WSJ: Apple's smartwatch will feature 'more than 10 sensors'

   

Apple is said to be creeping ever closer to launching a smartwatch, and there could be more than one. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is planning a new wearable that comes in "multiple screen sizes" and includes "more than 10 sensors" capable of tracking fitness and wellbeing. It's believed that the smartwatch will include more sensors to differentiate it from Apple's smartphones and tablets, like being able to collect fitness data without the need for a mobile device. What could those sensors be? Well, an accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, compass, heart-rate monitor, altimeter and an ambient light sensor are all possible inclusions. Samsung and Google are already detecting body temperatures, location and integrating voice commands inside their wearables, so perhaps Apple's ambition is to find a way to cram in the whole lot.

This latest rumor builds on a recent New York Times report which indicated that Apple was testing new ways to charge its wearable without plugging it in. Inductive, solar and motion charging were all said to have been mooted, which if true, would offer users longer usage times. The Journal's sources suggest production of the fabled iWatch could begin in the coming weeks ahead of an October launch, suggesting Apple could have more than new smartphone(s) to show us before the year is out.