Former YSL CEO Paul Deneve
Apple has confirmed the hiring of the former Yves Saint Laurent CEO, Paul Deneve, into a vice president position, leading some to wonder whether the iWatch is nigh.
This won't be the first time that Deneve has worked for Apple. The Belgian worked for Apple Europe in a sales and marketing capacity between 1990 and 1997.
Deneve's sales background might have led people to think that he would occupy the vacant head of retail position at Apple, but the company has informed Bloomberg that Deneve will be working on "special projects," and will be reporting directly to Apple chief Tim Cook.
Which all sounds rather mysterious, until you piece together the various reports and rumours currently circulating about a wearable Apple device dubbed the iWatch.
Has Deneve been hired to add his own high-fashion know-how to Apple's next big product line? Apparently the company has had a 100-strong design team working on the concept, which will allegedly incorporated curved glass and battery technology.
Despite his immediate history of selling exclusive goods to moneyed customers, and the obvious alignment with Apple's premium status, Deneve joins Apple at a time when the company is looking to branch out to a wider audience.
Recent renders of a garish plastic iPhone suggests that company is nearly there with its rumoured plans to enter the hotly contested affordable smartphone market.
It's been suggested that this cheaper iPhone may even launch alongside the so-called iPhone 5S this autumn.
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