‘If you see a stylus, they blew it’: What we know about Apple’s iPhone 6s and iPad Pro

The technology giant also used a live event to unveil the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, which come both come with a pressure sensitive screen that uses technology called 3D Touch where applying more or less pressure to a tap opens new shortcuts.

They will, as rumoured, come in a rose gold colour finish too.

The new iPhones will go on sale on September 25, with pre-orders for the devices beginning on September 12, starting at £539 for 6s and £619 for the 6s Plus

The firm’s chief Tim Cook called the iPad Pro the “biggest news in iPad since the iPad” as he unveiled the device on stage at the live event in San Francisco. The iPad Pro will have a 12.9 inch screen with more than five million pixels.

Mr Cook called it “our vision of the future of personal computing”.

The iPad Pro will come with a stylus called the Apple Pencil. This is despite late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs famously once saying: “If you see a stylus, they blew it.”

The new Apple Pencil can read pressure and stroke types, making it possible to shade, draw and carry out subtle movements associated with a traditional pencil.

This, along with the keyboard that clips to the Pro, places the device in direct competition with the Microsoft Surface, which uses similar accessories.

A UK price is yet to be confirmed for the iPad Pro but it will go on sale in November.

A much rumoured revamp of the Apple TV was also confirmed, with Apple’s voice assistant technology Siri now integrated to use in searches.

The Apple TV has also had its interface and software overhauled in order to compete with the likes of Amazon’s Fire TV box and service.

Apple says boxes such as this represent the future of television - but the reality is that other manufacturers have already made the territoriy their own, with dedicated hardware from Sky, Intel and others - some of which also double as general purpose PCs.

There was a fashion conscious aspect to the live show in San Francisco, as Apple introduced a new line of Apple Watch straps, as well as a partnership with brand Hermes to create a collection of the smartwatches.

Kent German, from consumer technology site CNET, said: “The new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will no doubt win a sizeable number of new customers, but an unchanged design and few feature changes from last year’s model follow the company’s pattern for ‘S’ models.

“What’s more, Apple is facing a smartphone market where sales are slowing as consumers feel the need to upgrade less often. Getting them excited enough to pay for a new phone, especially when last year’s model is good enough, is increasingly challenging.

“If iPhone sales slow, the company will need to lean on revenue from other products. The new iPad Pro and Apple TV may be an answer.”