The smartwatch market has suddenly got very crowded over the last year, in good part thanks to the five different smartwatches Samsung has released in the last eight months alone. So how will Apple differentiate itself when the iWatch finally comes to market this fall? From what we’ve heard, it seems Apple is going to position the iWatch as the ultimate fitness tracking machine that will reportedly pack 10 different sensors you can use to check up on your health. And now Network World has spotted a recent Apple hire who could help make the iWatch even better than what we’ve been expecting.
Alex Hsieh, the former lead software engineer at Atlas Wearables, joined Apple this month and Network World points out that he spent his time at Atlas working on “a fitness tracker akin to other wearable devices, albeit on steroids.”
What made this device so special? Even though it hasn’t yet released, Network World says that it “promises to measure a user’s calories burned, heart rate, and distance traveled during a particular workout” and can also “purportedly evaluate a user’s form during various exercises while also keeping track of reps and sets performed.” It seems that the device is also pre-programmed with popular exercises that it can teach you if you’re looking for new ways to work out.
Since Hsieh only recently came aboard, it’s tough to say whether we’ll see anything similar on the iWatch when it comes out. However, his hiring definitely an indication that Apple is looking at making this device much more of an all-purpose fitness tracker and not just a smartphone for your wrist.
