Smartsheet Adds Microsoft’s Andrew Lientz to Lead Engineering Team

New SVP of engineering will spearhead company’s continued efforts to help organizations empower their employees to work more productively and efficiently

Bellevue-based Smartsheet, the spreadsheet-inspired collaborative work management platform used by millions of people worldwide, and one of Deloitte’s 500 fastest-growing technology companies, today announced former Microsoft partner/general manager Andrew Lientz will be joining the company as SVP of engineering. In this role, Lientz will oversee the technology operations, engineering and QA teams.

“Andrew’s knowledge of both the technology and business aspects of companies allows him to bridge between customer, software, management and developer,” said Mark Mader, CEO of Smartsheet. “His experience as an engineering leader at growth stage and large companies offers us an added layer of expertise on top of an already deep development team. This will further establish Smartsheet as the collaborative work management platform of choice for enterprises worldwide.”

Driving Mobile with AT&T and ZTE Mobley

For the past couple of weeks, I have been test driving the ZTE Mobley mobile wireless hotspot from AT&T.  It has proved to provide super convenient to have a mobile internet hotspot that will provide service to up to 5 devices at a time.

Installation of the ZTE Mobley was surprisingly simple, easy - and extremely quick.  I just plugged the Mobley into the OBD-II port under the dash in my car and it powered up fast.  Once a device is connected with the Mobley using the security passcode, it will automatically reconnect each time it comes within the Mobley's range.

New Range from STM – Brings Harmony to Your Digital Day!

Leading bag and case designer STM has announced the release of a new line of women’s bags called the Grace. Inspired by U.S. Navy Admiral ‘Amazing’ Grace Hopper who helped develop the first programming language that revolutionised the computer world. The Grace range is elegant, fun and strikes a balance between simplicity and style.

Combining STM’s trademark focus on protection for digital gear and clever thoughtful design, the Grace is a chic and sophisticated range.  The three new silhouettes are designed to carry, protect and organise just the essentials of the digital day and are all slim enough to drop into another larger bag if necessary.  

$6 MILLION GRANT TO TRANSFORM VINEYARD MANAGEMENT

The National Grape & Wine Initiative today announced award of $6 million in federal funding for research to develop and apply technology that will transform the way grapes are grown in the U.S.

The five-year project will be led by Dr. Terry Bates of Cornell University and Dr. Stephen Nuske of Carnegie Mellon University and focus on technology

Microsoft 2015 Partner of the Year Awards Revealed

Winners and Finalists of Microsoft 2015 Partner of the Year Awards Announced

Redmond-based Microsoft recently announced the winners and finalists of the Microsoft 2015 Partner of the Year Awards. The annual awards celebrate top Microsoft partners that are demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. Award winners and finalists, chosen out of nominations from around the world, will be recognized at the 2015 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference taking place July 12–16, 2015, in Orlando, Fla.

Chris Barrow President and CEO of EagleView Technology Named anEntrepreneur Of The Year 2015 for the Pacific Northwest

Chris Barrow Wins Entrepreneur of the Year for EagleView Technology

Bothell-based EagleView Technology Corporation, which provides the technology for aerial imagery, data analytics and GIS solutions, recently announced that EY has named EagleView President and CEO Chris Barrow as an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 in the Pacific Northwest Region.  The award recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.  Chris Barrow and other award winners were selected by a panel of independent judges.  The award was presented at a special gala event at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel on June 5th.

PicsArt Mobile Creative Image Community Raises $15M Led By Insight Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital

PicsArt Mobile Creative Image Community Scores $15 Million in New Funding

PicsArt mobile creative image community today announced $15M in new funding from Insight Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital. The new round follows a previous investment of $10M from Sequoia earlier this year. The new funding will enable the company to expand globally and develop new tools for users.

PicsArt mobile creative image community is for amateur and professional photographers, designers, artists and anyone who wants to use PicsArt’s extensive image creation and editing tools to beautify their world. PicsArt’s further enabled community collaboration with its latest feature update. Now #freetoedit images from PicsArt mobile creative image community can be shared on Facebook, inviting a new community to use PicsArt’s desktop-grade tools to edit their images.

Users can also share their creative process with others through automatically generated timelapse videos. Hit a button when you start working on an image and when you are done, share a video showcasing your technique so other users can learn from you. These are just the latest tools empowering PicsArt’s community of more than 65 million monthly active users that co-creates more than 250 million images per month.

“We want to continuously provide artists with the means to connect and collaborate,” said PicsArt CEO and founder, Hovhannes Avoyan. “With this round of funding, we can continue to do so with app updates that boost collaboration settings, such as video generation, increased sharing and the latest photo-enhancing tricks.”

“PicsArt’s rapid growth is a true testament to its unique creative platform,” said Jeff Horing, managing director at Insight Venture Partners. “We are pleased to partner with the PicsArt team as they continue to set themselves apart by solidifying a community of collaboration.”

Anyone with a smartphone can download the PicsArt Mobile Creative Image Community app from the App Store, Google Play, Amazon or Windows. To learn more, go to www.PicsArt.com.

About PicsArt
PicsArt Mobile Creative Image Community is the largest mobile community of creatives and creative images. The company’s U.S. office is based in San Francisco, California with a focus on enabling anyone to be creative, share, socialize, discover, learn and be inspired. The app has been installed over 230 million times and continues to expand and improve, so anyone can unleash their creativity and discover their inner artist.

About Insight Venture Partners
Insight Venture Partners is a global private equity and venture capital firm founded in 1995. They also invested heavily in Bellevue-based SmartSheet. They have raised more than $10 billion and invested in more than 200+ growth-stage software, internet, and data-services companies. Our Investment Team meets with thousands of companies each year, selecting a handful to invest in, supporting them with market insights and exposure to potential acquisitions and acquirers. Our Insight Onsite team provides hands-on resources and collaborative expertise to help companies scale.

About Sequoia Capital
The Sequoia team helps a small number of daring founders build legendary companies. We spur them to push the boundaries of what’s possible. In partnering with Sequoia, companies benefit from our unmatched community and the lessons we’ve learned over 40 years working with Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, John Morgridge, Jerry Yang, Elon Musk, Larry Page, Jan Koum, Brian Chesky, Drew Houston, Adi Tatarko and Jack Dorsey, among many others. In aggregate, Sequoia-backed companies account for more than 20% of NASDAQ’s total value. We’re proud that their success also fuels great causes: since 2000 alone we have returned more than $10 billion to non-profits like the Ford Foundation, Mayo Clinic and MIT.

8 Ways Smartphones Assist Your Sales Team

In the current market, it’s now or never when it comes to closing a deal. If the prospects don’t buy when an irresistible offer is in front of them, chances are they’ll take their business elsewhere. But, with a smartphone at their disposal, your sales team can go the extra mile to eliminate any reservations and earn clients' business.

Here are just a few ways smartphones are boosting conversion rates in the world of sales:

Email Management

Sales representatives' email inboxes can quickly become inundated when out in the field pitching to prospects. However, having access to a smartphone makes it easy to quickly respond to basic inquiries, send out email blasts and reach out to customers with any questions, all while being away from their desks. And, if you invest in a smartphone with a strong battery life like the HTC One M9, your reps won’t be forced to linger around the nearest outlet to charge their phones.

Remote File Access

Now, there is no need to spend hours at the office digging through client files in search of historical sales data. If the files are held in the cloud, your team can access them directly from their smartphones and gather all the needed information for meetings while on the go. And, you can rest assured the information is up to date if your accounting system uses real-time reporting.

Contact Information

Should the prospect decide to check out your offerings and make a purchasing decision at a later date, you want to have a way to follow up with him or her. Instead of stuffing a business card in your wallet that can easily be misplaced or forgotten, you can train your sales reps to lock the prospect's information into their smartphones and set a calendar reminder to initiate contact.

File Swapping

If you or someone on your team needs to place an important account in the hands of a colleague, Dropbox is a great file-swapping app that lets you send large client files, presentations and any other documentation they’ll need to make the meeting a success.

Remote Closing

Long gone are the days when a client would come into the office, sign on the dotted line and remit payment. Through smartphone apps such as eFax and Square that allow the transmission of files and mobile payment processing, sales representatives are able to close the deal outside of the office, whether it’s at the local coffee shop, a fine dining establishment or the client’s office.

Product Pocket Guides

While seasoned salesmen typically have their product pitch perfected, it doesn’t hurt to use a smartphone to show the prospect how your product or service works. Smartphones are a great way to show portfolios, product designs, blueprints, testimonials and any other information you have.

GPS

Sales representatives no longer have to rely on physical maps or GPS devices to navigate unfamiliar territory. Google Maps shows you where to go and even provides real-time traffic updates and alternative routes, which can help when planning out your daily route.

Travel Expense Reporting

If your sales representatives are incurring expenses while on the road, it can be difficult to organize and process handwritten records of expenses and accompanying receipts. Instead, encourage your sales team to download the Concur app and use it to record their expenses. And, since it easily integrates with most major accounting systems, your accounting process will be much more efficient.

Apple Announces New Environmental Initiatives in China

Apple recently announced an expansion of its renewable energy and environmental protection initiatives in China, including a new multi-year project with World Wildlife Fund to significantly increase responsibly managed forests across China. The new forestland program aims to protect as much as 1 million acres of responsibly managed working forests which provide fiber for pulp, paper and wood products.

Apple’s goal is to achieve a net-zero impact on the world’s supply of sustainable virgin fiber and power all its operations worldwide on 100 percent renewable energy.

“Forests, like energy, can be renewable resources,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environmental Initiatives. “We believe we can run on naturally renewable resources and ensure that we protect—and create—as much sustainable working forest as needed to produce the virgin paper in our product packaging. This is an important step toward that goal and our commitment to leave the world better than we found it.”

Apple also announced its intent to expand its industry-leading renewable energy projects to manufacturing facilities in China.

“We’ve set an example by greening our data centers, retail stores and corporate offices, and we’re ready to start leading the way toward reducing carbon emissions from manufacturing,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “This won’t happen overnight—in fact it will take years—but it’s important work that has to happen, and Apple is in a unique position to take the initiative toward this ambitious goal. It is a responsibility we accept. We are excited to work with leaders in our supply chain who want to be on the cutting edge of China’s green transformation.”

Today’s announcements come three weeks after Apple launched its first major solar project in China. Solar installations in Sichuan Province will generate far more energy than needed to power all of Apple’s corporate offices and retail stores in China.

Apple is partnering with Leshan Electric Power Co., Sichuan Development Holding Co., Ltd, Tianjin Tsinlien Investment Holding Co., Ltd, Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co., Ltd, and SunPower Corporation on the project encompassing two 20-megawatt solar farms. Together the project will generate up to 80 million kilowatt hours per year of clean energy, enough to power the equivalent of 61,000 Chinese homes.  That’s clean energy added to the grid that would otherwise not be there.

The solar projects were carefully designed to minimize their ecological impact and protect the grasslands that support the yak population, which is also important to the local economy. Today 87 percent of Apple’s global operations run on renewable energy, and the Sichuan Province solar project will bring Apple even closer to its commitment to reach 100 percent.

“Apple’s support for this project and its environmental leadership show that protecting forests is not just good for society but important for business,” said Lo Sze Ping, Chief Executive Officer for WWF China. “This collaboration between our two organizations will seek to reduce China’s ecological footprint by helping produce more wood from responsibly managed forests within its own borders. Doing so is essential to China, the world’s biggest timber importer. Our hope is this will catalyze a new model of corporate leadership in promoting sustainable forest management and using paper resources more efficiently and responsibly around the world.”

Learn more about Apple’s environmental efforts at www.apple.com/environment.

Apple in China
Apple operates 19 corporate offices and 22 retail stores in China, including Hong Kong, directly employing 8,000 people. In total, Apple has helped create and support over 3 million jobs in China, including at least 1.5 million iOS app developer jobs and other positions related to the iOS ecosystem.

Developers in China have earned more than $3.4 billion through the worldwide sale of apps on the App Store℠, with over half of that amount paid in the last 12 months alone. App Store income earned by China’s developers is growing at a faster rate than any other major market in the world.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

New Desktop Application Has Potential to Increase Asteroid Detection, Now Available to Public

A software application based on an algorithm created by a NASA challenge has the potential to increase the number of new asteroid discoveries by amateur astronomers.

Analysis of images taken of our solar system’s main belt asteroids between Mars and Jupiter using the algorithm showed a 15 percent increase in positive identification of new asteroids.

During a panel Sunday at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, NASA representatives discussed how citizen scientists have made a difference in asteroid hunting. They also announced the release of a desktop software application developed by NASA in partnership with Planetary Resources, Inc., of Redmond, Washington. The application is based on an Asteroid Data Hunter-derived algorithm that analyzes images for potential asteroids. It’s a tool that can be used by amateur astronomers and citizen scientists.

The Asteroid Data Hunter challenge was part of NASA’s Asteroid Grand Challenge. The data hunter contest series, which was conducted in partnership with Planetary Resources under a Space Act Agreement, was announced at the 2014 South by Southwest Festival and concluded in December. The series offered a total of $55,000 in awards for participants to develop significantly improved algorithms to identify asteroids in images captured by ground-based telescopes. The winning solutions of each piece of the contest combined to create an application using the best algorithm that increased the detection sensitivity, minimized the number of false positives, ignored imperfections in the data, and ran effectively on all computer systems.

“The Asteroid Grand Challenge is seeking non-traditional partnerships to bring the citizen science and space enthusiast community into NASA’s work,” said Jason Kessler, program executive for NASA’s Asteroid Grand Challenge. “The Asteroid Data Hunter challenge has been successful beyond our hopes, creating something that makes a tangible difference to asteroid hunting astronomers and highlights the possibility for more people to play a role in protecting our planet.”

The data hunter challenge incorporated data provided by the Minor Planet Center (MPC), at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and images provided by the Catalina Sky Survey, an astronomical survey project run by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and focused on the discovery and study of near-Earth asteroids and comets.

“We applaud all the participants in the Asteroid Data Hunter challenge. We are extremely encouraged by the algorithm created and it’s already making a difference. This increase in knowledge will help assess more quickly which asteroids are potential threats, human destinations or resource rich,” said Chris Lewicki, president and chief engineer at Planetary Resources. “It has been exciting for our team to work with NASA on this project, and we also look forward to future space-based systems leveraging these results.”

Astronomers find asteroids by taking images of the same place in the sky and looking for star-like objects that move between frames, an approach that has been used since before Pluto was discovered in 1930. With more telescopes scanning the sky, the ever-increasing volume of data makes it impossible for astronomers to verify each detection by hand. This new algorithm gives astronomers the ability to use computers to autonomously and rapidly check the images and determine which objects are suitable for follow up, which leads to finding more asteroids than previously possible.

“The beauty of such archives is that the data doesn't grow stale, and with novel approaches, techniques and algorithms, they can be harvested for new information. The participants of the Asteroid Data Hunter challenge did just that, probing observations of the night sky for new asteroids that might have slipped through the software cracks the first time the images were analyzed,” said Jose Luis Galache of the MPC. “Moreover, this software can now be used to analyze new images and is available to any observer who wants to use it. The Minor Planet Center applauds these efforts to provide superior tools to all, and looks forward to receiving new asteroid observations generated with them.”

The desktop software application is free and can be used on any basic desktop or laptop computer. Amateur astronomers may take images from their telescopes and analyze them with the application. The application will tell the user whether a matching asteroid record exists and offer a way to report new findings to the Minor Planet Center, which then confirms and archives new discoveries.

Through NASA's asteroid initiative, the agency seeks to enhance its ongoing work in the identification and characterization of near-Earth objects for further scientific investigation. This work includes locating potentially hazardous asteroids and identifying those viable for redirection to a stable lunar orbit for future exploration by astronauts using NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The Asteroid Grand Challenge, one part of the asteroid initiative, expands the agency's efforts beyond traditional boundaries and encourages partnerships and collaboration with a variety of organizations.

The algorithm contests were managed and executed by NASA's Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI). CoECI was established at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to advance NASA’s open innovation efforts and extend that expertise to other federal agencies. CoECI uses the NASA Tournament Lab (NTL) for its advanced algorithmic and software development contests. Through its contract with the Crowd Innovation Lab at Harvard University, NTL uses Appirio’s Crowdsourcing platform powered by Topcoder to enable a community of more than 750,000 designers, developers and data scientists to create the most innovative, efficient and optimized solutions for specific, real-world challenges faced by NASA. Data storage of the Catalina Sky Survey data was provided by Amazon Web Services.

The new asteroid hunting application can be downloaded at:

http://topcoder.com/asteroids

For information about NASA’s Asteroid Grand Challenge, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/asteroidinitiative

Apple Unveils All-New MacBook

Apple today unveiled the all-new MacBook, a new line of notebooks reinvented in every way to deliver the thinnest and lightest Macs ever. Every component of the new MacBook has been meticulously redesigned to create a Mac® that weighs just two pounds and is 13.1 mm thin. The new MacBook features a stunning 12-inch Retina® display that is the thinnest ever on a Mac, an Apple-designed full-size keyboard which is dramatically thinner and highly responsive, the all-new Force Touch trackpad that brings a new dimension of interactivity to the Mac, an incredibly compact USB-C port for data transfer, video out and charging in a single connector, and a new battery design that maximizes every millimeter of space to deliver all-day battery life. And, for the first time, MacBook is available in three gorgeous aluminum finishes—gold, silver and space gray.

“Apple has reinvented the notebook with the new MacBook, and at just two pounds and 13.1 mm, it’s the thinnest and lightest Mac ever,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Every component of the MacBook reveals a new innovation. From its fanless design, ultra-thin Retina display and full-size keyboard that’s 34 percent thinner, to its all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port and breakthrough terraced battery design, the new MacBook is the future of the notebook.”

Measuring just 13.1 mm at its thickest point, the new MacBook design is an amazing 24 percent thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air®. With a new precision-milled unibody enclosure featuring integrated Wi-Fi antennas and a top case with polished stainless steel Apple logo, MacBook is available in three elegant finishes—gold, silver and space gray—and is the first MacBook with an all-metal enclosure.

A comfortable keyboard is essential to the Mac experience and the new MacBook is designed around an all-new full-size keyboard. To fit the full-size keyboard into the amazingly thin MacBook meant completely re-engineering how a notebook keyboard works. The new keyboard is 34 percent thinner and uses an Apple-designed butterfly mechanism that is an amazing 40 percent thinner than a traditional keyboard scissor mechanism yet four times more stable, providing greater precision no matter where your finger strikes the key. New stainless steel dome switches located beneath each key deliver a crisp and responsive feel when typing, and every key on the new keyboard is individually backlit with its own single LED to deliver precisely calibrated, uniform brightness behind each keycap.

The perfect match to a full-size keyboard is a 12-inch display, and the new MacBook features a stunning 12-inch Retina display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Measuring just 0.88 mm thin, the Retina display on the new MacBook is the thinnest display ever on a Mac. With a larger aperture for each pixel, the new Retina display is also extremely efficient and uses 30 percent less energy than existing Mac notebook Retina displays, while delivering the same level of brightness. And with a resolution of 2304 x 1440, text, photos and movies come to life with astounding clarity.

MacBook also features the all-new Force Touch trackpad that brings a new dimension of interactivity to the Mac. The new trackpad features built-in force sensors that allow you to click anywhere and haptic feedback that provides a responsive and uniform feel. You can even customize the feel of the trackpad by changing the amount of pressure needed to register each click. The Force Touch trackpad also enables a new gesture called Force Click, a click followed by a deeper press, for tasks like pulling up the definition of a word, quickly seeing a map or glancing at a preview of a file.

Applying miniaturization techniques used in iPhone® and iPad®, MacBook features the most compact logic board ever in a Mac, measuring an amazing 67 percent smaller than the logic board of the 11-inch MacBook Air. With no moving parts or vents, the new MacBook was designed from the ground up to be the first fanless Mac notebook for silent, efficient performance. MacBook features the new fifth-generation Intel Core M processor that runs at just 5 watts and Intel HD Graphics 5300. The highly efficient processors work in conjunction with optimizations throughout OS X® to make the new MacBook the world’s most energy efficient notebook.*

The new MacBook features a breakthrough terraced battery design that is layered in individual sheets that are precisely contoured to fit the MacBook’s sleek, curved enclosure. As a result, the new MacBook has 35 percent more battery capacity than would be possible with traditional battery cells and delivers all-day battery life with up to 9 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 10 hours of iTunes® movie playback.**

Designed for the wireless world, MacBook is perfect for tasks like streaming content from your MacBook to your HDTV using AirPlay®, exchanging files quickly using AirDrop®, or using wireless headphones. MacBook is equipped with the latest wireless technologies, including built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 for fast wireless connectivity.

The new MacBook also features a next-generation USB-C port that is incredibly small, yet extremely versatile and even more user friendly. A new industry standard, USB-C supports higher wattage charging, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) data transfer and DisplayPort 1.2 all in a single connector that’s one-third the size of a traditional USB port.

Every new Mac comes with OS X Yosemite, a powerful new version of OS X, redesigned and refined with a fresh, modern look, powerful new apps and amazing Continuity features that make working across your Mac and iOS devices more fluid than ever.

iMovie®, GarageBand®, iPhoto®, and Pages®, Numbers® and Keynote® come free with every new Mac. iMovie lets you easily create beautiful movies, you can use GarageBand to make new music or learn to play piano or guitar and you can edit and share your best shots with iPhoto. Pages, Numbers and Keynote, make it easy to create, edit and share stunning documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Pages, Numbers and Keynote for iCloud® let you create a document on iPhone or iPad, edit it on your Mac and collaborate with friends, even if they are on a PC. The new Photos for OS X app keeps your growing photo and video collection automatically organized and easy to navigate and will be included in an OS X Yosemite update this spring.

Pricing & Availability
The all-new MacBook will begin shipping Friday, April 10 through the Apple Online Store(www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. MacBook comes with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting at $1,299 (US); and with a 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting at $1,599 (US). Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/macbook.

*Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed in the EPA ENERGY STAR database for Notebook Computers as of March 5, 2015.
**The Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in March 2015 using preproduction MacBook configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit www.apple.com/macbook.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Apple Announces Watch - Most Personal Device Yet Available in Nine Countries on April 24

Apple has finally announced that the new Apple Watch will be available starting April 24th.  Will you be buying one?

Here is the official media release:

Apple today announced that Apple Watch, its most personal device yet and the newest innovative addition to Apple’s ecosystem, will be available on Friday, April 24 to customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US. Apple Watch is an incredibly accurate timepiece, an intimate and immediate communication device and a groundbreaking health and fitness companion. Highly customizable for personal expression, Apple Watch also brings an entirely new way to receive information at a glance and interact with the world through third-party app experiences designed specifically for the wrist.

“Apple Watch begins a new chapter in the way we relate to technology and we think our customers are going to love it,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We can’t wait for people to start wearing Apple Watch to easily access information that matters, to interact with the world, and to live a better day by being more aware of their daily activity than ever before.”

“Conceived, designed and developed as a singular product, Apple Watch merges hardware and software like never before,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of Design. “In Apple Watch, we’ve created three beautifully curated collections with a software architecture that together enable unparalleled personalization in a wearable device.”

Apple Watch introduces revolutionary technologies including the Digital Crown™, an innovative way to scroll, zoom and navigate fluidly without obstructing the display. The Retina® display with Force Touch on Apple Watch senses the difference between a tap and a press, providing a new way to quickly and easily access relevant controls. The all-new Taptic Engine™ discreetly delivers a gentle tap on your wrist whenever you receive a notification or message.

Incredibly Accurate & Customizable Timepiece
An extremely precise timepiece, Apple Watch keeps time to within 50 milliseconds of UTC, the universal time standard.* Apple Watch can be personalized with watch faces ranging from traditional analog such as the Chronograph face, to the information-rich Modular face, or beautifully animated butterflies and jellyfish on the Motion face. Apple Watch goes beyond telling time with specialized functions on the watch face—known in watchmaking as complications—such as the sunrise/sunset, upcoming calendar events or daily activity level. With multiple customizable watch faces and complications, Apple Watch enables millions of possible configurations. Swipe up from the watch face for Glances that quickly show you information you care about, such as the weather forecast, your current location on a map or the music you’re listening to.

Intimate & Immediate Communication Device
Apple Watch enables you to send messages, read email and answer calls to your iPhone® right from your wrist. The Taptic Engine alerts you with a gentle tap so you won’t miss important notifications. With Digital Touch, Apple Watch allows you to communicate in all-new ways by sending a sketch, a tap or even the rhythm of your own heartbeat. Interact quickly and conveniently with the world around you with Apple Watch by paying for coffee using Apple Pay™**, boarding a plane with a Passbook® boarding pass, or raising your wrist to ask Siri® for turn-by-turn directions in Maps.

Groundbreaking Health & Fitness Companion
Apple Watch encourages you to sit less, move more and get some exercise every day. The Activity app provides a simple visual snapshot of your daily activity with three rings that measure active calories burned, brisk activity and how often you’ve stood up to take a break from sitting during the day. Apple Watch provides the detailed metrics you need during dedicated workout sessions for the most popular activities, such as walking, running and cycling through the Workout app. With an accelerometer, a built-in heart rate sensor, GPS and Wi-Fi from your iPhone, Apple Watch smartly uses the best sensors for different types of motion and provides a comprehensive picture of your all-day activity and workouts. The Activity app on iPhone collects your activity and workout data from Apple Watch so you can see your history in greater detail. Apple Watch uses this history to suggest personalized activity goals, reward fitness milestones and keep you motivated.

Apple Watch is available in two different sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm, and in three distinct collections—Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition. Apple Watch Sport features a lightweight anodized aluminum case in silver and space gray with a Retina display protected by strengthened Ion-X glass and matching high-performance fluoroelastomer Sport Band in five colors. The Apple Watch collection features highly polished stainless steel and space black stainless steel cases with a Retina display protected by sapphire crystal. The Apple Watch collection comes with a choice of three different leather straps, a stainless steel link bracelet and Milanese loop, and a black or white Sport Band. Apple Watch Edition features cases specially crafted from custom rose or yellow 18-karat gold alloys developed to be twice as hard as standard gold, a Retina display protected by polished sapphire crystal and a choice of uniquely designed straps and bands with 18-karat gold clasps, buckles or pins.

The world’s most vibrant and innovative developer community has been creating all-new experiences specifically designed for Apple Watch. From requesting an Uber, checking in to your American Airlines flight, booking a bike for your Equinox class to remotely controlling your Honeywell Lyric thermostat while away, the possibilities for Apple Watch apps are endless. These experiences extend the functionality of your favorite iPhone apps, while delivering an innovative way to interact—right from your wrist. Popular apps such as Instagram, MLB.com At Bat, Nike+ Running, OpenTable, Shazam, Twitter, WeChat and more will also be available on Apple Watch. The new Apple Watch app that comes with iOS 8.2 on iPhone lets you browse, buy and download apps from the Apple Watch App Store™.

Designed to be worn throughout your day, Apple Watch delivers up to 18-hour all-day battery life*** and comes with a unique charging solution that combines Apple’s MagSafe® technology with inductive charging for a quick connection that simply snaps into place.

By design, the shopping experience for Apple Watch will be the most personalized Apple has ever offered. When Apple Watch becomes available for pre-order from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) on Friday, April 10, Apple retail stores and department store shop-in-shops will begin offering customers the chance to preview their choice of Apple Watch and try it on in-store.

Pricing & Availability
Beginning April 10 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US, Apple Watch will be available for preview, try-on by appointment at Apple’s retail stores, and available for pre-order through the Apple Online Store  (www.apple.com). On April 24, Apple Watch will be available online or by reservation in Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers in China and Japan. Customers who purchase online or in-store from Apple will be offered Personal Setup to customize and pair Apple Watch with their iPhone.

Apple Watch is available in three collections, Apple Watch Sport, priced at $349 (US) and $399 (US); Apple Watch, available from $549 (US) to $1,099 (US); and Apple Watch Edition, crafted from custom rose or yellow 18-karat gold alloys, with prices starting at $10,000 (US).

Apple Watch will also be available to preview or try on at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo and Selfridges in London on April 10. Apple Watch will be for sale on April 24 at these select department store shop-in-shops, and at boutiques in major cities across the world including colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and Tokyo, Maxfield in Los Angeles and The Corner in Berlin.

Starting today customers can explore and choose their favorite Apple Watch in the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) or through the Apple Store app for iPhone and iPad.

Apple Watch requires iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 8.2. or later. iOS 8.2 will be available for download today.

*Accuracy depends on regular syncing with iPhone.
**Apple Pay is only available in the US and through participating banks. See www.apple.com/apple-pay for details.
***Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results may vary.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Announcing the Executive Speaker Line Up for Bluetooth World Event 2015

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group will be hosting its second annual Bluetooth World event at the Santa Clara Convention Center on April 14-15, 2015. This year’s event focuses on enabling the Internet of Things (IoT). The Bluetooth SIG’s recent release of Bluetooth 4.2, which introduced features for IP connectivity, privacy and speed, will directly influence the next generation of IoT devices and is poised to make the potential of the IoT a reality.

Taking place in Silicon Valley, the event will bring together over 700 senior-level decision makers to explore the various applications of Bluetooth technology within the IoT ecosystem. Bluetooth World features a two-day, two-track conference (Developers’ Summit and Technical Strategy) that will explore the hottest trends around Bluetooth technology and the IoT market. Content tracks will encompass multiple industries including smart home, wearable technology, automotive, sports & fitness, medical, beacons, start-ups and wireless audio.

Leading these industry segments will be Bluetooth World’s global line up of visionaries who will provide delegates with strategies and best practices for the effective adoption of Bluetooth 4.2 within of the IoT ecosystem. Keynotes include Eric Friedman (CTO & Co-Founder of FitBit), Thomas Bonnerud (Director of Nordic Semiconductor), Chris Glode (General Manager, MapMyFitness – Under Armour) along with senior level executives from Google, LG Electronics, Samsung, Dialog Semiconductor, Indiegogo, CSR, Siemens, Nokia Growth Partners and many more.

 

“The Internet of Things is moving quickly from concept to reality and Bluetooth is at the heart of that growth,” said Mark Powell, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. “Bluetooth World is where today’s innovators learn from each other how to bring tomorrow’s products and services to life and change people’s lives for the better.”

The packed, two-day conference will include over 90 presentations and panel discussions, including case studies of successful technology and market implementations. In addition to networking opportunities throughout, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the Bluetooth World Hackathon and Analyst Breakfast Briefings.

Both the Analyst Breakfast Briefings and Hackathon will provide attendees with opportunities to understand potential applications of Bluetooth 4.2. The eight Analysts’ Breakfast Briefings, led by analysts from Gigaom, Gartner, IHS Technology and ABI Research, will forecast the IoT market potential. The Bluetooth World Hackathon will challenge engineers and developers alike to build connected devices that aim to influence and inspire their global decision making audience.

Mid Price registration, with special discounted rates, closes on April 6, 2015. To view the full event program and register for Bluetooth World, please visit www.bluetoothworldevent.com. You can also follow us on Twitter @BluetoothEvents or using #BluetoothWorld

About Bluetooth World

Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) in partnership with Informa Telecoms and Media is excited to announce Bluetooth World 2015!  Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, this unique conference will take place at the Santa Clara Convention Center on April 14-15, 2015.  Bluetooth World is the only global conference that focuses on Bluetooth® technology and its increasing role in the Internet of Things (IoT). Attend to experience first-hand how Bluetooth is enabling the IoT and is rapidly being adopted new ways to connect devices to a potential $1.3 trillion ecosystem of “things” and the internet. www.bluetoothworldevent.com. Bluetooth World 2015 is proudly sponsored by Nordic Semiconductor (Diamond Sponsor), CSR (Platinum Sponsor), Dialog Semiconductors (Platinum Sponsor) and Frontline Testing Equipment (Gold Sponsor).

About Informa Telecoms and Media

Informa Telecoms and Media (www.informatandm.com) organizes 125 global annual events, attended by more than 70,000 executives worldwide. With a focus on quality content, Informa Telecoms and Media deliver a key audience of decision-makers from the mobile, fixed, alternative, wholesale, MVNO, broadband and satellite operator communities. Informa Telecoms and Media is also the leading provider of business intelligence and strategic services to the global telecoms and media markets. Driven by constant first-hand contact with the industry, its 90 analysts and researchers produce a range of intelligence services including news and analytical products, in depth market reports and datasets focused on technology, strategy and content.

The Lean IT Association Launches with Mission to Set a Global Standard for Lean IT Education and Certification

The Lean IT Association - a consortium of global leaders in the IT Training and Certification Industry -  today announced its formation and revealed its newly developed Lean IT Certification Scheme. The Certification Scheme sets out an important reference for professionals in several degrees of knowledge and competence.

The Lean IT Association (LITA) is led by a Board comprised of Senior Directors of its founding members, including Nick Houlton (APMG), Bernd Taselaar (EXIN), Byron Nicolaides (PEOPLECERT), David Ratcliffe (Pink Elephant), Maurice Boon (Quint) and Sukhbir Jasuja (ITpreneurs). According the Association’s Manifesto, the Consortium was founded to set a global standard for Lean IT education and certification.

Lean is about making the organization more efficient and to effectively respond to external demand. Incremental and radical change methods such as Agile Scrum can be used to transition the organization to Lean principles in production and management. IT Service Management can get a huge benefit out of Lean IT, by removing waste and optimizing the value of the IT services. Nick Houlton,  Chief Operating Officer at APMG states: “Lean principles have been used in a variety of industries for some years now. The IT industry has embraced these principles using the term “Lean IT”, but while there have been some fragmented initiatives for education & certification in Lean IT, there is no universally accepted program or thought leadership. The Lean IT Association is aiming to remedy that”.

The Lean IT Certification Scheme consists of 4 distinct certifications for various levels. Starting at an entry level with Lean IT Foundation and moving into Lean IT Kaizen Lead, climbing further up the ladder to Lean IT Leader or Coach. Each level introduces more knowledge and skills, eventually leading up to competences that enable a professional to support corporate introduction or further development of Lean IT initiatives.

Training providers can apply for accreditation by one of the Exam Institutes liaised to LITA,  through the Lean IT Association website. The quality of their training program, materials and trainers will be assessed against and accredited according to LITA standards.

About the Lean IT Association
Lean IT Association (LITA) is a non-profit organization founded by three Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs) - ITpreneurs, Pink Elephant, Quint and three Examination Institutes (EIs) - APMG, EXIN, PEOPLECERT International Ltd.
To realize its broader purpose LITA aims to provide:

●an industry-standard set of Lean IT reference materials and other resources for practitioner organizations to use;
●a clear understanding of the value and positioning of Lean IT relative to other bodies of knowledge, frameworks and standards;
●a certification scheme aimed at practitioner organizations looking to adopt Lean IT principles in the IT Service development and operations department as well as professionals that want to be certified in Lean IT on various levels.

Dates Are Set for National Drive Electric Week 2015

Dates have been set for the fifth annual National Drive Electric Week: Sat., Sept. 12 through Sun., Sept. 20, 2015. Events will encompass two weekends to give planners maximum flexibility and consumers plenty of opportunity to attend.

“Last year we saw U.S. plug-in vehicles sales grow 23 percent, lead by the Nissan Leaf growing at 34 percent, while the overall U.S. market grew at about 6 percent,” said Tom Saxton, Plug In America’s chief science officer. "This year, 2015, promises to be even more electrifying. The BMW i3 will be on the road for the first full year, we expect deliveries of the Tesla Model X, an updated Chevy Volt, and greater overall sales growth than we saw last year. We’ll have lots to celebrate and to share with new EV audiences.”

National Drive Electric Week is a grassroots observance designed to accelerate adoption of plug-in vehicles through hands-on experiences with electric cars and motorcycles. Plug In America, the Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association are national organizers teaming up with local groups across the country and abroad to organize events.

"Electric cars are a key part of our country's clean energy future, and they're a lot of fun to drive," said Gina Coplon-Newfield, Director of the Sierra Club's Electric Vehicles Initiative."We're revved up for National Drive Electric Week 2015, which will offer the public, the media, and policymakers a great opportunity to come check out many of the 20-plus plug-in vehicles on the market."

Drive Electric Week attendance in 2014 more than doubled that of the previous year’s celebration with over 90,000 people participating in 152 events across the country and abroad. The event was launched in 2011 in 29 cities.

About Plug In America: Plug In America, a San Francisco-based national nonprofit organization, works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation's dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. The organization conceived National Drive Electric Week (formerly National Plug In Day) and has advanced workplace charging by pioneering regular ride-and-drive events at such leading corporations as Google, Mattel and Paramount Pictures. It developed the world’s largest, most dedicated network of plug-in vehicle owners and drivers, many of whom have driven EVs for well over a decade. We drive electric. You can, too. www.pluginamerica.org.

About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization with more than 2.4 million members and supporters and chapters in all 50 states. The Sierra Club’s national electric vehicles initiative advocates for a switch to EVs as one important way to reduce emissions and cut our addiction to oil. www.sierraclub.org/EVGuide.

About the Electric Auto Association: The Electric Auto Association, formed in 1967, is a nonprofit educational organization with 75 chapters worldwide that promotes the advancement and widespread adoption of electric vehicles. www.electricauto.org.

Bellevue-based Tack Welcomes John Kueber as Strategic Advisor

Tack, a media technology startup dedicated to connecting local businesses with new customers, today announced that it has added publishing veteran and digital media expert John Kueber to its Strategic Advisory Board.

“John is tremendously well respected and established within the digital media and technology space,” said Aaron Goodin, CEO of Tack.  “His industry expertise, prior startup experience and vast network of publisher connections will be invaluable to us as we increase product awareness among regional publications - and usher in a new form of media-based social advertising.”

In addition to joining Tack’s advisory board, on January 5, 2015, Kueber was also named President of Digital at Tiger Oak Media, a publishing company with more than 20 publications in a dozen markets, focusing on lifestyle, business and travel topics.  Since joining Tiger Oak Media in 2008, Kueber has been responsible for business operations and strategy for the company’s eight West Coast media properties.  During that time, Kueber has worked to develop each individual brand into a multi-platform experience through events, digital media, social media and strategic partnerships.  Prior to Tiger Oak Media, Kueber launched several startup companies, including Urban Pages Media, speechforms.com, and superbuild.com.

As a member of Tack’s Advisor Board, Kueber will be responsible for helping drive publisher acquisition and advertising for Tack.

"Tack has developed what I believe is a breakthrough technology that can help local businesses drive customer acquisition and profits through social media,” Kueber said.  “While working with the Tack team at Seattle Magazine, I’ve witnessed how Tack can help both small businesses and digital publishers gain broader distribution and increase revenue.  Not to mention, they make social media marketing easier in a time when organic reach becomes more limited.”

Since launching in October Tack has steadily built a network of local, Seattle-based publishing partners including Tiger Oak Media’s Seattle magazine and Seattle Business.

About Tack

Tack is a media technology company dedicated to connecting local businesses to new customers in an easy, cost efficient and relevant way. Launched in 2013, Tack automatically converts social media posts into online ads and places them adjacent to relevant content. Tack helps advertisers reach new customers with no additional effort, and increases reader engagement and revenue for publishers. For more information visit www.tacklocal.com.

Increase Your Bottom Line by Improving Customers' Shopping Experiences

Bellevue-based Outerwall will showcase its services and products and its suite of kiosks this week in booth #36047 at CES 2015 in Las Vegas, a global trade show known for launching products and devices many consumers can only dream of owning.

 

Outerwall's mainstay brands, Coinstar and Redbox, help consumers maximize their budgets by transforming spare change into cash or no-fee eCertificates and offering the best value for new release movie entertainment. And for the first time ever, the company will feature its entire family of automated kiosks together at CES, including the newest offerings:

• ecoATM – available throughout the U.S., ecoATM kiosks pay cash instantly for used cell phones, tablets and MP3 players;


• Coinstar Exchange – with hundreds of kiosks in the U.S., Coinstar Exchange kiosks offer instant cash for unused gift cards; and


• SAMPLEit – currently in pilot stage and available in select markets across the U.S., SAMPLEit kiosks are an easy and affordable way to discover and try new products from leading brands, and save money on full-size versions with valuable coupons included with each purchase.

"Outerwall will be presenting our vision for the future of smart shopping based on our core capabilities and assets," said J. Scott Di Valerio, CEO of Outerwall. "We'll also continue demonstrating our commitment to simplicity, convenience and value by showcasing our newest kiosk solutions: ecoATM, Coinstar Exchange and SAMPLEit."

As consumers continue looking for ways to save money and get the best value for their dollars, they're also looking to retailers to help them find ways to shop more effectively.

The brick and mortar store, once the "holy grail" for a point of sale, now has an opportunity to be reinvented as the lines between digital and physical retail become blurred. Retailers can transform the shopping experience for their customers – from a chore to an interactive, personalized experience in the digital age.

"Smartphones forever changed how connected consumers are all of the time," said Leslie Hand, vice president for retail insights at IDC. "Technology innovations in the retail industry will enable previously unprecedented levels of personalized interaction with customers, who will continue integrating mobility into the fabric of their lives."

Smart shopping is the key to retailers' success

At CES 2015, Outerwall will demonstrate unique potential smart shopping concepts by illustrating a next-generation, in-store retail shopping experience that leverages the latest mobile technologies. In the Outerwall booth, conference attendees can view three demos of shopping scenarios where retailers can connect directly with consumers during their consideration journey.

Through its prevalent network of more than 65,000 kiosks, the company understands how consumers' relationships with retailers are changing amidst the convergence of online and physical retail. And with 91 percent of the U.S. population living within five miles of an Outerwall kiosk, the company is positioned to help retailers orchestrate innovative ways of interacting with loyal customers in addition to engaging new consumers.

Outerwall is creating and evaluating real world concepts of innovative consumer shopping experiences that could change the way people interact with the stores they frequent and the brands they love. Visit Outerwall in booth #36047 at CES this week to learn more.

About Outerwall Inc.

Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR) has more than 20 years of experience creating some of the most profitable spaces for their retail partners. Outerwall delivers breakthrough kiosk experiences that delight consumers and generate revenue for retailers. As the company that brought consumers Redbox entertainment, Coinstar money services, and ecoATM electronics recycling kiosks, Outerwall is leading the next generation of automated retail and paving the way for inventive, scalable businesses. Outerwall kiosks are in neighborhood grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchants, malls, and other retail locations in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus Available in China on Friday, October 17

Apple today announced that iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, will be available in China beginning Friday, October 17 from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and an expansive network of retail stores through all three major carriers and Apple Authorized Resellers. With support for TD-LTE and FDD-LTE, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus provide customers access to 4G/LTE networks from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom across mainland China. Customers can pre-order iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus from the Apple Online Store beginning Friday, October 10. Beginning Tuesday, October 14, customers can reserve the new iPhones for in-store pick-up starting Friday, October 17.

“We are thrilled to bring iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to our customers in China on all three carriers at launch,” said Apple’s CEO Tim Cook. “With support for TD-LTE and FDD-LTE, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers will have access to high-speed mobile networks from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom for an incredible experience.”

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina® HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use. Both models are better in every way and include: the Apple-designed A8 chip with second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance and power efficiency; advanced iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras; and ultrafast wireless technologies.

The new iPhones include iOS 8, the biggest release since the App Store℠, featuring a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType™ keyboard and Family Sharing. iOS 8 also includes the new Health app, giving you a clear overview of your health and fitness data and iCloud Drive℠, so you can store files and access them from anywhere.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 6 comes in gold, silver or space gray, and is available in China for a suggested retail price of 5,288 (RMB) for the 16GB model, 6,088 (RMB) for the 64GB model and, for the first time, a new 128GB model for 6,888 (RMB). iPhone 6 Plus comes in gold, silver or space gray, and is available in China for a suggested retail price of 6,088 (RMB) for the 16GB model, 6,888 (RMB) for the 64GB model and 7,788 (RMB) for the new 128GB model. Both models are available in China from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), by reservation only from Apple’s retail stores, and through China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and Apple Authorized Resellers beginning Friday, October 17. Customers can pre-order iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus from the Apple Online Store beginning Friday, October 10. Beginning Tuesday, October 14, customers can reserve the new iPhones for in-store pick-up starting Friday, October 17.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

iPhone 6 Available Today, Apple Announces Record Pre-orders for iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus Top Four Million in First 24 Hours

Apple recently announced a record number of first day pre-orders of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, with over four million in the first 24 hours. Demand for the new iPhones exceeds the initial pre-order supply and while a significant amount will be delivered to customers beginning on Friday and throughout September, many iPhone pre-orders are scheduled to be delivered in October. Additional supply of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available to walk-in customers on Friday, September 19 at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores. Customers are encouraged to arrive early or order online from the Apple Online Store(www.apple.com) to pickup in-store or receive an estimated delivery date. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

“iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Pre-orders for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus set a new record for Apple, and we can’t wait to get our best iPhones yet into the hands of customers starting this Friday.”

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK beginning this Friday, September 19 and in more than 20 additional countries beginning on Friday, September 26 including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina® HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use. Both models are better in every way and include: the Apple-designed A8 chip with second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance and power efficiency; advanced iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras; ultrafast wireless technologies; and Apple Pay™, an easy way to simply and securely make payments with just the touch of a finger.*

The new iPhones include iOS 8, the biggest release since the App Store℠, featuring a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType™ keyboard and Family Sharing. iOS 8 also includes the new Health app, giving you a clear overview of your health and fitness data and iCloud Drive℠, so you can store files and access them from anywhere.

Pricing & Availability
Every customer who buys an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup to help them customize their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more, so they’ll be up and running with their new iPhone before they leave the store.

iPhone 6 comes in gold, silver or space gray, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model, $299 (US) for the 64GB model and, for the first time, a new 128GB model for $399 (US) with a two-year contract.** iPhone 6 Plus comes in gold, silver or space gray, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $299 (US) for the 16GB model, $399 (US) for the 64GB model and $499 (US) for the new 128GB model with a two-year contract.** Both models will be available from Apple retail stores, theApple Online Store (www.apple.com), and through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers, and select Apple Authorized Resellers including Best Buy, Target and Walmart.