Notable athletes test Apple iWatch fitness capabilities in intense environments: Report

Apple’s smartwatch rumours have begun to gather pace. After recent reports about **multiple designs** , a source now tells 9To5Mac that the company has begun testing the device in intense environments. Apple has teamed up with some notable athletes to test the alleged iWatch’s fitness capabilities, adds the report.   According to the report, over the past couple of weeks Apple has invited athletes from the MLB, NHL, and NBA to its Cupertino campus to brief them on the upcoming smartwatch. The company also provides them ’the  opportunity for testing to be conducted in professional conditioning environments’. The list of athletes - including Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles Kings right winger Dustin Brown - have been asked to sign a non-disclosure-agreements so that no details about the device are leaked.     This piece of news further fuels speculations about the wearable device combined with Apple’s **HealthKit** could be capable of tracking steps, calories burned, heart rate and more. Moreover, there has been buzz about Apple working on some new sensors that can check a person’s hydration levels, blood pressure, and sweat,  components that can assist professional athletes during their training exercises, says the report.   Apple is also believed to be on medical expert **hiring spree** . In January, there were reports about two medical wearable specialists, including one of Indian origin, being brought on board by Apple. Nancy Dougherty, formerly with Sano Intelligence and Ravi Narasimhan, who has worked with medical devices firm Vital Connect had joined Apple. Narasimhan had been the Vice President of Research and Development at Vital Connect, while Dougherty was in charge of hardware development.   The most **recent reports** suggest that Apple will begin mass producing the iWatch in July, and the commercial launch is expected in October.