Apple’s trademark filing sparks iWatch rumour-mill into overdrive

Apple’s smartwatch is even closer to being realised after a European trademark filing for its HealthKit listed the device as one that can take advantage of the new technology.

The filing, which was published earlier this week according to 9to5Mac, includes classifications so that can be used with health, fitness, and exercise sensors, medical devices and watches.

“List of goods and services Health, fitness, exercise, and wellness sensors, monitors and displays; medical apparatus and devices… Horological and chronometric instruments; watches; clocks; timepieces; chronographs for use as timepieces; chronometers; watchstraps; watch bands; cases for watches, clocks, and horological and chronometric instruments; parts for watches, clocks, and horological and chronometric instruments; jewelry,” read the filing.

The iWatch has been the subject of feverish speculation for some time as the technology world waits to see what Apple does in terms of the wearables market and there has still been very little noise from the Cupertino-based firm on when we can expect the device.

HealthKit, meanwhile, was first unveiled back at the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference 2014 in San Francisco as part of its new mobile operating system, iOS 8, in June.

The new addition of HealthKit APIs reinforces the firm’s focus on the health and fitness sector and allows inter-app communication between apps that are geared towards this sector. iOS 8 also includes a Health app and this again added fuel to the rumours of a smartwatch being imminent.

iOS 8 is expected to be released alongside the iPhone 6 at an Apple event towards the end of September and by then it’s hopes that Apple will have given an indication as to when and what it is planning to unleash on the wearables market.