New information may have revealed the price and release date of iPhone 8. Rod Hall, Apple analyst at J.P Morgan, released his latest forecast for the company. The most exciting part of the report details his expectations for the iPhone 8 in the coming months. With rumors swirling about delays, software issues, and pricing; it’s nice to have some more information that can potentially help clear things up.
Probably the most interesting part of the report is the dispute of reports that the release date of the iPhone 8 will be delayed. Rod Hall expects Apple to ship their new flagship smartphone in early September which is in line with the usual release schedule of new iPhone models. Fans who want to get their hands on an iPhone 8 should breathe a bit of a sigh of relief at that prediction.
However, the report also speculated that there will supply issues during the initial launch window and J.P. Morgan adjusted their expected shipments to reflect that. The follow is a quote from J.P. Morgan regarding supply of the iPhone 8 (note: they refer to the iPhone 8 as the “Pro”):
…We do not believe that Apple’s production schedule is changing materially with most current delay reports simply dated reverberations of decisions Apple made back in the spring. We expect a small amount of late September EMS output for the Pro model and then ramping production through October with target output levels achieved in late October/early November.
Based on that quote, it looks like the release date of iPhone 8 is still on track but there may be a mad scramble to get your hands on one come launch day. In terms of hard numbers, J.P. Morgan has adjusted their expected launch date availability of the iPhone 8 from 9 million units to about 2 million units. Of course, production should reach full capacity in time for the remainder of the holiday shopping season. This follows with the reports that Apple was having trouble procuring enough OLED screens to meet their initial launch production goals. That new OLED screen will look great, but it may also be the reason you can’t get an iPhone 8 on launch day.
The J.P. Morgan report also reveals pricing for the release date of iPhone 8 which seems to confirm that iPhone fans will need to start saving their spare change. Along with other industry watchers, Rod Hall seems to believe that iPhone 8 price will start at around $1,100. That’s a staggering price for a smartphone but, if anyone can pull off a price increase like that, it’s Apple. That pricing seems to be a reflection of the increased production cost of the iPhone 8 as well as a reflection of the expected demand and initial short supply of the device. The price may be set high to initially curb demand among eager consumers.
This also suggests that Apple will likely be coming out with an iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, as has been rumored. These models would be much more like the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that are already available while the iPhone 8 will be a completely new direction for iPhone design. The higher pricing of the iPhone 8 will create a completely new tier of iPhone while keeping intact the existing tier of devices we have become accustom to.
So, what can we expect when the release date of iPhone 8 finally arrives? In recent days we have seen some major leaks surrounding the design of the iPhone 8 that give us a great idea of what is coming down the pipeline.
The iPhone 8 appears to feature a nearly bezel-less display which is a major step forward from the iPhone design we have seen for several years. Touch ID has either been moved to a new button on the side or embedded underneath the new OLED screen, depending on which rumors prove to be true. There will also likely be a 3D face scanning technology that allows users to unlock their device, authorize Apple Pay purchases, and access secure apps simply by scanning their face. As well, Apple seems to be making a major push for AR with their vertically aligned dual camera sensor.
Obviously we will learn more about these features and more when the release date for iPhone 8 finally arrives. The price may be the most limiting factor for some people who want an iPhone 8. While many of the above features are nice, some variation can often be found on other flagship smartphones for several hundred dollars less. Die hard Apple fans may not see the pricing as an obstacle but casual consumers may be drawn to lower-cost models which is why Apple is likely coming with a refresh to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Overall, there is not a lot of new information in this J.P. Morgan report. It does pour some cold water on the rumors of a delay of the release date of iPhone 8 but, beyond that, there is nothing groundbreaking. Rather, the report seems to confirm a lot of things that have been going through the tech rumor world for the past few weeks. Does the report change anything for you? Are you still going to line up and try to get your hands on an iPhone 8 or will you look at something else on the market? Hit us up in the comments and let us know!
