iPad Air 2, OS X Yosemite & Retina iMac: Launch live blog

OS X Yosemite official release date confirmation

Apple's new operating system was first announced during the company's WWDC presentation in June, and several beta versions have since been released to users.

Continuity between iOS 8 and Yosemite is expected to feature heavily, with features such as the ability to make and take phone calls from a PC and to start writing an email on your phone before finishing it on a Mac ("Hand-Off"), teased at Apple's previous event.

This was done using "proximity awareness" that allows a Mac to tell whether another Apple device is nearby, before asking the user whether they would like to switch from their phone/tablet to their Mac or vice versa.

Despite being announced alongside iOS 8 in the summer and being included in Apple's pledge to provide more integration between its devices, it was subsequently revealed the two operating systems' release dates would be staggered.

This kind of release structure is not unprecedented, after iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks also arrived a month apart from each other in 2013.

However, we're hoping to see an update from Apple about when Mac users will finally get their hands on the finished product.

New thinner, more powerful & secure iPads

Recent leaked images from Vietnamese tech blog, Tinhte.nv (via gmanetwork) reportedly give us an early sneak peek at the iPad Air 2.

The most interesting thing about the images is the thinness of the tablet shown, which Mashable has determined as just 7mm thick.

The original iPad Air is 7.5mm thick. Only the iPhone 6 beats it at 6.9mm.

The iPad Air 2 was previously rumoured to be announced alongside the two new iPhone models last month, but will most likely appear this week instead.

The tablet is rumoured to be 9.7-inches, and looks set to feature a 2GB RAM boost and offer users split-screen capability.

The RAM boost makes sense when taking into account how low Apple devices already are, with 1GB RAM, compared to many competing Android devices, and the increased demand brought on by features such as split-screen functionality.

All the signs also suggest Apple's new iPad models will feature the Touch ID fingerprint scanner first introduced with the iPhone 5s. This would offer greater security, which Apple is understandably keen on right now.

The iPads are also rumoured to be getting a daylight-friendly anti-reflective coating for its cover lens, as well as a laminated touch panel, A8 processor, 8-megapixel camera and a gold-coloured casing.

iPad Mini 3

Japanese blog Mac Otakara also claims that we could see the iPad Mini 3 launched on Thursday, according to "sources that can be trusted", and it is likely to be slimmer and with an A8X processor similar to the rumoured specs for the iPad Air 2.

In October 2012, the first iPad Mini was unveiled alongside the iPad 4 and the same month of 2013 saw the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display announced, so there's a good chance that Apple will continue the pattern in 2014.

Several images allegedly showing the iPad Mini 3 with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor have already been leaked to sites such as NoWhereElse.flr and apple.club.tw.

A Gold, work-friendly iPad Pro

Though rumours of a gold-coloured iPad could relate to the iPad Air 2, one theory that has circulated heavily is that Apple could also be planning to launch a larger, 12.9-in iPad.

This would be dubbed the iPad Pro, it is thought, and would feature an A8X chip for markedly improved graphics and performance.

Though it is still assumed that Apple will use the upcoming event to launch the iPad Pro, news that production of the tablet may have to be delayed due to unprecedented sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may affect this. This comes after more than 10 million iPhones were sold in just three days.

The bigger iPad model may be geared more towards business users, with improved specs, 128 GB of storage and split-screen functionality on a bigger screen for easier multi-tasking. The 12-inch display is also a similar size to the MacBook Air, making it ideal for work.

There are also rumours that it could come with a Microsoft Surface-esque keyboard cover, adding to this impression.

Higher-resolution iMac

Alongside new iPads, Apple is expected to launch a 5K resolution 27-inch iMac. This would be an upgrade from the current resolution for desktop Macs of the same size, from 2560 x 1440p to 5120 x 2880, it has been reported.

Whether a new MacBook will be unveiled is up for debate, after delays to Intel's production of processors.

Then there's the Mac mini, which was last updated almost two years ago. Mention of Apple's smallest, cheapest desktop offering popped up on Apple's support page recently, sparking rumours that it could be a part of Apple's next batch of announcements.