Apple s iWatch team has over 100 designers

Apple has a team of 100 product designers working on a wristwatch-like device that may perform some of the tasks now handled by the iPhone and iPad, two people familiar with the company's plans said. 

The team, which has grown in the past year, includes managers, members of the marketing group, and software and hardware engineers who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad, said the people, who asked not to be named because the plans are private. The team's size suggests Apple is beyond the experimentation phase in its development, said the people. 

Chief executive officer Tim Cook is facing pressure from shareholders who have seen the stock slump more than 30 per cent since a September high amid slowing sales growth and competition from rivals such as Samsung Electronics. Without a revolutionary new gadget that commands a higher price, investors are concerned about falling margins and increased competition. 

"The iWatch will fill a gaping hole in the Apple ecosystem," Bruce Tognazzini, a technology consultant and former Apple employee, wrote in a blog post last week. 

Natalie Kerris, a spokeswoman for Cupertino, California- based Apple, declined to comment on Tuesday. 

Apple's James Foster, senior director of engineering, and Achim Pantfoerder, another manager, are part of the efforts to introduce a wristwatch-style computer, according to the people. Apple has worked on wearable devices for tracking fitness in the past and never brought them to market, said one of the people. 

Creating a watch involves unique challenges, particularly managing power demands so that the battery doesn't need to be recharged every day. Google has been working on eyeglass-embedded computers and plans to introduce them in 2014. 

Wearable machines for tracking fitness are already on the market from Nike, Fitbit and other manufacturers. 

The introduction of a wearable computing device may signal a new direction for the consumer-electronics industry. 

Apple's debut of the iPhone in 2007 and iPad in 2010 created the market for touchscreen smartphones and tablet computers that have been followed by companies such as Google, Samsung and Microsoft.