MacRumors

Apple today announced its long-rumored wearable device, the Apple Watch, which actually uses the Apple Symbol () followed by "Watch" in its name. Apple's Watch is designed to be both fashionable and functional, available in an array of different color and materials with six different types of watch straps that are easily interchangeable. Prices for the device, which will be available in early 2015, start at $349.

There are six different Watch face colors and materials: Stainless Steel, Silver Aluminum, 18-Karat Yellow Gold, Space Black Stainless Steel, Space Gray Aluminum, and 18-Karat Rose Gold.

There's the Apple Watch collection, which has stainless steel or space black stainless steel cases combined with a range of metal and leather bands, the Watch Sport collection, which includes anodized aluminum cases in silver or space gray with colorful, durable bands, and the Apple Watch Edition, which includes 18-karat gold cases in yellow or rose with "exquisitely crafted" bands and closures.

All of Apple's Watches can be customized with an array of different digital watch faces to suit different tastes. Each of the watches is available in two separate screen sizes for different sized wrists: 38mm and 42mm, and the watches have a flexible, durable sapphire display.

Apple's Watch uses unique input methods, taking advantage of the traditional watch dial or crown, which Apple refers to as a "digital crown" on the device. This scroll-type wheel allows users to zoom and scroll through various user interface elements.

The device also takes advantage of new pressure-sensing technology and is able to determine the difference between a tap and a press, allowing for a new range of contextually specific controls. A second physical button next to the digital crown lets users tap to bring up a list of contacts and then communicate with friends by sending quick drawings, messages, and animated emoji. It's also possible to send a heart beat, drawn from the watch's sensors.

Inside the device, there's a new Taptic Engine that allows users to hear and feel the design of the user interface. According to Apple, users will be able to feel and respond to notifications "easily and intuitively" through the Taptic Engine.

A new custom designed chip, the S1 processor, integrates many subsystems into one singular module. The back of the watch is constructed from zirconia with four sapphire lenses that can detect pulse rate. There is also a gyroscope and accelerometer, which helps the Apple Watch provide a comprehensive picture of daily activity.

The back of the device is also the home of Apple's charging solution, which uses a MagSafe with inductive charging. The user will not have to worry about exposed contacts or aligning the charger properly. Apple has declined to comment on battery life at this point.

Because it is a watch, the device is designed to keep accurate time, continually checking its internal clock against the definitive global time standard with the "precision found in GPS satellites." Apple's Watch is designed to improve the health and fitness of its users, and thus it is able to keep track of a variety of health metrics, accurately tracking movement and a wide range of activities. An included Activity App gives users an overview of their daily fitness levels, with three "rings" representing calories burned, exercise done, and how often a break has been taken from sitting.

There's also a Workout App, which shows real-time stats like time, distance, calories, and pace when working out. It's designed to encourage users to meet and beat goals, and over time, the Watch is said to be able to act as a personal trainer, suggesting new fitness goals.

Apple's Watch will support third-party apps, with support for both extended notifications from the iPhone and apps that run directly on the device. The Watch does rely heavily on the iPhone and does not function as a standalone device as it is designed to work with Apple's new Continuity features, letting users shift tasks from one device to another with ease.

The Apple Watch does include support for NFC, and it will function with Apple's new payment initiative, Apple Pay, which lets users make secure payments from the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 plus, and Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch will be available starting at $349, with users able to purchase the device in early 2015.

At its special media event today, Apple announced the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Apple is touting a "Retina HD Display" on both phones, as the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 features a 1334 x 750 display at 326 pixels-per-inch while the iPhone 6 Plus features a 1920 x 1080 display at 401 ppi. The iPhone 6 is said to have more than 1 million pixels, while the iPhone 6 Plus is said to have 2 million pixels.

“iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The iPhone is the most loved smartphone in the world with the highest customer satisfaction in the industry and we are making it much better in every way. Only Apple can combine the best hardware, software and services at this unprecedented level and we think customers are going to love it.”

The new models feature a number of hardware changes, including a chassis that is 6.9 mm thin for the iPhone 6 and 7.1 mm for the iPhone 6 Plus. Both models feature the next-generation 64-bit A8 chip, which features 2 billion transistors on a 20nm processor. The A8 delivers 25% faster CPU performance and is 13% smaller and 50% more energy efficient when compared to the A7. The device also comes with a next-generation M8 motion coprocessor which can now estimate distance and elevation changes with a new barometer.

Apple states that the iPhone 6 will get 50 hours of battery life for audio, 11 hours for video, 11 hours for WiFi browsing and 10 hours for LTE browsing. With its even bigger body, the iPhone 6 Plus will get 80 hours of battery life for audio, 14 hours for video, and 12 hours for Wi-Fi and LTE browsing. The iPhone 6 now also includes Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) technology, including 20 LTE band, as well as 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which delivers 3x faster Wi-Fi and support for Wi-Fi calling.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus also support a new camera system with a brand-new 8-megapixel sensor, along with a circular true tone flash. Apple is also touting "Focus Pixel" technology, which allows the lens to move in and out to better determine autofocus points. The camera also features next-gen tone mapping and noise reduction. Apple also says the camera is complimented by a new gyroscope and image stabilization built into the A8 processor. Exclusive to the iPhone 6 Plus is an optical image stabilization system.

As for video capabilities, both devices shoot in 1080p at 30fps and 60fps, along with 240fps slo-mo video, which is up from 120fps on the iPhone 5s. The front-facing FaceTime HD camera has also received a new sensor with a f2.2 aperture that lets in 81% more light. Users can also shoot single-shot HDR photos and take HDR video.

Both devices will launch on September 19 in the first wave of countries, with pre-orders starting on September 12. The iPhone 6 will be available in 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB variants for $199, $299, and $399. The iPhone 6 Plus will be available in the same storage capacities for $299, $399, and $499, respectively. Both iPhone 6 models also come in the same Space Gray, Gold, and Silver variants. The iPhone 5c is now free on contract while the iPhone 5s will now be offered for $99.

Following today's media event, Apple has seeded the golden master (GM) version of iOS 8 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of iOS 8 that will be released to the public on September 17, two days ahead of the launch of the iPhone 6.

The update is available through Apple's over-the-air updating mechanism on iOS devices and it can also be downloaded via the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also seeded a golden master version of the new Apple TV software and Xcode 6.

Prior to the launch of the golden master, Apple seeded five iOS 8 betas to developers, with the fifth beta released on August 4.

iOS 8 introduces a range of new features, including improved integration with OS X through Continuity, a Health app, Family Sharing features, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages, with all of the features being refined over the course of the beta testing period.

At a special media event today, Apple announced its new Apple Pay payment solution for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which utilizes the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a new "Secure Element" functionality, and the built-in NFC antenna in conjunction with a credit card stored on iTunes. Apple Pay will also be compatible with the just-announced Apple Watch.

To make a payment, users hold the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus to a receiver while holding the Touch ID home button. Apple states that card numbers will only be stored or shared in Secure Element, and if an iPhone is ever lost or stolen, Find my iPhone can suspend all payments. Apple is also touting privacy, stating that it does not record what users bought or how much they paid. Cashiers also do not see a name, credit card number, or security code.

“Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you’re using Apple Pay in a store, restaurant or other merchant, cashiers will no longer see your name, credit card number or security code, helping to reduce the potential for fraud,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “Apple doesn’t collect your purchase history, so we don’t know what you bought, where you bought it or how much you paid for it. And if your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can use Find My iPhone to quickly suspend payments from that device.”

Apple Pay will first launch in the United States next month as an update to iOS 8 and will be compatible with American Express, Mastercard, and Visa credit and debit cards, with Citi, Bank of America, Capital One, Wells Fargo, and Chase also listed as partners.

Apple highlights that the program will work with over 220,000 U.S. retail stores, including Walgreens, Duane Reade, Macy's, Nike, Bloomingdales, Staples, Subway, McDonalds, and more. Apple will also launch a new Apple Pay API for developers to integrate the system into their apps.

Apple's highly anticipated September media event is being held today at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, the site of the unveiling of the original Macintosh and iMac.

The event begins at 10:00 AM Pacific Time / 1:00 PM Eastern Time, and Apple is expected to unveil several new products including the iPhone 6 and an "iWatch" wearable device.

Apple will be providing a live video stream on its website for Mac and iOS users and via Apple TV, and the company is also sharing some photos and live blog updates on its event page.

Live Video Stream of Apple's September 2014 iPhone 6 and iWatch Media Event

In addition, we will be updating this article with summary coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the event unfolds. Separate news stories regarding the event announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.

Apple's online stores around the world are currently down in advance of the event.

Archive of Live Updates in Reverse Chronological Order

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Ahead of today's special media event, Apple has once again made its "Apple Events" channel available on the Apple TV.

Apple will also be streaming the event live on its website, and users will need to be running Safari on Mac/iOS in order to watch the stream.

Apple is expected to unveil the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 alongside the iWatch, and will likely provide updates on iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite.

Apple's keynote kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, and MacRumors will also be providing a live blog, live tweets via the MacRumorsLive Twitter account, and a spoiler-free page for those who want to watch the full keynote at a later time.

Over the weekend, Weibo user zzray showed off an apparently working 4.7-inch iPhone 6, offering a first look at the device. Now, the user has also posted more information about the device (Google Translate, via GforGames), including results from a Geekbench 3 test that reveal a 1.4 GHz ARM processor and 1 GB of RAM for the device.

The results show that the iPhone 6 scored a 1633 on the single-core test and a 2920 on the multi-core test, which is greater than the 1305 single-core and 2347 dual-core Geekbench 3 scores for the 1.3 GHz A7 chip on the iPhone 5s. This also contrasts a previous report, which claimed that the A8 chip would top 2 GHz while remaining dual-core.

The data also displays 1GB of RAM, which is the same amount of RAM included on the iPhone 5s. A wiring schematic said to be from the iPhone 6 that surfaced last month also indicated that the device would have 1 GB of RAM.

The user has also posted a photo from the iPhone 6 and compared it to the same shot taken with iPhone 5s and LG G3. The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is said to come with an improved camera module which is said to offer faster focusing speeds and power efficiency. Other leaks have pointed to the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 featuring an optical image stabilization system.

Apple is expected to reveal both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 alongside the iWatch at a media event scheduled for today at 10 AM. MacRumors will have live coverage of the event as it unfolds.

Minnesota-based medical group Mayo Clinic will be at Apple's special media event tomorrow to demonstrate how iOS 8's new Health app can benefit medical professionals, reports the Star Tribune. The paper states that Mayo will show how data from the Health app can flow into a sophisticated management system of a major health center.

Apple and Mayo Clinic have reportedly been working together for two years. The medical group's CEO Dr. John H. Noseworthy was quoted as saying that Apple's Health and HealthKit development tools have the potential to "revolutionize how the health industry interacts with people" when both were introduced at WWDC this past June.

Last month, Apple was also said to be in talks with health providers at Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins, and Allscripts to roll out HealthKit to their facilities. According to sources close to the discussions, Apple has been positioning HealthKit and its Health app as an all-in-one solution for medical professionals to store patient data for easier access and to improve diagnostics.

Apple's media event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, and MacRumors will have full coverage of the event as it unfolds.

This past July, Apple and IBM announced an exclusive enterprise mobility partnership that would see both companies collaborating on a series of new business apps and services. As a part of the agreement, IBM would begin selling iOS devices to its corporate customers, create iOS apps, and provide cloud services, while Apple would offer a new AppleCare service tailored to specific enterprise needs.

Now, in an interview with Tech Pro Research, IBM executive Glenn Finch has given new details on the company's partnership with Apple, including how its enterprise apps will fit into the iOS ecosystem. According to Finch, IBM will create a hundred apps across a number of industries including software for financial services, telecom, and health. The executive also noted that the apps with be tailored to "client demand", as feedback will play a major role in making design changes.

"The promise of this whole partnership," Finch explained to me, is that "you have a built-in adoption curve already present." His customers in the enterprise already use iPhones and iPads at home; they trust Apple, they trust the apps, and they intuitively know how to work with them. The devices are known.

Finch also spoke on where the companies overlap, stating Apple's focus on user experience and design compliment IBM's data-driven approach. AppleCare support for enterprises will also be a joint effort between the two companies, as Apple technicians will perform warranty work on hardware while app maintenance and support will be provided by IBM.

From a procurement perspective, Apple already has an enterprise group and IBM isn't looking to step on their toes - however, IBM has an army of salespeople with clients every day, something that Apple is sorely lacking. The two companies are working out the specifics there to make sure they don't trip over each other too much.

Apple and IBM will begin rolling out its first apps under the new partnership later this fall, as more apps are scheduled to be released in 2015. Both companies will also look to launch AppleCare support for enterprises later this year.

Last week, rumors suggested that Apple was planning to involve U2 in its upcoming iPhone 6 launch, with the band possibly performing at the event or including its new album on the iPhone 6. Those rumors were later dismissed by a U2 spokesperson, but it appears U2 may indeed be a part of tomorrow's event.

According to a new report from The New York Times, U2 will play a "significant part" in Apple's event at the Flint Center. Not only will U2 play at the event, its upcoming album will be integrated into Apple's products in some way.

Extending a decade-long connection with Apple, U2 will play a significant part in Apple's event, which will be held at a performing arts center in Cupertino, Calif., the company's home base, according to three people briefed on its plans. In addition to performing, the band will reveal an integration with Apple's products that is connected to its next album, which is expected to come out by the end of the year, according to these people, who spoke anonymously because the band's appearance -- and its deal with Apple -- is supposed to be a surprise.

Apple and U2 have had a long partnership, as Steve Jobs and Bono were good friends. Starting in 2004, Apple released several special edition U2 iPods, which included the band's signatures and U2's music. Apple has also been a longtime partner of (Product) RED, a charity founded by Bono, so another major partnership is no surprise.

It is not clear exactly what U2 will reveal on Tuesday or how it will be connected to Apple, but The New York Times says that reports suggesting the iPhone 6 will come with U2's newest album were false. Instead, U2's deal with Apple will see the band's music released in an "innovative way" with Apple's event serving as a "big, splashy stunt to generate publicity."

Apple, for its part, has been building a massive structure at the Flint Center at De Anza college, where its iPhone event will be held. Some rumors have suggested that the structure could be a stage, with a Cupertino resident remarking that it "looked like a sound stage going up for a rock concert."

Tomorrow's event, which will kick off at 10 a.m. PST, is expected to be Apple's biggest event in some time. The company will debut the iPhone 6 in 4.7 and 5.5 inch varieties and it is also said to be unveiling both its long-rumored wearable device and a new payments initiative involving both the iWatch and the iPhone 6.

Last year, we highlighted a profile of Apple's Boston-area speech technology team speculated to be working on enhancements to Siri. The group's efforts appear to have been ramping up since that time, with a June report claiming Apple is seeking to eventually move away from the Nuance-powered system currently used for Siri.

Apple's team in Cambridge appears to still be growing, with BetaBoston reporting Apple has leased 13,000 square feet of new space to house the team.

Several commercial realtors tell me that the Cupertino company has leased more than half a floor at One Broadway, an MIT-owned building that also houses Facebook’s small local team, several venture capital firms, and the Cambridge Innovation Center. The new office, about 13,000 square feet on one of the building’s upper floors, is a major expansion for Apple, which currently has a small team on the building’s fifth floor.

Earlier reports had noted Apple's recruitment of several former Nuance employees for the team, and BetaBoston reports Apple has recently added members from Amazon, research and development firm BBN Technologies, and data management firm Actifio.

Apple has reportedly not yet begin building out its new space in Cambridge, but it could house up to 65 employees once completed.