Apple has already installed support for athletes with its iPod Nike Plus features, allowing runners to track distance travelled, speeds and related features on their devices. Now it is examining support for skiers and snowboarders.
Tech site Apple Insider has discovered a recent patent filing that shows the possible development line of a device used to track a skier’s speed and air time.
The device could also work for snowboarders, with an image of a snowboard part of the detailed patent.
The device would carry a micro processing unit and would use sensors to calculate time spent in the air, along with time spent skiing and snowboarding altogether.
While Apple has not confirmed that any such support is in development, it has a history of filing patents quite a long time before releasing a commercial product from that patent.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
