Five things you need to know about the Apple Watch

Apple has sent out invitations to media for a March 9 event, believed to be celebrating the launch of the Apple Watch.

First unveiled alongside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in September last year, the Apple Watch marks the Californian company's first foray into wearables.

Chief executive Tim Cook confirmed the device would go on sale in April during an earnings call last month, when Apple reported the biggest ever quarterly profit ever made by a company.

Cook is expected to reveal further details about the Watch during the March event, including battery life, pricing and new or previously unexplained features.

While the UK pricing of each Watch version is yet to be announced, the entry-level Sport model will retail in the US from $349 (£230). The luxury Edition's price is expected to run into thousands of pounds, with Apple reportedly installing safes into stores to protect the timepieces. Demand for the Watch, Apple's first original product since the iPad in 2010 is expected to be high. The company is said to have ordered between five and six million units from its suppliers in Asia to meet initial demand, more or less in line with the iPad, which shifted around 7.5 million units within its first six months.