This hiring only adds a larger amount of certainty that Apple is indeed pouring itself into wearable tech.
The latest technology news with regards to the iWatch is now crossing over with the announcement that Nike made earlier this year that it would be downsizing its Fuelband team as it changed its focus from having been on hardware toward software, instead.
This caused many to believe that the Fuelband would soon be finished, but it opened up an opportunity for Apple.
At the same time that nobody seems to know whether or not Nike will be moving ahead with its own wearable technology, Apple appears to be snatching up the former members of the Fuelband team and many are justifiably assuming that those individuals are being added to the experts working on the so called iWatch. The latest in hiring in this field has included two of the execs that had been a part of the efforts for the fitness band, and who are likely now placing their focus on the first smartwatch from the iPhone maker.
The two new members to the assumed iWatch team include Jon Gale and Ryan Bailey formerly of Nike Fuelband.
These two experts in mobile technology is only helping to add more fuel to the very powerful fire regarding rumors of a smartwatch that the industry believes will be released by Apple as early as October of this year. As is the policy of that electronics company, no official announcements or confirmations have been made regarding the device, as they never speak to any future developments until the official unveiling.
That said, the types of announcements that Apple has made, in combination with the patents that have been purchased and the type of hiring that they have done has made it so that there is little doubt left that some form of device in the wearables category is on its way.
Gale had been a Senior Firmware Engineer on the Nike team and has now been hired by Apple as a Sensing Systems Engineer. Bailey was at Nike as a Senior Test and Validation Engineer but is now a Mechanical Design Engineer at Apple. Both are presumably working on the iWatch.
Wearable devices are still in short supply, but the demand for them is huge
Wearable technology may be in a state of infancy, but the market is maturing at a rapid pace. The demand for wearable devices is on the rise and many people are expressing their eagerness to purchasing upcoming products from companies like Google. This demand has been highlighted by the recent launch of Amazon’s Wearable Technology Store in the United Kingdom. The store has shown that many people have an interest in wearable devices, even though a relatively small number of these devices are currently available to them.
People are eager to get their hands on new wearable devices
Even in a state of infancy, wearable devices are somewhat advanced. Google Glass, for instance, uses augmented reality technology to enhance the physical world with digital displays. The device can be controlled with a person’s voice, simple head gestures, or with a control panel. Google has yet to announce an official release date for Glass, but the company did recently announced that it would make Glass available in the United Kingdom.
Amazon may become a very influential figure in the new technology market
Amazon’s Wearable Technology Store currently has more than 100 wearable devices listed from various companies. The store exists one of the very few platforms that cater to the interests of those that have a fascination in wearable technology. Amazon may prove to be a very powerful figure in this emerging market, especially as more wearable devices see release in the coming years and the demand for these devices begins to explode.
Wearable devices are yet another stepping stone toward more integrated technology
Technology has come to play a major role in society as a whole. The advent of smartphones began people’s rapidly growing reliance on mobile technology and this reliance has evolved into an aggressive interest in new technology that can become more integrated in daily life. Wearable devices seem to satisfy this interest by allowing people to become more integrated with technology. This technology also helps make the features of smartphones and tablets offer a little more convenient.
