Dixons Carphone boss Seb James predicts iPhone 6 will trump iWatch wearable device

James believes the iPhone will create a bigger impact on sales because the “guidance we are getting is whatever Apple’s wearable device is going to be called it is going to be a more deferred launch”.

Dixons Carphone could begin stocking the iPhone 6, which is due to be announced today, as early as next week.

James said: “All the indications we’ve got is the iPhone is going to look and feel very different. Our understanding is there will be more than one screen size and that will be a first for Apple and spark quite a lot of excitement.”

The iPhone 6 is expected to immediately become one of the company’s best-sellers on launch and is expected to be an attractive gift at Christmas despite indications it will be “quite expensive”, according to James.

Even though the retailer is one of market-leading players in wearables, James points out it is still a “small category” and is predominantly sold in the company’s travel stores before people go on holiday.

Dixons Carphone will also roll out its price comparison app to customers in October as it seeks to ensure it is available on the App Store and Play Store before Christmas.

The app, which allows customers to compare prices in Currys PC World stores with competitors, is currently being tested by employees to ensure any bugs are ironed out.

Despite the hype around smartphones and smartwatches, laptops are also likely to perform well this Christmas.

James said: “Laptops have returned to growth as customers increasingly realise in an ideal world you have both a tablet and a notebook computer.”

Earlier this morning, Dixons Carphone reported a “good start” in its first results following the merger of Dixons Retail and Carphone Warehouse on August 7.

Dixons Retail’s like-for-like sales were up 4% in the UK and Ireland for the quarter ending August 2, while Carphone Warehouse’s like-for-likes were down 6% against a strong performance in the prior year and difficult conditions in Spain.