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2:36pm EDT:
“Thank you all for coming!” – Tim Cook
And that’s it folks! Stay tuned to Wyatt Investment Research this week as we bring you insight and research into the implications that today’s announcements will have on Apple and beyond!
– Jay
2:35pm EDT:
“What you saw today is years of very hard work in the making.” Also, fun story – I just saw Vice President Al Gore in the audience.
2:34pm EDT:
Apple Watch joins Apple’s lineup of hardware seen below.
2:31pm EDT:
Apple Watch preorder and preview begins April 10. Buy it on April 24 in the following nine countries:
2:30pm EDT:
“Apple Watch Edition” starts at $10,000 “in select retailers.”
2:27pm EDT:
Now we’re watching a video about the stainless steel used in other Apple Watches, the “Apple Watch” line (as opposed to the Apple Watch Sport”
Price ranges from $549-$1099 depending on watch band in the 38mm. 42mm prices go up from there.
2:26pm EDT:
38mm version starts at $349. 44mm version starts at $399. Lots of watch bands available.
2:24pm EDT:
We’re watching a video about the aluminum alloy designed and chosen for the Apple Watch sport.
2:23pm EDT:
18-hours of battery life. Magnetic charger looks like this…
2:21pm EDT:
Tim Cook retaking the stage.
2:19pm EDT:
Just demonstrated an App from the W Hotel chain through which you can bypass check-in and go straight to your room using Apple Watch as your room key. That’s cool!
2:16pm EDT:
Apple Watch uses wi-fi as well as Bluetooth to connect with your phone so, when you’re home or at work, you don’t have to have your phone nearby in order to use the Apple Watch with full functionality.
2:13pm EDT:
Lynch just demonstrated Apple Pay on the Apple Watch, looks very seamless – just bring the Apple Watch close to a merchant pay terminal.
Now he’s demonstrating Instagram (owned by Facebook: NASDAQ: FB), which has a super clean Apple Watch user interface.
2:12pm EDT:
Kevin Lynch has taken the stage to demonstrate how the Apple Watch would be used during the day. Right now he’s demonstrating the use of global messaging app WeChat.
Interestingly, when he voice-activated his Apple Watch’s Siri it also activated Siri on my phone sitting next to the computer.
2:09pm EDT:
Use Apple Watch to view ANY notification that you would receive from your iPhone.
2:05pm EDT:
Back from the video, Tim Cook inviting Christy on stage.
2:03pm EDT:
Going to video of global fitness and maternity advocate Christy Turlington Burns using the Apple Watch to run a half-marathon in Africa. During the race she used the Workout App to track her pace and metrics.
2:02pm EDT:
Workout App gives you detailed tracking on a large number of workout types to help you monitor and track your progress.
2:01pm EDT:
Digital Tough allows Apple Watch users to connect with another Apple Watch user directly through the watch. Unclear exactly how this will be used…but I could see teenage girls being very into this.
1:59pm EDT:
Apple Watch taps your wrist to give you instant notification. Also includes microphone and speaker so you can make calls from your wrist.
1:57pm EDT:
Apple Watch lets you customize the face with whatever information is most important to you.
1:56pm EDT:
Apple Watch is accurate to 50 milliseconds.
1:54pm EDT:
Here comes the Apple Watch!
“Apple Watch is the most personal device we’ve ever made. It’s not just with you, it’s on you.”
1:53pm EDT:
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are getting upgrades as well. Faster processors and cables. MacBook Pro now has 10-hours of battery life and the new TrackPad featured in the new MacBook.
Tim Cook taking the stage again.
1:52pm EDT:
And we’re back! New MacBook starts at $1,299.
1:48pm EDT:
We are watching a video about the new MacBook, narrated by Apple design guru Jony Ive.
1:46pm EDT:
…it looks like there is only one physical port on the new MacBook.
Yes! There is only one port that handles HDMI, power and VGA: this is a USB-C port.
1:44pm EDT:
With contoured batteries, we fit an entire day of battery life into it.
1:42pm EDT:
New MacBook has no fan! Operates silently. This should really help battery life.
New logic board is 67% smaller, Intel Core M chip. Consumes 5 watts of energy, very efficient.
“What do we do with the rest of that space? We fill it with batteries!”
1:40pm EDT:
New TrackPad is pressure sensitive, giving you a lot more options for TrackPad functions. “Deeper you press on fast-forward the faster it goes.”
1:39pm EDT:
Display looks great. Panel is .88mm thin, screen is significantly more efficient. Should help battery life a lot!
1:36pm EDT:
New Mac keyboard is 40% thinner and 4x more stable. Key caps are larger, making it easier to type.
1:35pm EDT:
Wow, the new MacBooks are really thin!
Apple’s Phil Schiller just came up to talk about it. “It took reinventing every technology inside of the MacBook to do it.”
New MacBook weighs just 2lbs. Lightest Mac we have never made. At its thickest point, it is just 13.2mm thin. This new Mac is 24% thinner than the previous thinnest, the 11-inch MacBook Air.
1:33pm EDT:
“We challenged ourselves to reinvent the notebook…and we did it. Here it is.”
MacBook video begins playing.
1:32pm EDT:
Mac has outgrown the industry for each of the last 10 years. Mac laptops (MacBooks) are doing especially well, growing 20% last year while the industry as a whole shrank.
1:31pm EDT:
“Next up, I’d like to talk about the Mac.” – Tim Cook
1:30pm EDT:
We’re going to make this open source (free and accessible across the internet) and ResearchKit will be available next month.
Tim Cook taking the stage again.
1:28pm EDT:
Apple showing video of medical researchers talking about the potential for medical research being conducted through the iPhone.
“The way in which we conduct medical research hasn’t really changed in years.”
“We can now engage unprecedented numbers of people…”
“This can all be done with the sensors built into the iPhone and a little bit of code.”
“It is going to change research for every condition that’s out there.”
1:25pm EDT:
On medical data privacy: “You decide how your data is shared and Apple will not see your data.”
1:20pm EDT:
Today we’re proud to announce ResearchKit, giving medical researchers the ability to develop medical research apps. We’ve helped developers build the first 5 apps. “Now, anyone with an iPhone can contribute to Parkinson’s research.”
The idea is to deliver real-time data from huge sample sizes. Cool idea. This makes sense considering that we’ve heard rumors of Apple stealing medical device and medical research experts from across the industry.
1:18pm EDT:
HealthKit is going to change the way we monitor our health. But as Apple dug deeper into HealthKit they realized that “Medical Research” is a huge opportunity for Apple.
1:17pm EDT:
HomeKit is changing the way that we control our devices.
1:16pm EDT:
“iPhone never more than an arms-length away,” teasing the Apple Watch.
“Every major brand has committed to delivering CarPlay…only a year after we announced CarPlay.”
1:14pm EDT:
Customer satisfaction scores for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are 99%.
Apple Pay started with 6 banks and now we have over 2,200 banks participating. There are nearly 700,000 retail locations accepting Apple Pay. Vending machines are one of the more interesting places.
Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) has 40,000 in the U.S. already and plans to have 100,000 by the end of the year.
“That is Apple Pay forever changing the way we pay for things.”
1:13pm EDT:
Apple TV price dropping from $99 to $69. “Apple TV will reinvent the way we watch television and this is just the beginning.”
“Next up is iPhone…”
“Recently we sold our 700 millionth iPhone.”
1:11pm EDT:
Netflix stock was already down more than 2%, is now down more than 2.6% on news of HBO Now.
Bring on HBO vs Netflix.
1:09pm EDT:
CEO of HBO. HBO is launching a standalone streaming service, HBO Now and Apple will be the exclusive partner.
Gives users access to all of their programming – past, present and future.
Use HBO Now on the big screen through Apple TV or on your Apple device.
Now teasing the start of Game of Thrones with a trailer.
“This is a transformative moment for HBO.”
I would argue that this is a transformative moment for Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) too – HBO Now is also $14.99 a month.
1:06pm EDT:
“We’ve got a few more reasons for people to visit our stores…I’m going to get right into that.”
Apple TV has popped up on the screen. Tim Cook announcing partnership with HBO to allow users to stream content on their Apple TV.
“Coming next month is the return of Veep and Silicon Valley and, of course, one of our favorites – Game of Thrones”
CEO of HBO is taking the stage.
1:04pm EDT:
Tim Cook has taken the stage! He is describing the store opening in China at West Lake, China. “We now have 453 stores in 16 countries,” and intends to have 40 in China by the end of the year. “Over 120 million customers visited our stores last quarter.
1:02pm EDT:
Event has begun! Apple showing a video montage of Apple retail stores and consumers in China flocking to product releases and enjoying new devices.
12:59pm EDT:
Tim Cook Tweeted a few minutes ago that he was “Getting psyched backstage listening to I Lived by @OneRepublic.”
This is the last word we’ll get from him before he takes the stage. Is this a hint that a renewed focus on music will emerge?
12:55pm EDT:
Jay Taylor here, the final preparations are being made and this Apple event is about to kick off!
—
It was just under six months ago that we first learned of the Apple Watch. Today is the day that we’ll finally get to see it in action.
During today’s Apple Watch launch event we expect to learn a considerable amount about the first new device released by Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) since the iPad made its debut in 2010. In addition to details about Apple Watch pricing and capabilities, Apple may very well have a few tricks up its sleeve.
What previously unknown features will the Apple Watch boast? Will we hear more about Apple Pay, the MacBook or something else entirely?
I’ll be watching the Apple Watch launch event live and updating this Apple event live blog throughout the day. Be sure to check in regularly for the latest updates from the event.
Live coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET.
DISCLOSURE: I personally own shares of Apple.