Apple iPhone SE launch: as it happened on Monday

Good afternoon! Here's a round-up of the key announcements from Apple's event in Cupertino, California. At a glance, Tim Cook and his executives announced:

• iPhone SE: a new 4-inch phone that looks like the iPhone 5s but under the hood has the power of an iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. It comes in four colours, including rose gold. Apple's cheapest iPhone to date, the SE will be available to order on March 24 and go on sale on March 31, starting at £359.
• iPad Pro: the new iPad Pro is a 9.7-inch scaled-down version of the 12.9-inch Pro launched last September. It has a pressure-sensitive display, four corner-mounted speakers and comes with an Apple Pencil. It is also the first iPad available in rose gold. Prices start at £499 and will be available to order on March 24, then go on sale on March 31.
• Apple Watch: Apple slashed the price of its Watch by £50, bringing the entry-level price down to £259. It also released a range of new woven nylon coloured straps, and additional sports and leather models. 
• Apple TV: the company's set-top box is getting a major software upgrade that includes Siri dictation, Siri for the App Store, Photo Stream, and a new folder system.
• iOS 9.3: Apple's latest update to its mobile OS is now available to download. Key features include a Night Shift mode and updates to Apple News, Notes, CarPlay and Health. 
• Liam: the robot that can deconstruct an iPhone so that its component materials can be reused. 
• CareKit: a health app that will work alongside ResearchKit to give people control over their health and symptoms, while improving medical research.  

Apple has launched a new selection of leather phone cases designed for the iPhone SE. At the moment the case is only available in black and midnight blue. But other colours will undoubtedly follow. As the phone is the same size as the iPhone 5, cases designed for the older phone will be compatible with the SE. 

When Apple announced the update to its iOS software last night, it was probably hoping that one of its most important changes would slip through unnoticed.  

The iOS 9.3 software update includes a fix for a vulnerability in Apple's iMessage - or blue texts - that could expose millions of supposedly secure photos and videos to hackers. The flaw affects iMessage on iPhone, iPad and Mac, unless you update your software today. 

For more information, you can read the full news story here. 

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Sony Xperia Z5 Compact (£379)

Samsung Galaxy Core Prime (£119.95)

Microsoft Lumia 550 (£99.99)

For an extensive look at Android alternatives to the iPhone SE, check out our comparison piece here. 

We have now added the new iPhone SE to our handy iPhone comparison graphic. 

Whistleblower Edward Snowden has not missed the opportunity to comment on the news that the FBI may have found a way to unlock the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone without Apple's help. The former NSA contractor accused the FBI of attempting to exploit the public's trust to "create a precedent."

"It's hard not to read tonight's events as permanently damaging the credibility of #FBI claims on encryption. This was basic pre-trial work," Snowden said on Twitter.

The whistleblower had immediately dismissed the FBI claim that only Apple has access to the iPhone 5c at the centre of the San Bernardino case. Snowden, who spoke at the Common Cause Blueprint for a Great Democracy conference in Moscow via video link, said: "The FBI says Apple has the ‘exclusive technical means’ to unlock the phone. Respectfully, that’s bullshit.”

Definitely an eventful 24 hours for Apple as the US Supreme Court has agreed to intervene in a five-year legal war over smartphones between the Silicon Valley company and South Korean Samsung.

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider one of Samsung’s arguments over design but passed on a second, in what the company’s backers heralded as a significant test of an increasingly important area of patent law.

A jury found that Samsung copied Apple’s patented designs for the iPhone and should turn over the profits from its sales, amounting to $399 million  (£275). The Supreme Court will consider whether Apple was overpaid.

High court review extends a legal battle that since April 2011 has spanned the globe, engulfed every major maker of smartphones, led to billions of dollars being spent on patents, and spawned hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees. The justices will hear arguments and rule in the nine-month term that starts in October.

Rob Crilly tells us more about the latest developments in the Apple v FBI case:

Investigators believe the phone could reveal details of links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or other collaborators, while Apple argues complying with the request would harm security for anyone using encryption. On Monday, prosecutors filed papers saying an outside party had shown the FBI a possible way to unlock the phone at the weekend and asked for the hearing to be postponed.

"Testing is required to determine whether it is a viable method that will not compromise date on Farook's iPhone,” it said.

"If the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc set forth in the All Writs Act Order in this case."

In other Apple news, the US government has requested to delay tomorrow's hearing with Apple in order to test a possible method for unlocking a terrorist's iPhone.

The legal fight has been ongoing since a US court ordered Apple to help the FBI investigate the San Bernardino shooting, which left 14 people in California dead, by creating a crack for Syed Rizwan Farook's iPhone 5c. 

Apple refused to comply with the order on the grounds that it would create a "dangerous precedent".

Apple's investors were left underwhelmed by the new releases. The shares closed flat at $105.91, valuing the company at $587bn.

• Apple TV gets major upgrade with Siri dictation and has 5000 apps

• Apple Watch price slashed to £259 and releases new straps

Apple's latest iOS has better security features and a new Night Shift mode that is a great addition for those who can't tear their eyes away from their devices at night. It also includes updates to Apple News, CarPlay, Notes, and Health. 

You can read our full round-up of iOS 9.3 and whether you should upgrade here. 

Ernest Doku, a telecoms expert at uSwitch, believes the iPhone SE begins Apple's fight to conquer China. 

The launch of the iPhone SE should be read as a retaliation - a battle cry to the Chinese challenger brands that have taken a bite out of Apple in recent months. Targeted at Millennials with smaller budgets, the SE offers a fully-formed iPhone experience for around £170 cheaper than its flagship.

Taking the iconic design of the 5s and supercharging it with the innards of the 6s, its best iPhone yet, and for a vastly lower price, should strike fear in the hearts of brands already competing in the mid range mobile market.

Apple's been there before, mind. The iPhone 5c was supposed to be a cheap and cheerful iPhone but raised eyebrows when it launched because it was only £80 cheaper than the flagship 5s back in 2013.

But this time around, Apple has priced the SE cleverly at the sweet spot for instant sales, meaning there is no reason why this four-inch handset and its chamfered edges shouldn’t fly off the shelves from the word go.

The latest Apple TV, which was launched at the company's annual event last September, now features over 5,000 third-party apps, Apple revealed today.  The apps include content from TV giants such as HBO. Apple announced the figures alongside the news that it saw the largest ever number of sales for Apple TV in the last quarter. 

Following this success, Apple has released an update for its tvOS, which is available to download from today. It includes the following features:

• Folders: A new folder system lets you organise apps on your home screen 
• Photo Stream: you can now sync your Apple TV with your other devices to seamlessly view photos and video
• Dictation: The new dictation feature means you can enter usernames and passwords by saying them outloud, bidding an end to scrolling through the alphabet letter by letter
• Siri for the App Store: Siri can now search the App Store for films and TV shows that you want to watch so you don't have to

A heads up kids, you're probably not the target market for the iPhone SE. 

It appears the iPhone 5s is no longer available to buy from Apple. After reports that Apple might slash the price of the older 4-inch phone in half, it has now removed the product from its store altogether. 

• Sony Xperia Z5 Compact - a mini version of the phone of the same name, this 4.6-inch model from Sony has a 23MP camera and is water resistant.
• Motorola Moto E 4G LTE - this cheap 4.4-inch phone runs Android Lollipop and is available from £69.95. 
• Samsung Galaxy Core Prime - with a Galaxy look, the Core Prime has a 4.5-inch display and a 5MP camera. It costs £119.95. 
• YotaPhone 2 - this 4.7-inch phone has two screens, an always-on e-ink display and a regular smartphone screen. It has over 50 hours of battery life and costs £555. 
• Marshall London - also 4.7-inches, this phone claims to be the "loudest mobile phone on Earth". It has two front-facing speakers, two stereo jacks and a hifi-grade sound card. It costs £399.  

To recap on the major price announcements of the evening, we've seen:

• iPhone SE starting at £359
• Apple Watch starting at £259 
• iPad Pro starting at £499

In relative terms, that's a £50 drop in the price of the Apple Watch, the cheapest iPhone to date, and a scaled-down, cheaper version of the iPad Pro. All of this is part of Apple's "smaller and cheaper" plan to appeal to a new audience. 

The biggest development is the iPhone SE - an upgrade to Apple's last cheap phone, the iPhone 5c, which went on the market at £469 in 2013. Apple has realised the mistake it made three years ago when it mistook value for money with different design tastes, and created a garish, plastic iPhone. The iPhone SE and smaller iPad Pro both show that Apple is beginning to understand that it can create affordable products that are just as beautiful. 

"Those who weren’t bowled over by the 5c, Apple’s previous lower-cost iPhone, should be willing to give the SE more serious consideration. It certainly looks more grown up, with a metal body, and decidedly less bold colour options than the 5c," said Stephen Ebbett, global director of device insurance company Protect Your Bubble. 

Apple has bucked the trend with the launch of the iPhone SE and taken a step sideways rather than the usual upwards one. The new phone is the same size and shape as the three-year-old iPhone 5s with the software of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. 

The Cupertino giant is hoping to reach two new markets with the small iPhone, its cheapest yet. The first is people who currently own a 4-inch phone. Last year alone, Apple sold over 30 million 4-inch iPhones, and 38pc of iPhone owners are using smaller models that predate the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. This phone targets them with a new product that they will hopefully upgrade to. 

The second target is people living in countries such as India and China, where iPhones are highly desired but often too expensive. The iPhone SE will hopefully close the gap, with a starting price of £359.  

For more analysis, check out Rhiannon Williams' piece about why the iPhone SE could unexpectedly prove to be one of Apple's biggest hits. 

Apple just made a big deal about its latest range of straps for the Apple Watch, which are made from woven nylon. In case you were wondering, woven nylon is a reinforced fabric that is tear and rip-resistant. It's created by weaving two or three fine yarns together at repeating intervals. Fear no more the all-to-easy watch strap tear that has been plaguing us all. 

The colour, which was introduced with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in September, has obviously been a hit. 

The latest iPad is the same size as the iPad Air 2, but has upgraded features that bring it in line with the 12.9-inch Pro launched last September.

The Apple store is up and running again, and its new products are available to browse.

• 4-inch display
• Four colours, including rose gold, space grey, silver and gold
• The same A9 chip as the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
• 12MP rear-facing camera that can take Live Photos and 4K video
• Touch ID
• NFC chip for Apple Pay
• 5MP front-facing camera with retina flash
• Prices starting at £359 for the 16GB model
• Available from March 31 

Now the event is over, we'll be bringing you more details about the new range of products, pictures and the best reactions. 

Here's our news story about the new iPhone SE, complete with all the key features you need to know about. 

The new iPad comes in four colours, including space grey and rose gold. Prices will start at $599. 

"It's the ultimate PC replacement," says Schiller again. 

The new iPad Pro has a pencil-optimised pressure-sensitive display. Apple has also designed optimised ports for the new tablet. 

• Jony Ive interview: The story of the Apple Pencil

The new iPad Pro is 22 pc brighter than the iPad Air 2, has the lowest reflection on a screen yet and 25pc greater colour saturation. The new iPad also works with Night Shift. And it has four speaker audio. 

We collected some of the best apps for the iPad Pro, which you can see below. 

Schiller announces smaller iPad Pro with a dig at Microsoft. 

There are over 600 million PCs in use today that are over 5 years old, he says.

"This is really sad... These people could really benefit from an iPad Pro."

The new 4-inch phone is the same size as the iPhone 5s, but has features that are as powerful as those in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. 

The free update is available to download now.

Apple News now suggests trending topics and editor's picks. And CarPlay has a range of improved features, including nearby facilities in Maps. 

The phones will go on full sale on March 31

Apple launches iOS 9.3, which includes a night mode that reduces blue light when nightfall hits in your area. It also has passcode protected Notes, and an update to the Health app. 

That's for the 16GB model. A higher capacity 64GB model will cost $499.

Joz announces that the iPhone SE has an NFC chip

The 4-inch phone has a 12MP iSight camera, as well as panorama up to 63MP. It can also capture live photos and 4K video, like the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and has a front facing retina flash. 

The phone has 50pc faster 4G and 3x faster Wi-Fi than the iPhone 5s. It also has Apple Pay. 

It looks like the iPhone 5s but there's a rose gold version and it has "incredibly powerful" software. 

The new phone has the same processing ability and graphics performance as the iPhone 6s. 

Last year Apple sold over 30 million 4-inch iPhones. Introducing a new small iPhone...

Apple saw the largest sales ever for Apple TV in the last quarter of last year. It is bringing new folders, photo stream and dictation to Apple TV, as well as Siri for the app store. 

The new Apple Watch strap is made of woven nylon. There are also new sport and leather straps in different colours. 

Beginning today, the Apple Watch will start at $299 (roughly £207). 

People react to Apple's recycle programme with jokes about the iPhone SE being 100pc recycled. 

Jeff Williams has announced Apple CareKit, a health app that will work alongside ResearchKit to give people control over their health and symptoms, while also improving medical research.

One of the initiatives built with ResearchKit is Asthma Health, designed to help researchers explore personalised treatments for asthma patients. Asthma Health launched in the UK back in February. You can read more about it here. 

CareKit is designed to give people a more active role in their medical care. Apple is launching the kit with an app for people with Parkinson's Disease. UMotif is another health app that is helping patient's with Parkinson's Disease. 

Apple has created a new machine called Liam that can deconstruct an iPhone into its component parts,  recovering high quality materials that can then be reused. For example, the silver from the motherboard can be used in solar panels. Eventually, Apple wants to recycle the parts into new iPhones. 

Take your old product into an Apple store or visit its website and post it to the company. 

Following a promise two years ago to run 100pc of its operations on renewable energy, Apple has revealed it fully runs on renewable energy in 23 countries. Across all of its factories and stores, 93pc of the company's operations are run on renewable energy. 

As Apple is about to turn 40 it is celebrating reaching the milestone of 1 billion Apple devices being owned around the world.

"With that comes a significant responsibility," says Cook, referencing the company's ongoing battle with the FBI. "We built the iPhone for you, our customers, and for many of us it is a deeply personal device."

"We will not shrink from this responsibility," he says, indicating Apple will continue to push back against the FBI's demands. 

The event is about to begin. You can watch the live stream here, and we'll be keeping the blog updated with all the announcements as they happen. 

Although the iPhone SE is expected to have a 3.5mm circular headphone jack, photos of Lightning EarPods have just emerged on rumours site 9to5 Mac. 

In conversations with Tim Cook and Johnny Ive, the Telegraph was given an exclusive look at what the company is travelling towards. They include the story behind the Apple Pencil, and the end of the PC. 

The Telegraph has a guide to the 500 must-have apps. And you can check out this gallery for the top 20: 

Ahead of the launch of Apple's new iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch designs tonight, we've put together this lovely stat box. You'll notice this is the first time that the company has released an iPhone in March. 

Today's launch event comes the day before Apple and the FBI are due in court for the latest hearing in the battle over San Bernardino gunman Syed Rizwan Farook's iPhone 5c. 

In case you haven't been following the ongoing case, below is a handy summary of what's at stake. 

Apple chief executive Tim Cook is yet to tweet about today's event. He has however tweeted a birthday message for Twitter, which today turns 10. 

Ahead of Apple's last event in September Cook tweeted at 6:30am saying, "We can't wait to show you what we've been working on." 

This may be the last time Apple holds an event at its Infinite Loop campus. 

Its new futuristic "spaceship" HQ is being built by British architect Norman Foster's firm, and includes a 1,000-seat circular underground auditorium and underground parking facility with solar panels. Here's what artists think it will look like.

We made a handy interactive tool that lets you scroll through the history of every iPhone. It's crazy how much they've changed!

Millions of people still use their iPhone 5s, either because they don't like large screens or the 6 and 6s models are too expensive.

There are still 31 million iPhone 5s users in the US, versus 11 million 6 and 6 Plus users, according to Jeremy Davies, chief executive and co-founder of UK-based analyst company Context. Perhaps this new, cheaper phone will push dawdlers to upgrade, as well as opening up new markets. 

Despite a tentative launch date of September 2016, lots of rumours about Apple's next phone - the iPhone 7 - are already flying around. These include wireless charging (like the Apple Watch charger), no more headphone jack and a fingerprint-activated panic button. Check out our rumours video.

Our reporter Rhiannon Williams, on the ground at the Apple campus in Cupertino, has received her badge and is on her way to the event that will start at 5pm GMT. 

Today's product launch will be the first time Apple has taken a sideways step. Rather than its usual mantra of bigger and better, the iPhone creators are expected to retrace their steps today when they release a scaled-down iPhone.

The move away from the "phablet" trend will appeal to two different audiences: those who want to upgrade their years-old 4-inch iPhone, and those living in countries such as India or China that are looking for a less expensive model. 

In her analysis of the move, reporter Rhiannon Williams says, "While the iPhone SE may not be the most glamorous smartphone it’s ever released, there’s no denying that Apple’s decision to return to smaller iPhones could be one of its biggest yet."

For a closer look at the evolution of the iPhone watch the video below. 

The event begins at 5pm GMT today and will be live streamed directly from Apple's Cupertino campus onto its website. 

You can watch the live stream on any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch with Safari on iOS 7.0 or later and any Macs with Safari 6.0.5 or later on OS X v10.8.5 or later.   

In previous years you could only watch the company's events on Apple devices. This year, for the first time, you can also watch the keynote on a PC with Microsoft Edge on Windows 10. 

The video can also be found on 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TV with software 6.2 or later, and on 4th generation Apple TV. 

It will begin in T-3 hours. 

It has been predicted that Apple will launch a brand new iPad this evening. Again, concrete details are hard to come by, but the rumours network is expecting it to be a 9.7-inch version of the iPad Pro, featuring an Apple Pencil-optimised display and four corner-mounted speakers. 

The latest iPad will probably have an improved 12MP camera capable of shooting 4K video, and prices are expected to start from £450 upwards. 

More details about what to expect are in our round-up here. 

We are expecting the iPhone SE to be Apple's cheapest iPhone to date. We don't have an exact idea of how much the phone will cost yet, but it will probably be the entry-level iPhone, coming in cheaper than the flagship 6s and 6s Plus models. 

One analyst predicted the phone will cost as little as $400 - $500 in the US, equating to £300 - £400 in the UK.  

When Apple launched the iPhone 6s the most expensive place in the world to buy it was France. The UK was the third most expensive country, when converting the international price into US dollars. The cheapest place to buy the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus was, predictably, the US. 

As is customary before a big product launch, Apple has taken down its store. This happens before every release to give the Cupertino giant time to update the site with information about its new products.

The iPhone SE, which stands for "Special Edition", is expected to be Apple's latest small iPhone. It will probably be similar in size to the iPhone 5s, but perhaps slimmer and with curved edges. 

Below is a selection of some of the best iPhone SE artist renderings, which give a strong indication of what the new phone will look like. 

What can we expect tonight?

Apple likes to maintain an aura of secrecy around its events, but thanks to a complex supply chain and a huge amount of interest, there are inevitably some leaks. 

In a nutshell, we'll probably be getting a new 4-inch iPhone, called the iPhone SE, a scaled-down version of the iPad Pro, and some new straps for the Apple Watch. 

For a round-up of what we know about the iPhone SE so far head here. And we've gathered everything you need to know about the new iPad Pro here. 

Afternoon! Cara McGoogan here. We'll be following the Apple action as it happens today, bringing you the latest updates ahead of and during tonight's event, which starts at 5pm GMT. Over in California, we have Rhiannon Williams who will be sending across news throughout the day.