Apple Hires Lead Software Engineer from Fitness Tracker Atlas Wearables  

Apple has made an important hire recently, reigniting rumours of the highly anticipated new product category, the iWatch. The iPhone maker has hired the lead software developer of Atlas Wearables, Alex Hsieh, who took up the firmware developer role at Apple roughly a month ago, according to his LinkedIn profile, reports Network World’s Yoni Heisler.

The hire is noteworthy because of the abilities the Atlas wearable device has. Although it is not available for sale yet, the Atlas startup was named by VentureBeat as the coolest startup at the TechStars Demo day.

The device is able to measure the calories burned, heart rate, and distance traveled, and tracks the user’s body on the x-, y- and z-axes. Hsieh had spent eight months leading the software development of this wearable device. Some of the aforementioned features may be familiar from the iWatch rumours as well: Apple is said to be launching a health and fitness focused smartwatch this fall.

Recently, sources speaking with 9to5Mac revealed that Apple was in talks with select professional athletes to test the device and “provide an opportunity for testing to be conducted in professional conditioning environments.”

While there is no public information about Hsieh’s job responsibilities, the hire is in line with Apple’s previous hires, which include ex Nike consultant and fitness guru Jay Blahnik, sleep expert Roy J.E.M Rayman, and experts from the medical field.