Nike FuelBand designer Ben Shaffer reportedly joins Apple to work on iWatch

With all the noise about a couple of new iPhones and iOS 7, Apple sure hasn’t forgotten to pay ample attention to its much-awaited iWatch. Reports have emerged now that the Cupertino-based company has welcomed aboard Nike FuelBand Director Ben Shaffer to work on its wearable.

Nike confirmed to 9to5Mac that Shaffer had indeed departed from the company. There is, however, no confirmation whether he has actually gone on to join Apple. Under Shaffer, Nike had been named the most innovative company for 2013 by Fast Company. He was the Studio Director of the Innovative Kitchen at Nike, which was then associated with wearables like the ever-popular Nike FuelBand and the Flyknit shoe.

Shaffer might join the iWatch team (Image credit: Highsnob)

It’s no secret that the Nike FuelBand has been a continued source of inspiration for the wearable Apple seems to have in the pipeline. Apple’s CEO as well as a Nike Board member, Tim Cook has been seen sporting the product on more occasions than one. He even said that this was one wearable that seemed to have gotten it right at the D11 conference earlier this year.

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While there is no word about what Shaffer’s role will be at Apple, but it is pretty evident that something is cooking up in the wearables side of things for the company. For this, says 9to5Mac, Shaffer’s immense expertise with the FuelBand and the light-weight running shoe Flyknit will be put to use.

Shaffer isn’t the only Nike employee to jump ships over to Apple. Cook’s affinity to Nike has ensured that he also got on board Nike FuelBand developer Jay Blahnik last month. He, too, is rumoured to be working on the mythical iWatch. Hopefully, we will see something concrete materialise from these rumours from Apple.