Apple iWatch Release Rumors: 2013 Launch Possible, Could Be A $6 Billion Opportunity

Apple's long rumored iWatch may make its debut "sooner than later."

As Latinos Post reported in February, the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times published reports that the Cupertino-based company is developing an "iWatch" with the iOS platform.

"In its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Apple is experimenting with wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass, according to people familiar with the company's explorations, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they are not allowed to publicly discuss unreleased products," reported Nick Bilton in the New York Times. 

Bloomberg News then reported on Apple Inc. having about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch-like device to perform tasks similar to the iPad and iPhone devices.

"The team, which has grown in the past year, includes managers, members of the marketing group, and software and hardware engineers who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad...The team's size suggests Apple is beyond the experimentation phase in its development, said the people," says Bloomberg.

In the latest update, Bloomberg reports that Apple is still poised to "tap into the growing watch industry."

"This can be a $6 billion opportunity for Apple, with plenty of opportunity for upside if they create something totally new like they did with the iPod -- something consumers didn't even know they needed," said Citigroup Inc. analyst Oliver Chen, who has covered luxury-goods retailers.

The rumored features of the iWatch include users to make calls, coordinate maps, serve as a pedometer, and monitor health-related data such as heart rates.

Clues on the iWatch might be traced back to a document filed on Aug. 17, 2011 for the U.S. Patent and Trade Office for a "Bi-Stable Spring With Flexible Display."

According to the patent document, "A wearable accessory device is disclosed. The wearable accessory device includes a flexible display coupled to a bi-stable spring. Coupling the display to the bi-stable spring allows the accessory device to be easily worn in a number of convenient locations."

In addition, the documents claims the device is, "A wearable video device arranged to be worn by an end-user, comprising: a flexible substrate having a flat state and a curled state; a flexible display disposed upon a first surface of the flexible substrate, wherein in the curled state the flexible substrate conforms to an appendage of the end-user, the flexible substrate further comprising: an electronic module in communication with the flexible display, the electronic module providing information to the display, at least a part of which is presented in real time for presentation by the flexible display; and a mechanism for detecting an end portion of the flexible display, the detection for adjusting the arrangement of information shown on the flexible display to match the size of the appendage the wearable video device is mounted on."