Last month we reported that L.A. Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant had been seen hanging around Apple’s offices in Cupertino, and at the time we speculated that he was in town to discuss endorsement deals regarding the rumored “iWatch.” But a new report from 9to5Macclaims that he and other athletes from the NBA, NHL, and MLB have instead been visiting Tim Cook and friends to test the fitness capabilities of Apple’s long-anticipated wearable tech.
In addition to Bryant, Apple has reportedly met with Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings, an unspecified player from the Boston Red Sox, and possibly some others. The athletes are thought to be testing the many sensors rumored to exist inside the device. Unsurprisingly, all athletes involved were reportedly required to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which forbids them from speaking about the device or even acknowledging its existence until its official announcement or release.
9to5Man’s source also restated that Apple’s iWatch will be considered just as much as a “fashion accessory” as a way to monitor health, leading credence to earlier rumors that former Yves St. Laurent CEO Paul Deneve was hired as an Apple vice president to ensure the gadget could attract the luxury crowd.
Lately, the rumors have been popping up almost every day. Just today, a report from noted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the device would appear in models created from various materials and priced at multiple price points, allowing Apple to tackle both the low and high ends of the market. Another recent report from the Wall Street Journal claimed that the device would have a screen size of 2.5 inches when measured diagonally.
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