Rumors have started to pick up regarding Apple’s foray into wearable technology. Over the weekend, both The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on an ‘iWatch’ product.
Now a third report on the mysterious device has surfaced, and it speaks to the level of focus Apple is giving the top secret project.
According to Bloomberg:
Apple Inc. has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch-like device that may perform some of the computing tasks now handled by the iPhone and iPad, two people familiar with the company’s plans said.
The team, which has grown in the past year, includes managers, members of the marketing group and software and hardware engineers who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad, said the people, who asked not to be named because the plans are private. The team’s size suggests Apple is beyond the experimentation phase in its development, said the people.
100+ people is a lot of manpower to put on one project at Apple, and the growing size of the group indicates that the company is concentrating its efforts.
The New York Times previously reported that said device has a curved glass display that is designed to wrap around the human wrist. An iWatch would connect to an iPhone and serve as a mediator for incoming calls, notifications, etc. Siri would also make an excellent addition to an Apple wristwatch, but little is known about the device’s specific features at this time.
Apple has been working on wearable technology for years, and Google is working on its Google Glasses for a slated release of 2014. Apple has been particularly interested in “fitness tracking” in the past, according to today’s report. Tim Cook is currently a member of Nike’s board of directors.
James Foster, an Apple senior director of engineering, and another manager named Achim Pantfoerder are currently heading the development of a “wristwatch-style computer,” according to Bloomberg.
Pebble, a leading innovator in the smartwatch space right now, has said that it’s not scared about Apple entering the market with a product of its own. A recent column in The New York Times practically explained why Apple will make its “first push into this world of wearables” through an iWatch. The wrist is the least intimidating point of entry for consumers to be introduced to wearable technology. It’s at least a lot more subtle than wearing a big pair of goggles on your face.
Source: Bloomberg
Image: Fuse Chicken
