In an another sign that it is about to enter the wearables space, Apple has poached a senior executive from Tag Heuer, the Swiss luxury watch brand that is part of the LVMH conglomerate. Tag Heuer confirmed that ice president for sales, Patrick Pruniaux, left the company today and was headed to Apple.
A Tag Heuer spokesperson told Reuters that Pruniaux “was probably head-hunted” but did not say what his new role would be. For its part, Apple declined to comment. It is likely though that Pruniaux will be involved in some capacity or other with the launch of the Apple iWatch.
While the iWatch is likely to sell for less than many luxury watches, Swiss watchmakers are watching carefully. Jean-Claude Biver, head of watch brands at LVMH and chairman of watch brand Hublot, expects that the iWatch will disrupt some areas of the watch market. “The iWatch will have the same status symbol power as many other Apple products, especially at the beginning,” he said. “I personally believe it [the Swiss watch industry] has the potential to be a threat for the industry, and it should not stay with its arms crossed.”
The latest rumours suggest that Apple wil launch the iWatch in the fall. Apple could unveil two models at the same time. The “Sports” model will come with a rectangular design and a wide array of sensors focused on health and fitness. The “Designer” model will sport a circular design and a stainless steel construction and will be aimed at more fashion-conscious customers.
Note: The image above is a concept of what the Apple iWatch could look like.
Source : Reuters