Apple is scheduled for a hotly anticipated product announcement Sept. 9, and as always, the company is holding its cards close to its chest.
But that hasn’t stopped Apple fans, foes, techies and bloggers from speculating what might be revealed in the announcement -- or from lining up in front of the Fifth Avenue Apple flagship store in New York City, although product releases typically come two weeks or later after Apple’s near-legendary September reveals.
So what’s on the way?
Apple is expected to announce the iWatch and iPhone 6 details, including diagonal screen dimensions of 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, a sapphire crystal screen display and a more efficient A8 chip.
The iWatch and iPhone 6 are both said to offer NFC (near-field communication) e-wallet payments, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The fact the iWatch is also rumored to include the NFC feature indicates Apple is planning for iWatch uses beyond health tracking (and keeping time, of course), which certainly makes it a more attractive option than anticipated.
In English? If the rumors are true, in the very near future iWatch users could make payments in stores with literally a flick of the wrist.
Similar to Passbook, which is available on current iPhones, NFC technology allows users to input credit card information in advance, and use the short-range wireless technology to make payments digitally, without reaching for a wallet.
This feature has been available on Android devices for three years, and a growing number of retailers are capable of using the technology.
McDonald’s will roll out an NFC-enabled mobile payment and order app on Sept. 15, according to International Business Times. The app is part of the company’s effort to increase sales at U.S. stores, specifically targeting those younger than age 34.
This is the first time NFC technology will be available on an Apple product, if the rumors are true.
The iWatch is also said to feature a curved OLED display.
What will the Apple announcement definitely not include?
Unfortunately, rumors of a U2-Apple partnership to launch their latest album on the iPhone 6 are false.
“They are not releasing their album on the iPhone, and they are not performing at the iPhone launch,” the band’s representative confirmed to the Independent.
Katie Leone is a national content producer for the Scripps National Desk. Follow her on Twitter @thekatieleone or email her at katherine.leone@scripps.com.
