Apple is set to launch its smartwatch, Apple Watch, on 9 March and the Silicon Valley tech giant is hoping to dominate the sector, but can it convince consumers that the device will be necessary?

The Apple Watch, which will let consumers check their email, pay for goods at retail stores and monitor personal health information, will be Apple's first major product launch since the iPad in 2010.

The company has scheduled a special event in San Francisco on 9 March, where it is expected to showcase Apple Watch, which will be officially launched in April. The device was first announced to the public by Apple CEO Tim Cook in September 2014.

The pressure is on Apple to prove to consumers that they should spend the money on the luxury fashion piece, which will start at $349 (£232). Lindsey Turrentine, the editor-in-chief at CNET, a tech industry news and review website, says that Apple's goal is to convince people that their smartwatch is something they need.

"Their job on Monday is to convince us why we need to have a smartwatch. The smartwatch category is still very young, there are a lot of people who don't really understand yet why they might want a smartwatch, Apple is going to tell you what's so different about this and why you should care, essentially," said Turrentine.

A big part of the success of the Apple Watch will likely be its ability to help streamline basic tasks for users, such as its fitness tracking features, or use of the Apple Pay function, which will automate purchases, making shopping easier.

"I think that Apple is going to show some 'gee wiz' features that will hopefully set the Apple watch apart, or hopefully for Apple, and some of those will be linked to other services Apple has already been working on, like Apple payments. The Apple Pay feature on the watch could be pretty compelling, and may drive more stores to adopt Apple pay, and get more people using it," says Turrentine.

Apple 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. Facebook, United Airlines, BMW and others have spent weeks at Apple's headquarters, working with the smartwatch to test and fine-tune apps that will debut alongside the device.

But in the end, the test will be whether people will feel enthusiastic enough about smartwatches to add another device to their collection.

"There's always the risk that people will just not care about smartwatches, they won't see the promise of wearing a smart device on your wrist," says Turrentine. "There's a risk that people will say 'I have a phone, why would I want some of those same features on my arm.'"

Turrentine also said that early reports on the short battery life of the watch could be a problem for the company.

"There is early reporting that the battery will last about a day, and we're hearing everything from two-and-a-half to five hours of active use time. But if consumers are finding that they really can't get through a whole day on a charge with this watch, I think Apple could get some blowback, so that's always a concern," said Turrentine.

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