Apple Announces iPhone 6, Apple Watch and Apple Pay

Apple announces iPhone 6, Watch, and… Pay?

The wait is finally over, and - despite a few live-streaming technical hiccups - Apple unveiled two brand new devices and an intriguing new service to eager fans on September 9th. The announcement of the iPhone 6 and its bigger brother, the 6 Plus, were no surprise, and even the Apple Watch didn’t raise too many eyebrows – but Tim Cook saved the biggest announcement until last with Apple Pay.

You can find out all about the specs and features of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in our iPhone Timeline, which charts seven years of the iPhone’s evolution. While not a huge amount has changed from the 5S, the new phones boast bigger screens, sleeker profiles, and importantly they’ll come packing the shiny new iOS 8.0. Need to know if it will fit in your pocket? Try our printable full scale iPhone Size Guide.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch – which will be sold in a standard model, a sport-focused model and a luxury 18ct gold edition – does everything you’d expect a modern smartwatch to do, including fitness monitoring, text message viewing and hopefully telling the time. More excitingly, the watch is designed to work hand-in-hand with the company’s new “mobile wallet” service, Apple Pay – which means you could soon be paying for your shopping with a flick of the wrist.

Described as “breakthrough contactless payment technology”, Apple Pay could well be a game-changer. Instead of rifling through your wallet for change or swiping a card, it lets users pay for goods and services simply by holding their iPhone (or Watch) near a contactless reader, initiating a balance transfer instantly and securely. It’s due to launch in the USA in October, though there’s no word yet on when it’s coming to the UK.

Love them or hate them, Apple’s events are never less than thought-provoking – let us know what you thought of the announcements in the comments!