Apple gets cozy with fitness experts, possibly for iWatch tips
It goes without saying that no Apple product is ever official until an Apple executive trots out on stage and actually unveils it for the eyes of the world to see. After all, if we believed everything the rumor mill tossed our way, an Apple HDTV would have shipped years ago and Apple would now own Twitter.
That said, there is a growing amount of circumstantial evidence pointing to Apple's increased efforts to release an iWatch type device. Not only has Apple filed a number of patents detailing technologies that might underlie such a product, but Tim Cook himself has said rather explicitly that wearable technology is "profoundly interesting" while specifically noting that "the wrist is interesting." Further, Apple as of late has filed a number of applications involving the "iWatch" trademark in a host of countries.
Of course, we've also seen a plethora of rumors detailing how Jony Ive is spearheading a team of 100+ engineers and employees from a number of different departments in order to make the iWatch a reality. As for what the iWatch might do, a number of rumors have indicated that the iWatch will be heavy on biometric sensors.
That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, the bulk of what we know about the iWatch is pure speculation. What isn't open to speculation, however, is that Apple has made a number of interesting hires involving folks with expertise in wearable sensor technologies.
In addition to rounding up team members from inside Apple, the company has also hired experts in relevant sensor and medical fields.
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Based on new hires, it seems that Apple's interest in sensors focuses on the ability to measure glucose and other body level information. With this data, the product could inform users of vital information in a non-invasive way. These sensors could also pick up more data to give a user a snapshot of their health, which would be ideal for fitness applications. To assist with the development of these sensors, Apple has hired several scientists and executives from multiple sensor developers. Some notable firms who lost employees to Apple are AccuVein, C8 MediSensors, and Senseonics.
9to5Mac also relays that Apple may have recently hired Jay Blahnik. Blahnik, in case you're unfamiliar, played an important role in the development of the Nike Fuel Band and Nike+Running.
What's more, you may recall that Apple earlier this month hired Paul Deneve, the former CEO of the fashion house Yves Saint Laurent.
9to5Mac's report comes hot on the heels of a report from the Financial Times which relayed that Apple has been aggressively hiring engineers to ramp up development on the long-rumored iWatch.
9to5Mac's full report is chock full of information detailing just what type of sensor technology expertise Apple is bringing in-house. It's well worth a read.
