Apple has hired a raft of senior medical experts, stoking speculation about what its next big product could be.
An analysis of LinkedIn profiles by the Reuters news agency found that the tech giant has been on a hiring spree for the past year.
It found that at least six top experts in biomedicine had been signed up by the company in that time, with more tipped to join the company.
Apple has also been hiring experts in sensor technology, an area which chief executive Tim Cook said is primed to "explode".
Some industry insiders believe the company will use an anticipated "iWatch" wearable device to move into areas such as nutrition and the monitoring of blood sugar levels.
Malay Gandhi, from venture capital firm Rock Health, said: "This is a very specific play in the bio-sensing space."
Mr Cook has promised new product categories this year.
Several Apple patents point to wrist-worn devices, and in February, Apple filed a patent for a smart earbud patent that could track steps and detect gestures of the head.
One mobile health executive, who asked not to be named, told Reuters that Apple is considering a full health and fitness services platform modelled on its app store.
Joe Kiani, from medical device firm Masimo Corp, said: "Some of the talent (Apple recruited) has access to deep wells of trade secrets and information.
"They are just buying people. I just hope Apple is not doing what we're doing."
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