Apple iOS 8 Available Ahead Of iPhone Release

Critics 'Blown Away' By Apple Watch Launch

Updated: 9:51pm UK, Tuesday 09 September 2014

Most of the post-launch reaction focused on the launch of the Apple Watch, a new product category for the California company.

TechCrunch writer John Biggs said: "First, as a watch lover, I'm blown away.

"Apple has gone above and beyond the job in terms of materials and design and, more important, the interface. Here's everything we know about the new Apple Watch."

Mashable listed "11 things the Apple Watch looks like" - including "your dad's favourite belt", a slap bracelet, a Casio data bank and a yoga mat.

Rob Hodges from mobile site Mobiles.co.uk said: "Taking the mobile industry by storm, wearable tech will be a future focus for all major smartphone manufacturers and Apple is clearly staking their claim with the Apple Watch.

"With the iPhone 6 offering Touch ID, NFC payments and an improved Wi-Fi chip, this could be the next revolutionary area for the company."

Cnet wrote: "Several mobile companies have already released or announced their own smart watches.

"However, those devices have struggled to catch on with mainstream consumers. Part of the reason for that is a killer app for the category has failed to emerge. It also hasn't helped that the world has been waiting to see what Apple would bring to market."

Actor Stephen Fry, who was at the launch, wrote on Twitter: "Complete standing ovation for the Apple watch - looks utterly stunning - I'm worse than drooling."

Meanwhile Stuff.TV focused on the two new iPhone models, saying: "If Apple can pull of NFC payments (as nobody has managed yet) health and fitness tracking (as nobody has managed yet) and seamless integration of its phones, tablets, laptops and computers then the iPhone 6 will be a formidable device to compete with."

On the Sky News Facebook page, opinion was split.

Nathan Mass said: "Apple offers devices with an unbeatable premium build quality and for that reason alone, I will always be an apple fan."

But Zara Le Brocq said: "Stick to my trusty Samsung. Now Apple fans can stop with the 'android phones are stupidly big' comments."

Bethwell Dube added: "iPhone has gone backwards."

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MyWardrobe Opens Door To New Funds

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The online fashion retailer MyWardrobe is plotting a new fundraising targeting millions of pounds in new investment less than a year after being rescued from administration.

Sky News understands that MyWardrobe, which stocks collections by designers such as Mulberry and Tom Ford, has held talks in recent days with firms about working on a prospective deal, although the company has yet to appoint advisers to handle the discussions.

Andrew Curran, MyWardrobe's co-founder, established the company in 2006 but stepped down earlier this year after it was bought out of administration.

That deal, undertaken through a controversial process known as a pre-pack, was hailed as a new opportunity for the company to expand and ultimately compete with peers such as Net-a-Porter.

However, its performance since then is understood to have been mixed, and one industry source said that MyWardrobe would require further funding in the next few months.

The company is now run by Steven Tucker, who fronted the most recent takeover.

MyWardrobe's hunt for new investment comes in the wake of a string of fashion retailers pursuing takeovers or stock market listings.

Asos, the sector pioneer which now has a market value of just under £1.85bn, has had a troubled year, being hit by a fire at one of its main distribution warehouses and a series of profit warnings prompted by slowing sales growth.

Earlier this week, Asos warned that it would see no growth in profitability next year, a disclosure that sent its shares plunging.

The company's shares have now fallen by more than 55% during the last 12 months.

Mr Tucker declined to comment.

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Tax Crackdown: World Profit-Shifting Ban Looms

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

International authorities have unveiled the first step in a major crackdown on billions of dollars' worth of international corporate tax avoidance, warning that existing rules are not fit for purpose.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said its plan would help prevent the kind of legal corporate tax avoidance which it is alleged has been used extensively by companies such as Apple, Google and Starbucks.

Its detailed new proposals, seven of which are published today, are largely aimed at stemming the extent to which companies can shift profits from one country to another in order to take advantage of lower tax rates.

Such practices are particularly common among tech businesses and other companies whose activities are not easily traced to single countries.

The OECD report said: "Gaps and mismatches in the current, outdated tax rules can make profits 'disappear' for tax purposes, or allow the shifting of profits to no-or low-tax locations where the business has little or no economic activity".

Although there are few reliable estimates of these practices - also known as base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) - they are thought to have contributed to billions of dollars of tax avoidance by leading multinationals.

According to one calculation, there is more than $2trn held by US multinationals in offshore financial centres which, at a 30% tax rate, would be equivalent to around $700bn in missing government revenue.

The reports suggests this money could be used support the fragile economic recovery after years of austerity and "social hardship".

Although such tax avoidance is legal, the report says taxpayer trust has been damaged by these practices.

The OECD says the measures are aimed at promoting the "spirit of the law - not just the letter".

They were described by auditors PwC as "the most significant change to international tax in modern times".

The proposals, which are long and complex, aim to close numerous loopholes in domestic and international laws which allow companies to shift such profits around the world, using a variety of financial instruments.

"The BEPS Project marks a turning point in the history of international co-operation on taxation", the report said.

However, it is likely to be some years before the plans come to fruition. A second half of the report, including more proposals, is due next year. The plans will need then to be approved by the G20, before individual governments have an opportunity to implement them.

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Salmond: No One Can Stop Scotland Using Pound

How Facebook Shaped The Referendum

Updated: 8:27am UK, Tuesday 16 September 2014

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

It's Facebook 'wot might win it.

Sure, the August poll surge in support for independence was down, in part, to traditional campaigning. Meetings and megaphones have thrust the Yes campaign "in yer face" over years leading up to Thursday.

But why, according to the opinion polls, did it all seem to come together in the space of a few weeks? Why, suddenly, the knife-edge?

In the word of a senior Yes strategist: Facebook.

I chatted to him as the Alex Salmond Labour Heartland tour rolled up at its latest venue, playing to the target market through the TV cameras. It was a big, well-attended, photo-call - the staple diet of the political campaign.

As the strategist stood back from the madding crowd, he told me that the magic formula didn't lie in the blood and snotters of a mass media scrum, but in the quiet exploitation of social media. Facebook, in particular.

The challenge for supporters of Scottish independence, historically, has been in turning it from a fringe notion into something people allow themselves to contemplate. Check their election success at the Scottish Parliament to see the considerable style with which that's been accomplished.

Scots have taken the hop and a step. Why, now, might they be shaping to take the jump? 

The Yes strategist pinned it on Facebook.

"Ask yourself," he said, to paraphrase him, "if a parent wants to check on their youngster who's on a night out, what do they do?  They don't phone them, because they probably won't answer.

"They might text ... but, invariably, they'll Facebook them. And when they do, dozens or hundreds of their friends will see it. It's a chat network that plugs people into the other people they value. There are no better opinion-formers for someone than the friends and family they like and trust.

"So, as a campaigning tool, it's been very effective. We encourage Yes supporters to spread the word to their Facebook friends and, over time, you build a network around people that builds a political case.

"Facebook is more effective than Twitter. You put something on Twitter and you reach people within the political bubble. With Facebook, you tap into a far bigger community."

So why the spike in support for Yes after polls that had No with a consistent and strong lead over the course of a two and a half year campaign?

"People just didn't turn their mind to the referendum until it actually came round. It's been in the far distance for most of the campaign but, now that people realise they're getting to decision time, large numbers are now weighing up the arguments ... and they're deciding having had their views on independence softened by Facebook friends."

There were more than 10 million referendum-related interactions on Facebook in the five weeks to September 8 - 85% of which was from Scotland.

He said he reckoned the Yes campaign had been four or five times more active than their opponents on Facebook and pointed out a Facebook chat with Scotland's pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond attracted around 5,000 questions.

Data suggests the Yes campaign is slightly in the lead with 2.05 interactions in Scotland compared to 1.96 million for the no campaign.

The strategist said the campaigning beauty of social media was that it eliminated the need to rely on mainstream media coverage, that the likes of Facebook cut out the middle man and enabled them to reach out to the voter directly.

Just how many the campaign has touched and what effect it has had, we'll find out soon enough.

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Car Insurance Fraud Adds £50 To Annual Bill

The insurance industry has calculated fraudulent car cover applications cost honest families £50 every year.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said it made the estimate after conducting research to discover the true extent of fraud for the first time.

It uncovered an average 3,475 cases each week of motorists lying on their applications for insurance or deliberately leaving relevant information off them.

The ABI said it registered 180,675 attempts to make fraudulent applications for motor insurance last year in a bid to get a cheaper bill.

The most common cases involved drivers pretending their "no claims bonus" was longer than it really was or trying to cover up past driving convictions.

Some even gave a false name or lied about where they live to pretend their car was being kept in a more crime-free area.

Other fraudulent applications involved "fronting", where for example a parent pretends to be the main driver of a car when in reality it is their child, who is more expensive to insure.

In one of the more serious cases, an applicant was jailed for three years when the person failed to disclose four previous claims and an unspent motoring conviction.

The industry believes almost one in five policyholders under-declares the number of motoring convictions they have.

The ABI said it hoped a data-sharing programme, called MyLicence, would enable the industry to obtain better information on drivers from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to help bring down the costs to every motorist from fraud.

The body said that forcing drivers to reveal their 16-character driving licence number would weaken the applicant's ability to give false or misleading details and should save honest customers about £15 a year.

According to figures by AA Insurance, the average cost of comprehensive cover fell 19.3% to £504 in the year to June amid other industry reforms to combat fraudulent car accident claims.

Aidan Kerr, the ABI's head of fraud, said: "While insurers know that innocent mistakes and oversights do happen, they are also aware that some people think that being less than honest is a way to get cheaper cover, when the way to get the best deal is to play it straight with the insurer".

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New Year Revellers Face London Fireworks Charge

People wanting to watch this year's New Year's Eve fireworks display in the heart of London will have to pay £10 for a ticket.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said 100,000 tickets would be made available for the spectacular display, which had been free and open to all until now.

An estimated 500,000 people turned up to watch last year's display, but many were unable to get a good view.

"London's New Year's Eve fireworks are phenomenally popular, not just in the capital, but across the world and we want to ensure it continues to be a safe, enjoyable and sustainable event for the long-term," Mr Johnson said.

Mayor Boris Johnson says the charges will 'create a better experience'

He added that it was "ridiculous" to attempt to cram about half a million people into the areas along the Thames where the display could be seen.

"After consulting with our partners, we are introducing ticketing to help manage crowd numbers and create a better experience on the night," Mr Johnson said.

"For anyone without a ticket the fireworks are again being shown live and in full on television."

People will be able to book up to four tickets from 12 noon on September 26 by going to www.london.gov.uk/nye.

Around half a million people turned out to watch last year's display

The London Mayor's office said the ticket sales would not make any profit, with the money taken covering the cost of ticketing.

However, many Twitter users labelled the decision "bang out of order".

Martin Pearce wrote: "London New Year Fireworks to be tickets only and cost £10 now :( sad day, do any other place in the world charge to see in the new year??"

While Labour's Tottenham MP, David Lammy, said: "Always loved that London NYE fireworks were a free & festive gathering open to all, not a sterile ticketed show. Not any more. #thanksboris."

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Ryanair No Longer Worst For Customer Service

One of the country's biggest energy providers has replaced Ryanair at the bottom of a league table for customer service.

The annual survey of customers saw the most-complained about 'Big Six' firm of the past two years - nPower - handed the unwanted title.

Scottish Power came in a close second worst in the poll by the consumer group Which?

nPower paid the price for continuing problems with transferring customer data to a new computer system.

The issue left hundreds of thousands of customers not knowing what they owed and when as bill delays mounted.

Ryanair was pushed off the bottom of the table by nPower

The industry regulator Ofgem recently confirmed that it was holding off imposing a fine of up to £300m on the firm.

It said the firm was making progress in addressing the issue and handling related complaints.

All the 'Big Six' energy firms were in the bottom fifth, with none of them scoring more than two stars for making customers feel valued.

Ryanair has overhauled its customer experience package since being branded the worst in last year's poll.

First Direct was voted the best for overall customer satisfaction

The no-frills carrier rose two places while the bottom five was completed by TalkTalk and SSE, BT and EE in a joint score.

Internet and telephone bank First Direct topped the table, achieving the full five stars for making customers feel valued as well as for resolving complaints.

Others in the top five were Lush, John Lewis, Lakeland and Waitrose.

Automated phone systems were ranked as the top customer service gripe at 43% followed by "being passed around" and "annoying hold music".

Which? said the results were particularly poor for the household energy sector.

Its executive director Richard Lloyd said: "The 'Big Six' have now hit rock bottom for customer service and, with record high levels of complaints, it is clear just how far they still have to go to put things right for their customers.

"Good companies know the value of customer service, so it's disappointing that some of our biggest firms seem to have a lot to learn about keeping their customers happy."

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Sony Predicts $2.1bn Loss On Smartphone Woes

Sony has quadrupled its annual loss prediction and cancelled dividend payments for the first time in more than five decades following a write-down on its smartphone business.

The Japanese electronics firm, which is due to announce details of a cost-cutting plan at its mobile communications division, said weak sales would result in a $1.7bn (£1.04bn) impairment charge in its current quarter.

The company admitted this would result in its annual loss forecast soaring to $2.1bn (£1.3bn) from an initial estimate of $466m (£285m).

It blamed intense competition, especially from Chinese rivals, with the humiliation compounded by its decision to halt dividends for both the half and full-year.

Sony's smartphone division will not return to profitability until 2016

Sony's president Kazuo Hirai said: "This is the very first time we ever eliminated a dividend.

"For more than 50 years we always paid a dividend. The entire management takes this very seriously."

He confirmed the cuts at its mobile business would see roughly 1,000 staff losing their jobs but gave no further information.

Sony has been trying to reshape its business after years of losses but repeated promises of turnarounds have failed to deliver though gaming has picked up.

Gaming sales have risen through the PS4

The smartphone arm has proven particularly tough for Sony with Apple and Samsung dominating at the top end while Chinese and other Asian manufacturers hog the market for cheaper phones - devices that are proving popular in fast-growing developing countries.

Hirai admitted Sony had not kept pace with the industry.

He added: "The Chinese smartphone manufacturers have made great strides and are expanding outside their own market, and this has caused a shift in the pricing.

"Meanwhile, Apple and other manufacturers are launching strong, innovative products. The changes are very rapid and dramatic".

Hirai said Sony expected a return to profit in 2016 by cutting costs and focusing on higher end devices.

It plans three Xperia Z3 smartphone and tablet models, with its signature waterproof capabilities, for the coming Autumn.

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Jobless Rate Nears Six-Year Low And Wages Rise

Official figures show the UK's jobless rate has fallen to its lowest level for six years, with wage rises starting to pick up.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate fell to 6.2% in the three months to July - more than was expected by economists - for the first time since September-November 2008.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance fell in August for the 22nd-consecutive month - by 37,200 - to 966,500.

It meant the total had dropped below one million for the first time since September 2008.

The trend of employment growth continued with an increase of 74,000 to 30.6m recorded between May and July.

Scotland's unemployment rate was better than the UK average

It left the unemployment total at 2.02m, the ONS said, with the economy producing the largest annual fall in unemployment since 1988.

While pay growth continued to lag inflation in the period, there was an improvement in average weekly pay increases.

The ONS measured pay, including bonuses, rising 0.6% in the year to July from an annual decline of 0.1% the previous month.

The wage reduction was explained last month as being a result of companies delaying bonus awards last year to help their employees benefit from a cut in income tax.

The Bank of England has put pay at the centre of its thinking on when to raise the base rate of interest from its record low of 0.5%.

It has also emerged that two members of its Monetary Policy Committee continued to support a rate increase this month in a 7-2 vote despite official figures highlighting weak wage growth.

Martin Weale and Ian McCafferty argued for the second-consecutive month that the Bank needed to act now in order to pre-empt wage and inflationary pressures further ahead.

The Bank last month halved its forecast for average wage growth last month, saying it now expected average salaries to rise by just 1.25% this year.

The Chancellor had the Scottish independence referendum on his mind when he tweeted his reaction to the jobless numbers.

George Osborne said: "Today's employment stats mark another step towards full employment. But still much more to do."

He added that unemployment in Scotland was down to 6%, below the UK average.

Stephen Timms, Labour's shadow employment minister, said: "Today's fall in overall unemployment is welcome, but the new figures have shown working people are seeing their pay falling far behind the cost of living.

"A Labour government will freeze gas and electricity bills, raise the minimum wage and get more homes built to tackle the cost-of-living crisis".

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JD Sports Nets Record First-Half Profit

Shares in JD Sports Fashion have soared after the retailer reported a record profit for its first half and upped its full-year guidance.

It said strong demand at its core sports division drove a doubling of profit before tax to just shy of £20m, with revenues climbing 27% to £721.5m in the 26 weeks to August 2.

First-half sales at stores open over a year in the sports division, which sells trainers and other sportswear, rose 13% on the same period last year.

Like-for-like sales at its Blacks and Millets outdoor retail chains, bought from administrators for £20m more than two years ago, increased 12%.

Peter Cowgill formulated JD's growth strategy

JD Sports, which has the bulk of its 850 stores in the UK, said it now expected its full-year profit performance to be at the upper end of expectations - though its guidance hinged on trading during the crucial Christmas period.

The firm announced in May that its chief executive, Barry Bown, had stepped down and would not be replaced.

The group's growth strategy has long been led by executive chairman Peter Cowgill, who also takes a key role in the day-to-day running of the company.

He said: "The group has delivered record results for the first half, with encouraging progress in the principal areas of the business, notably our UK and European sports fascias.

"Our sports operations continue to provide the engine for profit growth and cash generation in the group and will therefore continue to be the primary focus of investment.

"The board recognises the demanding comparatives of the second half of the last financial year, particularly in the core UK and Ireland sports fascias, where like-for-like sales increased by 11.2%, as well as our significant dependence on Christmas trading but following the robust performance of the business in the first half believes that the group is well positioned to deliver results towards the upper end of current market expectations".

Shares in JD Sports, up 66% over the last year, rose almost 5% in early trading.

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