VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) expects tremendous interest for its new smartwatch and demand to outstrip supply as consumers get an up-close look on Friday at CEO Tim Cook's first major product.

Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) "beautiful" and "stylish" smartwatch could make life easier for people on the move, reviewers say, but the gadget gets poor marks for battery life and slow-loading apps.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's (BABA.N) finance arm and smartphone maker Xiaomi Inc [XTC.UL] said on Thursday they will jointly develop mobile payment systems using wearable technology, a first for China's major tech firms.

Tag Heuer, French luxury group LVMH's (LVMH.PA) biggest watch maker, said it will launch a smartwatch later this year using Google Inc's (GOOGL.O) Android operating system in a venture with Intel Corp (INTC.O) to compete head-on with the Apple Watch.

Sharp Corp is cutting more than 10 percent of its Japanese workforce starting in April, according to a Nikkei report. The embattled electronics manufacturer will slash about 3,000 jobs through voluntary retirements and expects to book about 30 billion yen

About 40 percent of adult Apple iPhone owners in the United States are interested in buying the company's new Apple Watch, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Panasonic Corp said on Wednesday it has agreed to increase the base salary for its employees by 3,000 yen a month, higher than last year's 2,000 yen hike, following annual wage negotiations with the electronics maker's labor union.

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Thursday it will start buying or selling the Chinese yuan for the won from the Seoul market on March 16.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) launched its long-awaited watch on Monday, including yellow or rose gold models with sapphire faces costing up to $17,000, but investors questioned whether Chief Executive Tim Cook's first product would be a breakaway hit.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook on Monday is expected to announce details of the first product developed under his leadership, a watch that Apple hopes will transform the market of wearable technology.

Apple CEO Tim Cook summed up the problem during a conversation with sales staff at a London Apple Store: "We've never sold anything as a company that people could try on before."

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has allowed some companies to test their apps on its yet-to-be-launched Apple Watch and adjust the tools to the watch's design, Bloomberg reported.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has asked its Asian suppliers to make 5-6 million units of its three Apple Watch models for the first-quarter, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Swatch (UHR.VX) will launch a smart watch in the next two to three months, the Swiss watchmaker said on Thursday. A spokesman for Swatch confirmed Chief Executive Nick Hayek made the remarks to Bloomberg earlier on Thursday.

Japan's Sony Corp (6758.T) said its net annual loss will likely be smaller than previously forecast after cost cuts and strong sales of its image sensors and PlayStation video game consoles helped its third-quarter profit beat estimates.