Apple Hires Nike+ FuelBand Consultant Jay Blahnik

Apple has reportedly hired Jay Blahnik, a well respected fitness expert and consultant, perhaps to work on the iWatch.

Blahnik worked closely with Nike to help launch Nike+ Running. He was also the program developer of the Nike Training Club app and in-gym program. Additionally, he was a key expert and consultant for Nike+ FuelBand and Nike+ Kinect Training.

Blahnik confirmed his move to Apple via Twitter on August 14th; however, that tweet has since been removed. 9to5Mac notes that he deleted his Twitter feed and removed all contact information, scheduling options, and many details about his career from his public website and online profiles following a previous report on him working for Apple.


Apple is said to have embarked on a hiring spree in July to resolve design problems with its rumored iWatch. The endeavor is said to have presented “hard engineering problems that they’ve not been able to solve." The concern was that the device wouldn't be ready to launch for at least a year.

At this point it does not appear likely that Apple will unveil a smartwatch until sometime in 2014.

Some more details about Blahnik and how he might contribute to the team can be found in his bio attached below.





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Jay is recognized as one of the premier fitness instructors, trainers and educators in the industry today. He has taught sold-out classes and seminars in over 30 countries across the globe and is known for his results-oriented, simplified training approach.

Jay was chosen as one of the Top 5 instructors in the world by Shape magazine, and Men’s Health listed him as having one of the Top 10 workouts of all time. He has been selected as the International Instructor of the Year by IDEA and Can Fit Pro, the two largest associations of fitness professionals in the world. Jay was also chosen as one of IDEA’s Fitness Icons and Innovators, and is the youngest person to ever receive this recognition.

He has appeared in over 30 award-winning videos and developed some of the most successful health club programs and products in history. He has been the fitness expert in hundreds of magazines, newspapers and on television, and consults for some of the biggest exercise, sport and fitness companies in the world, including Nike, Nautilus, Bowflex, Schwinn and Stairmaster. He is a fitness expert for MSNBC.com and the Los Angeles Times, and his articles are read by millions of people each year.

Jay has been a featured Keynote Speaker for some of the largest fitness conventions in the world, including IDEA, Fit Pro (England), Filex (Australia) and Can Fit Pro (Canada), and travels 40 weeks each year across the globe speaking on health, fitness, wellness and motivation. He is also a frequent innovation, motivation and consumer behavior expert, and has consulted with many Fortune 500 companies, including Nike, Microsoft, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, Starbucks, Charles Schwab and Quaker.
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