The Apple bug strikes again, this time, the rumor mill goes crazy over an offhand remark that was made to be "a joke" but many people mistakenly believed to be a well-sourced report on when Apple's hotly anticipated iWatch will be revealed.

Influential Apple blogger John Gruber was ranting about the Moto 360's circular watch face on his Daring Fireball blog, slipping in a glib comment about Apple's "wrist wearable thing," when The Verge picked up the blog post and speculated that Gruber was referring to the Sept. 9 media event that Apple is rumored to be getting ready for.

"It looks like Motorola's designers tried to draw as much attention as they could to the 360's stupid flat-tire display shape," writes Gruber in the blog post in question. "The only way this could get funnier would be if it doesn't even ship until after Apple announces their wrist wearable thing next month."

Unfortunately for those holding their breaths until Sept. 9, Gruber came out on his Twitter account saying he has "no idea" if Apple is set to release the "wrist thing" anytime soon. He was "just making a joke," he says in response to Casey Newton of The Verge.

@CaseyNewton Cool, thanks. By the way, I have no idea whether Apple is planning wrist thing for September or October, just making a joke.

— John Gruber (@gruber) August 9, 2014

Re/code, which is known for its accurate predictions regarding new product launches by Apple, reported in June that Apple is gearing up to debut its wearable wrist device in October. However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said the press-named iWatch was to start mass production in Apple's manufacturers' facilities in China but later recanted his statement to say that Apple has pushed back production to December.

Apple is largely believed to release its own wearable device for the wrist, although followers are uncertain if the iWatch, which might also be called the iTime, will be a smartwatch or a smart fitness device similar to Nike's FuelBand fitness tracker. Apple has reportedly been in negotiations with basketball star Kobe Bryant and other prominent athletes to test and possibly endorse the device in the future, but the iPhone maker also hired Patrick Pruniaux, former sales and retail vice president of luxury Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer.

The technology industry is strongly following reports on Apple's reported wearable device, but few well-sourced, credible rumors have surfaced. Unlike the unannounced iPhone 6, which has more than its fair share of leaked images and reports, the iWatch or iTime, whatever it will be called, has so far been elusive.