As well as using the device to make payments with the new Apple Pay mobile payment service, Apple Watch wearers will be able to use their smartwatch as a boarding pass and to unlock their hotel room doors, Apple’s VP of Technology Kevin Lynch explained during the unveiling of the new device on 9 September.

“American Airlines has created a great experience, all the way from checking-in with one tap on your watch all the way through to collecting your bags,” he explained.

“When you’re checking into a hotel, Starwood Hotels is creating this great app for Apple Watch that lets you check-in to the hotel and you can unlock your hotel room door by waving your watch in front of the door and that will be available across all W Hotels in springtime around the world.

“City Mapper enables you to get mass transit directions and it will also remind you to get off at the right stop. Pinterest, when you’ve pinned sights and cities you’ve travelled to, it will invite you when you get near them and give you walking directions around them

“BMW lets you see the charge level in your car and if you forgot where you parked it, it will actually show you a map of where you left your car and then directions back to it.

“MLB lets you see the current sport scores. Honeywell lets you control the temperature in your home. With the Lutron app, you can control the lighting and the scenes in your home with one tap. With the Nike app, you can challenge your friends to go for a run.”

“Apple Watch works with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but we’ve also designed it so that it will work with iPhone 5, iPhone 5Cand iPhone 5S,” CEO Tim Cook added.