iPhone 8 release date DELAYED, amid rumours Apple will scrap iPhone 7S
APPLE is forging ahead with its next-generation iPhone, purportedly dubbed iPhone 8, scheduled to launch this year. But amid rumours the company will be unable to meet its usual September release date, new reports suggest Apple has ditched the iPhone 7S completely.
Apple iPhone 8, which will mark the 10th anniversary of the best-selling smartphone range, will purportedly feature a radical new industrial design.
But the cutting-edge technologies required for the new look are reportedly causing the US company a headache.
The Cupertino-based company is widely-tipped to miss its usual September release date due to problems with the new Touch ID fingerprint scanner needed for the edge-to-edge design.
Apple has yet to place a firm order with its chosen optical fingerprint module provider ahead of iPhone 8 production, according to an analyst report from Pacific Crest Securities.
iPhone 8 is expected to drop all physical buttons from the front of the phone, allowing the display to bleed to the very edge of the chassis.
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Apple was purportedly planning to embed the Touch ID fingerprint scanner technology which, until now, has been housed within the physical Home Button, beneath the glass display.
But following reports of frustratingly low yield rates for this new Touch ID technology causing a bottleneck in iPhone production, Apple is rumoured to have ditched its plans.
According to the Pacific Crest Securities investors note, "The anticipated move to a full-screen OLED panel in the coming iPhone 8/X eliminates the physical home button, which necessitates a move to a virtual home button and an optical fingerprint sensing solution to read fingerprints through the OLED panel.
"At this point, we do not believe Apple's optical fingerprint module provider has firm orders for production, which suggests Apple does not have functionality of the optical fingerprint sensor ready.
"Additionally, we believe Apple has evaluated Synaptic's (SYNA) optical fingerprint solution, but that it has not been qualified."
This aligns with a previous analyst report from Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri.
Mr Arcuri also believes Apple is looking at dropping the ambitious new technology for another less-exciting design for the iPhone 8.
Interestingly, Samsung is believed to have faced similar issues with the Galaxy S8, leaving it no choice but to relocate the fingerprint scanner to the back of the phone.
Mr Arcuri believes Apple could follow suit and maroon the Touch ID scanner on the rear of the iPhone.
Analysts had previously speculated Apple would debut a no-holds-barred iPhone 8 – complete with its new edge-to-edge design – alongside a iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus, which would feature only a few minor tweaks and improvements.
However, at least one supply chain source believes this will no longer be the case.
MicGadget has quoted an unspecified Foxconn source, who claims Apple will ditch its plans for an iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus – replacing the handsets with two sizes of iPhone 8.
The report claims, "Rumors say that Apple will be released two iPhone 7S and one iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition) models.
"Today we can tell you , that it’s not true. In this fall we can see only two models with new technology. Very interesting that rumors leaked new iPhone 8 and big iPhone 8 Plus will have similar dual cameras. (sic)
"If it will be true, we can make via small iPhone 8 cool photos like on iPhone 8 Plus."
This report contradicts the vast majority of rumours about Apple's plans.
Most analysts believe Apple will launch a single, expensive iPhone 8 with an edge-to-edge display, dual-cameras on the front and rear, and Touch ID scanner either embedded beneath the display or relocated to the back of the device, alongside two iPhone 7 models.
The latter will likely ship with a new colour, as well as minor improvements to the speed and camera.