iLounge

“Apple seeks to introduce [its iWatch] as soon as this year,” according to a new report from Bloomberg. The report follows comments from Corning, Apple’s glass-making partner for iOS devices, that its upcoming flexible Willow glass would likely not be used in any device released in the next three years; if both are accurate, the first-generation product could use a curved screen, but the screen would not be flexible.

Citing a person familiar with the company’s plans, Bloomberg reports that iWatch “features under consideration” include making calls, identifying incoming callers, and checking map coordinates; a pedometer and health sensor for data such as heart rate would also be included. The report notes that Apple “has filed at least 79 patent applications that include the word ‘wrist,’ including one for a device with a flexible screen, powered by kinetic energy,” and that Apple design chief Jony Ive “has long had an interest in watches,” having his team visit watch factories, and ordering boxes of a Nike sports watch in the mid-2000s.

A follow-on report from The Verge claims that Apple has decided to use iOS to power the watch, which has led to “battery life issues in development,” with prototypes running for “a couple days max.” The company reportedly hopes to get the battery “to last at least 4-5 days between charges.”