Apple's much-rumored iWatch may be ready to ship in October running the newly-unveiled iOS 8, if a new report proves to be accurate.
The elusive iWatch has starred in lots of rumors and speculation so far, and it is widely expected to make its grand debut this year. Apple had plenty of news to share at its 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), but made no mention of any plans to launch a smartwatch or some other wearable gadget.
Nevertheless, a new report from Japanese publication Nikkei now claims that the rumored iWatch is very much real and on its way, set to hit the market this October. The device will reportedly sport a curved OLED screen and health-tracking functions, with the latest iOS 8 on board, reveals the report.
Based on leaks and reports so far, Apple's upcoming iWatch will be able to monitor health-related data such as calories consumed, sleep activity, blood glucose and blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and other such, while also providing smartwatch features such as message and call notifications.
The latest report further claims that Apple has teamed up with Nike for the device. This falls in line with earlier speculation hinting at the partnership after news surfaced regarding Nike's massive layoffs.
In fact, Nikkei's report basically comes to bolster information we've heard before, including the purported launch timeframe. Back in mid-December 2014, C Technology also reported that Apple would launch the iWatch in October of this year, alongside the next-generation iPhone 6, so not even the purported timeframe is new. It's worth pointing out, however, that the latest report adds more weight to the claim, as Nikkei has previously proved to be accurate when pegging launch dates for yet-to-be-announced Apple devices.
When it comes to software, the iWatch would have plenty of goodies to offer. Apple has just introduced its new Health and HealthKit tools at WWDC, which together offer a neat health and fitness tracking platform for the company's new iOS 8, which will roll out this fall.
It remains to be seen whether the purported iWatch will indeed debut in October, but the timeframe makes sense. With no official confirmation, however, take everything with a grain of salt. We'll bring you more updates as soon as we hear more, so stay tuned.
