being awarded a substantial pay rise.

Rumours that Apple is producing the iWatch have been circulating for months, but these reports appear to confirm Apple is actively working on the product. However, the firm appears to be at least 12 months from bringing out the finished product, which could be worrying for investors especially as the smartphone market has started to show signs of a plateau.

Rival such as Samsung will no doubt welcome such news. The Korean firm is also said to be feverishly working on its own smartwatch, and if sources are correct about Apple's struggles, Samsung is likely to beat its nemesis to market.

The wearable technology market is relatively untapped. Sony claims to lead the way, stating at the launch of its Smartwatch 2 at the end of June that it has sold 500,000 devices worldwide.

Meanwhile, the Pebble smartwatch, which started as an idea on crowdsourcing website Kickstarter, has also shipped a healthy 85,000 units since January 2013. Even tech giants such as Dell are looking into diversifying into the wearable computer market as revenue from traditional markets such as PCs continues to slump.

Consumer electronics giant Apple has hired former Yves St. Laurent Group CEO Paul Deneve to work on some unspecified "special projects" at the firm.

Deneve previously worked for Apple in Europe back in the 1990s, and has held jobs at fashion house Lanvin and perfume company Nina Ricci since then.

In a statement, Apple said: "We're thrilled to welcome Paul Deneve to Apple...[where] he'll be working on special projects as a vice president reporting directly to [CEO] Tim Cook."

Given Deneve's background, his appointment is bound to fuel speculation that he has been brought on board to oversee Apple's push into the wearable technology space.

The company has been at the centre of rumours for some time that it is on the cusp of releasing a wearable computing device known as the iWatch.

The rumoured wristwatch-type device is expected to be able to connect with user's iPhones and iPads, and Apple reportedly has 100 designers working on it.

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple made an attempt to trademark the iWatch name in Japan last month.

The company is also reported to have filed a claim over the name in Russia, but stopped short of doing so in Europe perhaps because an Italian company already owns the iWatch trademark.