111 216 13LINKEDIN 4COMMENTMORE
Apple sent media invites to an event in San Francisco on March 9, where it is expected the tech giant will reveal more details about its smartwatch.
The event is titled "Spring forward," a reference to Daylight Saving Time.
Apple's event will take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, where Apple has hosted other product reveals such as new editions of its iPad and iPhone.


Based on the title of the invite, it's highly likely the company focuses on the Apple Watch, its first jump into the wearable market slated to launch at the start of the year.
Apple's entry into the wearable market is expected to jumpstart the smartwatch market, which has struggled to grab consumer interest. A report from research firm Canalys found 720,000 smartwatches featuring Google's Android Wear platform shipped last year.
Meanwhile, the Pebble smartwatch, which took off on Kickstarter before moving into retail, topped 1 million in sales in two years. On Tuesday, Pebble unveiled a new version of its smartwatch, Pebble Time, that boasts a color screen and built-in microphone.
The new Apple Watch is worn by a model.
The new Apple Watch is worn by a model. (Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP)
Fullscreen
  • The new Apple Watch is worn by a model.
  • The new Apple Watch is on displayed during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts.
  • An attendee inspects the new Apple Watch.
  • An attendee inspects the new Apple Watch.
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the new Apple Watch on Tuesday in Cupertino.
  • Tim Cook, Apple CEO, introduces the new Apple Watch during Apple's launch event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, Sept. 9 in Cupertino, Calif.
  • The new Apple Watch will be available in a variety of bands and finishes.
  • The new watch is shown here aside the iPhone.
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook talks about the new Apple Watch.
  • Tim Cook demonstrates the Apple Pay system using an Apple Watch during Apple's launch event in Cupertino, Calif.
  • Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts.
  • Tim Cook unveils the Apple Watch on Tuesday.
  • A video about the new Apple Watch is shown during an Apple special event.
  • People watch a video about the Apple Watch at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino.
  • Tim Cook, Apple CEO, talks about the Apple Watch during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, Sept. 9 in Cupertino, Calif.
  • Cook talks about the features on the new Apple Watch.
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the new Apple Watch.
It will sell for $199 at retail, but early adopters could snag an early version of Pebble Time through Kickstarter for $159. The campaign proved to be a huge success for Pebble, topping $10 million and netting more than 48,000 backers.
But it's the arrival of the Apple Watch that could determine how lucrative the smartwatch market will become. Research firm CCS Insights predicts Apple will sell 20 million watches by the end of the year.
"The Apple Watch will be instrumental in taking the wearables market to the next level of growth," says Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insights. "If successful, it'll create a rising tide that will lift the whole market."
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.