iPhone 6, iWatch Announcements Rumored For Today’s Apple Showcase Event

Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online
With just hours to go until Apple’s big annual product showcase, speculation is still running wild about exactly what the Cupertino, California-based iPad and iPhone manufacturer has in store for consumers this afternoon.
One of the hottest rumors surrounding the event, which is set to kick off at 1pm Eastern (10am Pacific), is the long-anticipated iWatch, which reports published earlier this summer suggested would be officially unveiled this fall and would come in multiple versions featuring various screen sizes and designs.
As Wilson Rothman of the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, Apple has yet to even confirm if the iWatch exists, or if that will actually be the device’s name if it does happen to be a real thing. But there are strong rumors that the wrist-based wearable will be officially unveiled on Tuesday afternoon.
Rothman also reported the device will include sensors which can monitor a person’s heart rate, footsteps and other health-related diagnostic information, and that they will feature curved OLED screens similar to the one found on the Samsung Gear Fit. Those screens are also expected to be covered with scratch-resistant synthetic sapphire.
In addition, Wired.com reporter Christina Bonnington said there is a chance the iWatch could be a product designed more with women in mind than men, partially because “many men are already watch wearers” and partially because “Apple’s made a number of hires from the fashion world over the past year.”
“A number of existing wearables are more masculine in design,” she said. “Women are underserved in the fitness wearable space, yet they use health and fitness apps 200 percent more than men do,” and the recent fashion-related hires suggests that “design is clearly a big priority, and something that needed outside expertise.”
In addition to the iWatch, could Apple also be planning to unveil a new iPhone model? According to Bonnington, the company has launched a new smartphone in early fall every year since the iPhone 4S debuted in 2011. Based on “umpteen thousand supply chain leaks, insider gossip, and purported photos,” she said there is “no doubt that we will see a new iPhone on Tuesday. And this iPhone will likely differ significantly from its predecessors.”
For instance, CNN Money’s James O’Toole noted that the new iPhone 6 is expected to be larger than the four-inch iPhone 5S, and come in two sizes – a smaller 4.7 inch model and a larger 5.5 inch one. Production on the new iPhones reportedly started in June, and while it was uncertain if both models would be released simultaneously, rumors suggested the next-gen Apple smartphone will also solve the battery issues that have plagued the Cupertino company.
O’Toole also reported the iPhone 6 could feature stronger screens which are more resistant to cracks and scratches, using the sapphire screen which covers the TouchID fingerprint sensor on the 5S (and, if rumors are accurate, will also be used for the iWatch). Water-resistant exteriors and improved 64-bit A8 processors for better-quality gaming are features that could be included in the new handset, the CNN Money reporter added.
Rothman also reported Apple could unveil its new mobile-payments system at today’s conference, citing various media reports claiming the company had been negotiating with credit card giants Visa, Mastercard and possibly American Express regarding the iPhone/iWatch wallet service. O’Toole added that the system could use Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which would allow the devices to send information to and receive information from payment terminals simply by being in the same general area.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Apple could unveil more information about their new cloud-based HealthKit and HomeKit initiatives, and that there has been “some chatter” the event could also be used to showcase a next-gen iPad Air with a built-in Touch ID fingerprint reader. Furthermore, Wired.com said the company could give a more in-depth, consumer-oriented look at its new iOS 8 operating system, which was originally unveiled in June.
“Expect to see iOS 8’s interactive notifications (in Notification Center, the homescreen, and the lockscreen), as well as updates to Mail, Safari, and Spotlight Search,” Bonnington said. “I think Apple will also spend some time showing off its new iOS 8 keyboard, and at least one third-party keyboard – a new option previously not available in iOS. I’d hazard an Android favorite like Swiftkey or Swype may make an appearance onstage.”
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