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James Martin/CNET
Tim Cook and pals have stepped forth from their aluminium tower, revealing — at last — the nitty gritty on when the Apple Watch will debut around the globe, as well as a brand new MacBook with only a single port. Here’s what UK tech fans need to know.
Apple Watch UK price and release date
Until last night’s event, a UK release for Apple’s high-tech timepiece — which sends notifications from your iPhone directly to your wrist — seemed by no means certain. Our fears were groundless, however, with Apple confirming the Watch will go on sale in the UK on 24 April, the same day it makes its US debut. If you can’t wait to throw your money in Apple’s direction, pre-orders will open in a month’s time, on 10 April.
Apple Watch keeps up with the times (pictures)
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Pricing for the Apple Watch is a little tougher to untangle, because the company’s new toy comes in three different models, two different sizes and with a broad variety of different straps, all of which carry different price tags.
The three versions — in ascending order of price — are the Apple Watch Sport, which has an aluminium frame, the Apple Watch, which has a fancier stainless steel frame, and the plutocratic Apple Watch Edition, which is made from either rose or yellow gold. The two sizes of watch available across all those versions are either 38mm or 42mm, with some versions only available for one or the other, intended as they are for women and men respectively. The very cheapest version of Apple’s Watch will cost £299, and a full price breakdown can be seen below.
Apple Watch Sport
38mm £299, 42mm £339
Apple Watch with Sport Band
38mm £479, 42mm £519
Apple Watch with Classic Buckle, Milanese Loop, Leather Loop
38mm £559, 42mm £599
Apple Watch with Modern Buckle
38mm £649
Apple Watch with Link Bracelet
38mm £819, 42mm £859
Apple Watch Space Black with Steel Link Bracelet
38mm £899, 42mm £949
Apple Watch Edition with Sport Band (Rose Gold or Yellow Gold)
38mm £8,000, 42mm £9,500
Apple Watch Edition with Modern Buckle
38mm £13,500
Apple Watch Edition with Classic Buckle
42mm £12,000
You can buy all the straps separately too, with prices ranging from £39 to a wince-inducing £209. A 1-metre charging cable will cost £25, or you can get a 2-metre cord for £29.
Apple Watch wristbands collection (pictures)
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New MacBook
Tim Stevens/CNET
The Apple Watch isn’t the only new treat being cooked up in Apple’s industrial-scale tech ovens. The new fanless 12-inch MacBook is the company’s skinniest ever, and makes headlines with only a single USB Type-C port, which handles charging and, well, everything else you might want to plug into this computer. If you buy this new laptop, expect to carry around a pocketful of adaptors and dongles .
Apple’s new 12-inch MacBook has Force Touch trackpad and USB-C port (pictures)
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The new MacBook hits the UK on 10 April, Apple says, and comes in two configurations. The first, which gets you 256GB of flash storage and a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with turbo boost up to 2.4GHz, costs £1,049. A second variant that has 512GB of storage and a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel M processor with turbo boost up to 2.6GHz costs £1,299.
Apple TV price cut
Once again, Apple has held back on giving its set-top box an upgrade, although it has given the existing unit a price cut. If you want the company’s box, which gets you TV and movies through iTunes, plus streaming video via a Netflix app and other treats, it now costs £59.
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