The release of iPhone 8 may be moved to a later date.
For several weeks now, there have been talks about the possibility of iPhone 8 being delayed because of some production issues. Usually, the new iPhones are expected to be launched around September, but there are speculations that iPhone 8 may be released around October or November this year because of some issues with the device's components.
According to popular analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities, Apple is having a hard time in securing several major cutting-edge components that are going to be custom-made for iPhone 8. These include the custom organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panels, the 10 nanometer A11 processor, a new 3D-touch module, and a 3D sensing camera.
The analyst believes that this can potentially hurt Apple's sales in 2017, especially since other industry players have more time exposed in the market. Nonetheless, Kuo is of the opinion that on a long-term basis, this will not affect the company much, as people who are interested in iPhone 8 will simply wait for it, even if the new device is available only in 2018.
Likewise, analysts at UBS also forecast that there will be delays in the release of iPhone 8 in order to incorporate a new technology into the premium device, including the 3D facial recognition feature.
In their report, the analysts said, "We believe combining 3-D sensing and the location, as well as payment information, could bring up more personalized services and this could be one step towards potential augmented reality (AR) applications."
This somehow implies that the delay will actually be good for the company, as it continues to ramp up the demand for iPhone 8 toward the latter part of the year.
Meanwhile, iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are still expected to follow Apple's usual calendar, particularly a release schedule in September.
