Apple Watch Event: Live Updates

Apple holds an event in San Francisco to announce details of its new wearable.

3rd & 7 37yd

Welcome to the ABC News live blog of Apple's big event today! The festivities kick off at 1pm ET. We'll bring you the latest news on the Apple Watch and any other surprises as the event gets underway.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 4:17:04 PM
ABC News producer Brandon Chase snapped this photo outside of the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco -- the venue for today's event.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 4:18:14 PM
ABC News' David Muir got the first look at the Apple Watch after Tim Cook showed it off last September. Check out that moment here.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 4:42:54 PM
Inside the auditorium -- just 15 minutes until the event begins!

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 4:45:44 PM
Former Vice President Al Gore is at the event -- wonder which Apple watch he's interested in getting.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 4:48:25 PM
Very rare sighting. #Apple design guru, closest living tie to the Steve Jobs magic-- Jony Ive. http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_q4mDHUgAAn6cA.jpg

by Neal Karlinsky via twitter 3/9/2015 4:51:12 PM
Getting psyched backstage listening to I Lived by @OneRepublic.

by Tim Cook via twitter 3/9/2015 4:53:08 PM
Here we go! Right now we're being shown a video of gorgeous city scenes and Apple's newest store in China.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:02:11 PM
#AppleWatch event beginning. Spotted Al Gore, Jony Ive and Laurene Powell Jobs in front row.

by Neal Karlinsky via twitter 3/9/2015 5:03:09 PM
Tim Cook is now on stage welcoming the crowd.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:03:49 PM
"Open, bright and of course with a great team" Cook said of Apple's newest store in China. They now have 21 stores in China. In total, Apple has 453 retail stores. "These stores are really brought to life. They are the heart and soul of our retail team."

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:05:20 PM
More than 120 million people visited an Apple store last quarter.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:05:40 PM
Tim Cook is beginning with an announcement about Apple TV (ABC/Disney is on it) and has an announcement surrounding the platform and HBO.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:06:49 PM
HBO CEO Richard Plepler is now taking the stage.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:07:43 PM
Meet HBO Now -- an exclusive streaming channel. Apple is an exclusive partner at launch. Expect all programming form past, present and future. All you need is a broadband connection and an Apple device.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:08:45 PM
HBO Now will launch in April for $14.99/month. Subscribers will get the first month free if they sign up in April.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:09:15 PM
Apple has sold more than 25 million units so far. The price is being slashed from $99 to $69.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:12:22 PM
"Recently we sold our 700 millionth iPhone," Cook said to cheers. "The iPhone is growing stronger than ever."

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:13:23 PM
Apple Pay Update: More than 2,500 banks now support it. There are now nearly 700,000 places you can use Apple Pay in the US. You can now even use it to by a Coke at the vending machine.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:15:09 PM
Tim Cook: Every major car brand has committed to delivering Car Play -- Apple's system that lets drivers sync up their iOS devices with infotainment systems in their cars.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:16:38 PM
Jeff Williams, Apple's senior VP of operations, is now talking about how Apple products can be used with medical research. "One of the biggest challengers researchers have is recruiting" creating issues such as small sample sizes and communication flow.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:19:28 PM
"Today we are proud to announce research kit." The software framework lets researchers easier create apps and turns the iPhone + Health Kit into "powerful diagnostic tools," Williams said.

So far there are five apps targeted at some of the world's most serious diseases. For instance, mPower is an app that lets anyone with an iPhone contribute to Parkinson's research. A quick tapping test can evaluate hand tremors. You can also say "Aaahhh" into the microphone and the processor can detect vocal variations. You can also stick your iPhone in your pocket and take a walking test. The gyroscope and accelerometer can measure your gait.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:21:56 PM
Diabetes, CardioVascular Disease, Asthma, Breast Cancer are other apps Apple has worked with medical facilities to develop

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:24:08 PM
Williams: The user decides how their data is shared and Apple will not see it.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:24:48 PM
Research kit is open source and will be available next month. The first five medical research apps will be available today.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:29:41 PM
Next up - "I'd like to talk about the Mac," Cook said.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:31:07 PM
"We challenged ourselves to re-invent the notebook...and we did it!" Cook said.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 5:32:12 PM
Apple Watch Sport [aluminum] costs $349 for the small version, $399 for larger model.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:27:23 PM
We're now learning about the Apple Watch. Expect stainless steel cases in traditional and space black finishes.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:28:11 PM
Eric Risberg/AP Photo

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:29:01 PM
The Apple Watch starts at $549 for the smaller version and goes as high as $1,049 depending on the watch band. The larger version starts at $599.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:30:10 PM
The new status symbol: There will be limited quantities of the new Apple Watch Edition. It starts at $10,000 and will be in select stores.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:31:25 PM
The Apple Watch will be available on April 24 in most countries. Pre-orders start on April 10. Customers will also be able to visit an Apple store that day to check out a watch in person.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:32:20 PM
The countries getting the Apple Watch first on April 24: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, UK, US

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:33:23 PM
And - that's a wrap! To recap everything we learned today:

•Apple is releasing its thinnest and lightest MacBook ever. It will ship April 10.

•The MacBook Air is getting a performance boost. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now inclues a Force Touch trackpad. Both updates are available today.

•Apple TV is now being slashed to $69.

•Apple Watch: Lots of goodies here, but the key takeaway is pre-orders for the wearable start April 10 and it will be on some customers’ wrists beginning April 24.

by Alyssa Newcomb 3/9/2015 6:40:05 PM