Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) is down early following news that the company, which is best known for creating high-quality, reliable, well-designed products, is hitting a bit of a stumbling block when it comes to its next creation.

Financial Times said that Apple is having an issue with development of its speculated iWatch design. The company is said to be tapping outside talent to help tackle challenges associated with creating the device, which may not even become available until late in 2014.

Apple might be acquiring smaller companies which have experience in the field and its looking to retain key employees for the iWatch project. Hiring has also been aggressive, said the FT.

Though executives at Apple haven't explicitly said it, signs point to the creation of a wearable computing device. The move comes as Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) has started to sell/test beta versions of its Google Glass computer, while smaller companies like Pebble have already developed a smart watch of sorts.

Shares of Apple are indicated lower early.