Apple CEO Tim Cook’s tweet along-with first photos of the live event are now appearing in chronological order on Apple’s website. The company has truly revamped the way it is handling media and promoting the event this year. From inviting journalists from the fashion world to featuring live streaming of the event on its homepage and now posting live photos from the event before it begins. This is the new Apple PR.

Looking forward to a great day in Cupertino! Join us at 10am Pacific. #AppleLive

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 9, 2014

In case you missed it, Apple will unveil two new phones at todays event. The iPhone 6 featuring 4.7 inch display and iPhone 6 plus with 5.5 inch display. It is widely believed that in addition to the event focusing on iPhone launch the company will also unveil the smart watch that the company has been working on for the past few years.

iWatch will mark the first new product category Apple is getting into since Steve Jobs. Many tech pundits had doubts about Apple’s future and often commented that the company lacks inspiration and innovation. Apple TV was touted to be the new product category that Apple will be foraying into, however it seems that it may have to wait for a bit longer.

Apple is leaving no stone unturned to create a hype around the iPhone 6 and iWatch keynote event. During a media conference Apple’s SVP of  Internet Software and Services said, “later this year, we’ve got the best product pipeline that I’ve seen at Apple in my 25 years at Apple”. The day has finally arrived where we will finally get to see what Apple has in store for its customer and if it truly is the best product lineup Apple has brought to the market in 25 years.

What do you think about Apple’s marketing efforts for the iPhone 6 event? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The campers often have an ‘agenda’ which is either to gain fame, promote their products or earn some money in exchange of the first spot in the line. Apple has been known to be extremely supportive of its customers lining outside the retail stores by offering food and coffee for free. Other companies are also eager to join the bandwagon by sponsoring the campers with their products of course.

Rob Shoesmith camped outside Apple’s retail store for 10 days in anticipation of iPhone 4S which got him a lot of media attention and sponsors. This year Jason and Moon Ray got the first spot after paying $2500 to Brian Ceballo and Joseph Cruz of BuyBackWorld. Jason and Moon Ray are promoting a health app called VideoMedicine which can used to videoconference with doctors.

This year Apple is widely expected to announce 4.7 inch and 5.5 inch screen iPhones. The next iPhone is rumoured to feature sapphire crystal display, improved camera sensor, new biometric sensors, improved battery performance and NFC chip. Analysts report suggest that Apple will finally enter the mobile payment segment with NFC enabled iPhone by partnering with American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

iPhone 6 / iPhone Air is also expected to be available in 128GB capacity in addition to 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. The pricing of these models is unknown however, it is estimated that 5.5 inch model will cost $100 more that the current price points.

Apart from iPhone announcement the company is also rumoured to enter wearable product category. Apple CEO Tim Cook has commented on wearable technology in the past and has noted that the wrist continues to be an area of interest. In the recent past the company has made notable hires from Nike which further fuel the rumours about an iWatch.

All rumours will be put to rest on September 09, 2014 when Apple kicks starts its special iPhone keynote event. Are you excited about the new iPhone 6? Do you think Apple will unveil an iWatch during the event? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Apple is widely expected to be working on a smart watch that will interact with the iPhone via bluetooth. According to a report published by Financial Times, Apple is looking to hire employees “aggressively” to ensure that the project is on track for its release date towards late 2014.

The smart watch popularly dubbed as “iWatch” is Apple’s attempt to rethink the wearable technology. Google has already entered this market with Google Glass which has received mixed reviews. Samsung and Microsoft have also announced their plan to compete in this market segment and have plans to introduce a smart watch.

The report cites sources who are aware of Apple’s plan and claims that the company’s entry into a new category of product has exposed new challenges and therefore the need to look for new talent.

As Apple moves from iPods, iPhones and iPads into an entirely new category of product, it is looking beyond its existing staff in Cupertino for the talent required to build it – an indication that the endeavour involves “hard engineering problems that they’ve not been able to solve”, according to one source.

Rumors about Apple’s plan for launching a smart watch have reached an all time high as the company has filed for trademark applications for the “iWatch” name in several countries. This does not necessarily prove that “iWatch” is indeed the name of Apple’s wearable technology however, it does show that Apple is interested in this name and could use it for a future product.

The company also recently hired Paul Deneve, foremer CEO of Yves Saint Laurent, this hire is also being linked to Apple’s plans for a future wearable product. Deneve will work on “special projects” at Apple and the company could leverage his knowledge about marketing and developing a high priced wearable technology.

{via MacRumors}

With the web abuzz with rumors that Apple is working on a curved glass smartwatch being called the iWatch, it is no surprise that major news sources such as Bloomberg are also supporting claims and pegging the release for as early as this year.

On Monday, a new report from The Verge was published with new details about Apple’s next major product line. The report mentioned that Apple’s smart watch will be running the full iOS, as seen on the iPhone and iPad touch and not a simplified iOS-like skin as on the iPod nano.

Interestingly, we’re also told that Apple’s chosen to rework the full iOS to run on the watch instead of building up the iPod nano’s proprietary touch operating system — although the previous nano was already watch-sized and seemed like a great starting point for a watch, Apple’s betting on iOS across product lines.

It is no surprise that Apple would want any major product line to run a full fledged version of its iOS software, however, it is also reasonable that the software would have to be cut down some and even changed to accommodate the smaller and possibly curved display. The report goes on to note that Apple’s desire to include the full iOS is causing battery life issues. Apple’s iOS devices currently last less than 48 hours with regular usage, however, a watch would need to last much longer with a range of about a week or less.

[T]he goal is to last at least 4-5 days between charges, but the current watch prototypes are apparently only going for a couple days max. We’re also told Apple has some work to do with iOS on the iPhone, which currently has several hooks for supporting a watch-like device but lacks the appropriate interface or settings to make it work properly.

These issues will likely be minor as Apple is known to make drastic decisions at the end of a product’s production, as seen with Steve Job’s choice for a glass screen on the original iPhone instead of plastic and even the naming of the iMac. Apple has also been rumored to be working on a television set, although that has been delayed by negotiations with content providers. At this point, it is unclear when these products will see the light of day, however, it is almost certain that these products are in Jony Ive’s lab.

{via MacRumors}

Over the past several weeks, rumors have been circulating that Apple is working on a smart watch, dubbed the “iWatch”. Although it is purely speculation at this point, a number of credible sources have backed claims from multiple sources. After Nick Bilton of the NYTimes reported that Apple was working on a curved glass smart watch, a report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple has a team of 100 product designers working on the “iWatch”.

The rumor reportedly stems from “two people familiar with the company’s plans”, who also suggest that the smartwatch is past its experimental stage. This means that the device is likely in its naming, final design, and production plan stage, which is a similar process to the Cupertino company’s other products.

The team, which has grown in the past year, includes managers, members of the marketing group and software and hardware engineers who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad, said the people, who asked not to be named because the plans are private. The team’s size suggests Apple is beyond the experimentation phase in its development, said the people.

It is unclear exactly what features Apple would include in its smartwatch, although it would likely resemble the company’s popular iPad, iPhone or perhaps even the current generation iPod Nano. Apple’s senior director of engineering, James Foster is reportedly also working on the project, which would justify the company’s plans to keep its products consistent.

With an “iWatch”, Apple would likely be competing with other devices such as Pebble’s e-paper display Smart Watch. Apple could also be competing with wearable fitness “smart watches” such as the Jawbone UP, and the Nike FuelBand. Apple currently includes built in Nike+ support in a number of its products, so it would naturally make sense for the company to make this a part of a smartwatch project.

Apple rarely ever introduces a new product unless others fail to make a substantial impact on the market with their own devices. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook is currently a Nike Board member and mentioned that wearable devices are an “an interesting area” and that “the book hasn’t been written on that yet.” If Apple is working on a smartwatch, and if it is past the experimental phase as Bloomberg suggests, leaked images and parts will surface in the coming weeks.

{Via MacRumors}

In late 2011, the NYTimes reported that Apple was working with wearable technology that could potentially become a wearable iPod wristband of sorts. Now, Nick Bilton of the NYTimes is once again reporting that Apple is working on a smartwatch device, dubbed the “iWatch”.

Bilton mentions that Apple is experimenting with curved glass on its smart watch and could potentially take advantage of Corning’s new bendable glass, called Willow Glass which would allow the watch to wrap a user’s wrist. Corning is the maker of the popular Gorilla Glass, which is used on a number of mobile devices, including some of Apple’s devices. With the original iPhone, Apple had plans to include curved glass but could not because the technology was not as advanced as it is now.

In its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Apple is experimenting with wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass, according to people familiar with the company’s explorations, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they are not allowed to publicly discuss unreleased products. Such a watch would operate Apple’s iOS platform, two people said, and stand apart from competitors based on the company’s understanding of how such glass can curve around the human body.

Smart watches are gradually becoming one of the many focus areas of the mobile devices industry, such as Pebble’s e-paper display Smart Watch and other wearable fitness “smart watches” such as the Jawbone UP, and the Nike FuelBand. It is only a matter of time before Apple enters the industry, although the company rarely introduces a product unless others fail to make a substantial impact on the market.

Apple has also been rumored to be working a television set, which is very likely when considering the “Smart TV” market has already had a number of failures. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook is currently a Nike Board member and mentioned that wearable devices are an “an interesting area” and that “the book hasn’t been written on that yet.” If Apple is in fact working on a smartwatch, expect leaked images and parts of curved glass and wrist-friendly accessories.

{Via MacRumors}

Alongside the iPhone 4S, Apple on Tuesday updated the iPod nano as well as the iPod touch. The iPod touch didn’t receive a major upgrade, but did get a new white edition, similar to the iPhone and iPad. The iPod touch also dropped $30 in price from $229 to $199.

Most of the new features in the iPod touch will arrive in the iOS 5 update, pegged for an October 12th release. Apple also updated the iPod nano with larger icons on the small touchscreen, making it easier to see and navigate. Phil Schiller, also announced that the iPod nano can now be used much more easily for fitness purposes, with built in sensors ready to use out of the box.

Schiller also pointed out that Apple noticed a number of wristband watch (iWatch) cases for the iPod nano, so Apple has added 16 new clock faces to the nano for those particular customers. The nano also received a slight price drop with the 8GB model coming in at $129 (down from $149) and the 16GB models at $149 (down from $179).

Both models are currently available for sale now and come in seven different colors. Once again, Apple did not update the iPod classic, which was rumored to be eliminated from the lineup. The iPod shuffle also remained the same when compared with the last refresh.

When photos of the small touch screen panel which was rumored to be Apple’s new product hit the web many people speculated that it might turn out to be an iWatch. The new iPod nano feels more like an iPod shuffle with touch controls as Apple has taken away the video recording and playing capabilities.

In the last week many accessory makers have started offering straps and cases for the new 6th gen nano and a few of them caught our attention.

Third party accessory makers were quick to offer their solutions to turn your new iPod nano into an iWatch and we recently reported on a watch strap called Rock Band by iLovehandles. The nano clips onto the specially designed leather strap and enables you to wear the nano on your wrist however, it does not provide any protection for the screen. So, if you wear it on a daily basis you might end up with scratches on the screen.

Incipio offers another great solution and turns your nano into a wristwatch with its new accessory called “Linq”

Incipio is taking a whole new design path with this wrist-worn carrying solution for the iPod nano. Meet the most rugged carrying solution for iPod nano produced to date, the Linq™. This is for users who already have or aspire for a lifestyle of action. Linq™ provides the user with an all-day, everyday accessory that may be worn effortlessly but always boldly.

Your once fragile iPod nano is not so fragile anymore as it sits in Incipio’s award winning Next Generation Polymer material securing to the wrist with a nylon and Velcro interchangeable strap.

The Linq™ is expected to release towards the beginning of October for $24.99. Additional watchbands may be purchased for $9.99 each

Do you want to wear the nano as an iWatch? Will you buying any accessory for the new iPod nano? Let us know in the comments section.

In early July we reported on a small touch screen panel which was leaked by a website and was rumored to be the next iPod shuffle with touch controls or the new Apple iWatch. Apple surprised us during the special music event where Steve Jobs announced the new iPod nano which turned out to be the smallest Apple device with multi-touch controls.

Apple’s best selling iPod was the nano before iPod touch surpassed the sales to become the #1. Previous gen iPod nano offered video playback, was capable of recording videos and was larger. When Apple introduced the new nano it was clear that they are trying to focus on offering more features in the iPod touch and restricting iPod nano’s and shuffle’s role as a music player only.

If you were disappointed  about Apple not introducing an iWatch then you’d be happy to know that iLoveHandles has come up with a unique accessory for the new iPod nano. The company has started selling Rock Band, a leather strap which has been specially designed to support the new iPod nano and enables you to wear it as a wristwatch. The leather strap will cost you $19.95.

Have you bought the new iPod nano? Will you be buying iLoveHandles leather strap to turn your nano into an iWatch? Let us know your thoughts.

A 3cm by 3cm display marked as an Apple component is causing some excitement on the internet.

The web site tw.apple.pro, perviously responsible for accurate discoveries of components for the iPhone 4, claims to have received this component from a reliable source. And the Apple branding on the part suggests that at least it is an Apple prototype part.

Guesses so far for what this component could be for range from an iRemote with a touch display for the rumored new AppleTV, an iWatch, or a revised iPod Shuffle “Touch” with a display.

9TO5Mac have a great little concept sketch from one of their readers.

What do you think a 3cm x 3cm LCD panel could be for? Let us know your best guess in the comments.