Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for today:

Problems: Unnamed insider sources tell the Financial Times that Apple is “aggressively” recruiting new workers to help develop a smart wristwatch. The company has reportedly ramped up hiring for the new device over the last few weeks. Apple has been rumored to be working on a smartwatch — popularly dubbed, the iWatch — for months. Recent reports indicate that lead designed Jony Ive is heading the project, which has been described as comprising about 100 engineers and designers. However, rumors have also suggested that Apple is having trouble developing technology that would permit the iWatch to run more than three days on a single charge. One of the sources told the Financial Times that some of the new hiring for the project was due to a technical difficulty that Apple hadn’t been able to resolve by itself. The problem is likely to delay the launch of the iWatch until next year. Many analysts had been expecting the iWatch to launch in time for this year’s holiday season.

Another Delay: Apple will not release an upgraded iPad Mini featuring a Retina screen until next year, DigiTimes notes. Sources among Apple’s Asian manufacturing partners say that the company will not begin mass production of a Retina iPad Mini until the final calendar quarter of this year. Most analysts expected Apple to launch a Retina iPad Mini later this year. However, the sources say that Apple doesn’t have a sufficient inventory of 7.9-inch Retina screens in place to begin mass production earlier than the fourth quarter. An upgraded iPad Mini is expected to feature faster processors and possibly a bezel-free front face. DigiTimes has a decidedly mixed record for accuracy with Apple rumors.

Surprise Choice: A Korean news report says that Apple has selected Samsung to produce its A9 generation of mobile device chips, CNET notes. The new chips will be manufactured with 14-nanometer production processes. Samsung will begin making the A9 chips in 2015, apparently for an upcoming version of the iPhone. The report conflicts with numerous other rumors that indicate that Apple is looking to distance itself from the South Korean electronics giant, which has also emerged at its leading mobile device competitor. Other recent rumors suggest that Apple has made a direct investment in a Taiwan-based chip maker in order to enter the chip manufacturing business on its own.

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.