Apple has yet to announce if it would indeed launch a wearable device, but judging from the recenly-released reports from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, it seems that the company has been planning to make one. The USPTO granted on Tuesday a patent to Apple that involves a smartwatch concept, which the documents refer to as “iTime.” It is also revealed that the Apple iTime patent was originally filed exactly three years ago, an indication that the company behind the iPhone and iPad has been considering about developing a smartwatch for some time now.
The patent application dates back to a time when Apple has yet to release iPhone 4S and Siri, which explains why the Apple iTime is actually a “smart wristband,” wherein the watch contains circuitry and sensors. The iTime acts as a docking station of sorts for a small media player like an iPod Nano.
The application comes with an alternate design, wherein the Apple iTime is illustrated as a stand-alone smartwatch that does not rely on a docked media player for its central unit. It looks like a fitness tracking band and the early smartwatches like the Pebble.
Will we ever see the Apple iTime on a retail store near you? We shall see.
Source: Forbes
