AKIPRESS.COM - Apple Inc. sent invitations to an event on September 9 in San Francisco, where it’s expected to unveil the latest iPhone, a new Apple TV set-top box and other updated products, The Star reports.

The release of a new iPhone is the most important annual product rollout for Apple’s business. The device, first unveiled by Steve Jobs in San Francisco more than eight years ago, generated $31.4 billion in sales last quarter, making up 63% of the company’s revenue.

The latest smartphones will look similar to the current iPhone 6 models, with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens, along with an improved camera and faster processor, people familiar with the plans have said. A new feature called Force Touch – first introduced in the Apple Watch – is also expected to be added, which will let users navigate through features by pressing down on the screen.

Apple may also release an update to Apple TV, which serves as a gateway for streaming online video content from iTunes, Netflix, HBO and other providers. Jobs first unveiled Apple TV on the same day as the iPhone in 2007, but the company hasn’t updated the product in several years. It’s now a crowded market, with Roku Inc., Amazon.com Inc.’s Fire TV and Google Inc.’s Chromecast all offering consumers access to similar content.

The event will give chief executive officer Tim Cook an opportunity to assuage the concerns of investors who have raised questions about the company’s growth, particularly in China, where the economy is showing signs of slowing.

Apple shares are down about 14% since July 21, when the company reported some financial results that fell short of analysts’ projections.