Just last week, Tag Heuer, part of the LVMH group who own other luxury watch brands including Hublot, announced that its sales director had left the company to join Apple. This is the latest move proving just how likely it is that Apple’s new iWatch is expected to be launched very soon.

Apple is proving itself to be interested in the luxury goods sector, with previous appointments to ex-Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, and former head of Yves Saint Laurent, Paul Deneve. Now, having an ex-Tag Heuer executive on board surely shows where the company’s new interests lie. Apple has also shown interest in the health and fitness sector, with reports earlier this year of two medical wearable specialists joining the team. Not only this, but the company is said to have partnered with top athletes from the MLB, NHL and NBA in order to test the iWatch’s fitness attributes. So, with these developments in mind, will the iWatch be akin to a top-end luxury watch, with all the trappings of the most sophisticated wearable health device?

Potentially, although it might instead just be an iPhone replacement of sorts, to rival other wearable devices on the market such as Samsung’s Galaxy Gear. And if the Galaxy Gear is anything to go by, the iWatch could fast become our most convenient tech accessory. We would expect Apple’s creation to be iOS compatible and offer some of the features of the Galaxy Gear, including social media syncing for posting updates, email, app integration, and a touch screen. In terms of design, rumours are circulating that it will feature a rectangular face, with some predicting a 1.5 or 2.5 inch display, a sapphire lens cover and biometric recognition. With attractions such as these, the device could very well be destined for popularity- in fact, analyst Keith Bachman of BMO Capital Markets stated that next year, Apple could hope to sell in excess of 33.5 million iWatches. To put that into perspective, that’s around 10 per cent of the current number of iPhone users.

Of course, price will be a factor as to how many people purchase the device, and if we imagine the iWatch to be positioned at the luxury end of the market, that price might be very high indeed. The other thing to consider is the competition- Google has already launched its own Android Wear in India while the new Samsung Gear Live will begin shipping later in the month. It certainly looks as though Apple is a little late to the game, and with Android predominating many markets, could the iWatch be eclipsed? Where Apple will hopefully stand out though, is with its design, and if it can address the issue of battery life, which has plagued current smart watch wearers. And if the company can also ensure that iOS exclusive apps are ready and compatible from the get-go, users should be impressed with the level of functionality too. We’re looking forward to seeing whether the iWatch will materialise later this year as predicted, and of course checking out its specifications!

Will you be interested in purchasing an iWatch if and when it’s launched? Do you think it will increase the popularity in wearable tech products? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so please tweet to us @PracticeDigital and share your comments on our Facebook page.