Apple was granted a patent Tuesday for a smartwatch device that
could receive alerts for calls, play media, sense physical data, and be controlled with gestures. The U.S. patent, No. 8,787,006 is not new -- it was filed for approval in 2011. It doesn’t give much away about any commercial product that might be planned by Apple, but it does provide an insight into the way the company was thinking in 2011.

The device is labeled 'iTime' and lists capabilities for a central unit that syncs with an iPhone or Apple computer, relaying to the user data sent to the larger devices. It also mentions an electronic wristband and describe what could apparently form a standalone device: "the electronic device can be integrally formed with the electronic wristband which provides the additional circuitry or devices." In that case, communications such as calls could apparently be made entirely through the device.

The device could be also controlled via gestures to decline an incoming call.

While Apple hasn’t publically acknowledged it is working on a smartwatch, a number of leaks from the company have suggested one is under development.