TORONTO – Talk of a high-tech wristwatch designed by Apple continues to heat up after a new report claimed Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on the gadget.
According to the latest report by Bloomberg, the team includes managers, members of the marketing group and software and hardware engineers who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad.
The report, which cites “two people familiar with the company’s plans,” said the team’s size suggests Apple is beyond the experimentation phase in its development.
A previous report by the New York Times said that Apple is experimenting with “wristwatch like devices made of curved glass,” that would operate on Apple’s iOS platform, similar to the iPad or iPhone.
However, the new report from Bloomberg throws in a new twist.
According to one of Bloomberg’s sources, Apple has been working on wearable devices for tracking fitness in the past but has never brought them to market. Wearable fitness devices are already on the market, including Nike’s FuelBand which Apple CEO Tim Cook has been seen wearing.
Some believe that a wristwatch gadget is a likely next step for the technology giant.
“The iWatch will fill a gaping hole in the Apple ecosystem,” technology consultant and former Apple employee Bruce Tognazzini said in a blog post referenced by the Bloomberg report.
“Like other breakthrough Apple products, its value will be underestimated at launch, then grow to have a profound impact on our lives and Apple’s fortunes.”
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