5 things to expect from the big Apple Watch event

Mobile World Congress 2015 has been a delightful experience for techies worldwide. With a July event planned for Shanghai, MWC is sure to end up as one of the highlights of 2015. But don’t close your tech calendars just yet. Apple has invited media to an even on Monday, March 9 to make some headlines of its own.

So what exactly does Monday hold for Apple fan boys and girls? Here are five things you can expect to hear from Apple on Monday:

1. Apple Watch

The Apple Watch in all its diverse models is set to be officially unveiled Monday. Apple’s gallery displays a diverse array of sizes, shapes, styles, and colors for the new Apple wearable. There are models with leather, rubber, or steel straps. The Apple Watch housing itself is expected to come in stainless steel, aluminum or 18k gold. The Apple Watch also has a variety of easily changeable bands available so you can customize the device to fit your style. The Apple Watch itself also comes in a large or smaller case—essentially a male and female version of the Apple Watch.

2. Apple Watch Pricing

We expect that Apple will finally reveal how much the various Apple Watch models will sell for at the event on Monday. The speculation making the rounds provides some insight—albeit flawed—into how the items may be priced. The standard Apple watch is rumored to cost approximately $350. According to Apple pundit, John Gruber that price may rise to $700 depending on the band the aluminum body is paired with. As for the 18k gold Apple watch, developer Marco Arment is predicting that consumers may have to pay astronomical prices between $5,000 and $10,000 or more in order to get the gold Apple Watch.

3. Apple Watch Accessories

Apple loves to build an ecosystem around its products, which has led to speculation that Apple will launch an accessory program for the wearable and announce partners lined up to support the device. The accessory program includes the possibility of smart bands or straps and a vibrant app base to cater to the needs of its users. Apple has reportedly previewed some of the available apps for the Apple Watch and Monday is likely to see a presentation showcasing the uniqueness of these new apps. The big story of the day may be the announcement of a dedicated Apple Watch App Store or an iWatch store to support the devices.

4. iOS 8.2

The latest version of iOS—iOS 8.2—has been seeded to carrier partners in preparation for its official launch. One of the updates rumored in iOS 8.2 is the ability for iOS devices like iPhones and iPads to talk with Apple Watch devices. It makes sense, then, that Apple will share the details and make the new iOS version available at the Monday event. Apple faithful should also expect some tweaks to the iOS Health app.

5. New Apple Products

As long as Apple has everyone’s attention on Monday, there are two other big products in Apple’s pipeline that might finally see the light of day in mini-announcements come Monday. These products are the proposed 12.9 inch iPad Pro—which we discussed in previous post—and the new Apple TV which has also seen its own fair share of speculation.

Whatever the big Apple event on Monday may bring, rest assured that TechSpective will be here to figure out what it all means to you. Stay tuned, and feel free to share any thoughts or questions you have about the Apple Watch in the comments below.