There are massive expectations for the iPhone 8, so Apple will want to make sure there is nothing wrong with it, even if it means delaying the launch. According to a new report out Wednesday, the U.S. firm could postpone the long-awaited high-end iPhone featuring a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED display until October or even November.
Supplier facing issues meeting Apple’s expectations
According to the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (EDN), due to challenges with integrating the 3D-sensing front camera system and differences in the display lamination process, many suppliers are facing production issues.
This latest claim backs a report that came out last month which stated that the iPhone 8 will be delayed thanks to the shift to an OLED display and other new features. Another report in early March claimed that supplier STMicroelectronics is facing issues with parts fabrication. If these reports are true, then the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus could come as per the regular schedule, and the high-end iPhone could come later.
Wednesday’s report includes the name of several iPhone 8 suppliers: Foxconn Electronics, Largan Precision, Wistron, Cyntec, TSMC, Yageo, Pegatron Technology and Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE). Recently, Himax was reported to be the source of components for the 3D sensor, notes AppleInsider.
In addition to the edge-to-edge OLED display, the high-end device is expected to come with wireless charging, 3D facial recognition, no physical Home button, and iris scanning.
Will Apple postpone the iPhone 8 launch?
However, the report from EDN should be taken with a grain of salt. It is not clear if the publication suggests that the high-end phone will be released at an event in October or November or whether it won’t go on sale until those months, notes AppleInsider. Apple usually unveils a new phone in September, with shipments starting in late September or early October.
The iPhone 8 is expected to use Samsung’s curved OLED panels to eliminate the bezels. Such panels have already been used in Samsung’s new Galaxy S8. So it is surprising that there are still issues with these screens, considering that the Korean firm has been using the tech for many years now, notes CNBC. It should also be noted that the Economic Daily News claimed that the iPhone 6 would come a month early, but that turned out to be false.
So it is still very possible that Apple will continue the September release date. This gives it enough time to make the device available ahead of the crucial holiday retail season. There is also a possibility that the launch will be in limited quantities. Barclays claimed recently that the “10th anniversary iPhone” will come in the usual September timeframe, possibly in short supply, with full stock coming in the fourth quarter.
And let’s not forget another report a few days ago claimed that Apple is preparing for massive demand of its high-end phone and has ordered 70 million OLED panels from Samsung. The source claimed that the Korean firm is making preparations for manufacturing up to 95 million panels this year.
