Apple iPhone 8 could launch in November; OLED production reportedly causing delay

The Apple iPhone 8 may not make it in time for its projected launch. Some of the handset’s potential new features are supposedly causing the delay. Despite the possible setback, analysts believe that the upcoming handset will not cause its maker revenue problems.

Those who are eagerly looking forward to the iPhone 8 are going to have to wait a tad longer for Apple’s upcoming offering. The new handset’s production is reportedly behind schedule due to the phone’s OLED display. Supply chain sources back up the delay in production, which could postpone the smartphone’s expected September unveiling.

Word has it that the new iPhone is going to have its Home button incorporated underneath the display. The process is reportedly causing problems for Samsung, the supplier of the handset’s display panels. According to global investment bank RBC Capital Markets, the Korean giant’s OLED production is several months overdue.

Samsung is not the only OLED supplier that’s having problems with production. Analog Devices Incorporated and Broadcom Limited are apparently going through manufacturing hell as well. The slow progress could delay the iPhone’s launch, which may happen in October or November instead of the usual September showcase.

The iPhone 8 is still projected to sell like hotcakes even with the delay. Perhaps the wait will further fuel fans’ collective desire to buy the handset, which by then would be so excessively hyped. The fact that Apple is celebrating a decade of mobile dominance this year only helps the company’s cause.

The tenth anniversary iPhone is expected to include contemporary features never before seen in earlier models. Less than a month ago, the US Patent and Trademark Office officially granted 56 new patents to Apple, and one of the patents involve bending an electronic device’s touchscreen panel. The California tech titan’s next smartphone is expected to sport a bezel-less look with an edge-to-edge display, so that specific patent almost guarantees the upcoming handset’s design.

Another patent covers an electronic device that incorporates a prospective finger biometric sensor into its touch panel, which means Apple may equip Touch ID technology under its new phone’s display. These potential enhancements are big reasons why the next Apple handset is estimated to have up to 110 million shipments before the year ends.

The Apple iPhone 8 is projected to carry an US$850 (AU$1,145) starting price for the 64 GB base model. The 128 GB variant could sell for US$1,000 (AU$1,350) while the 256 GB unit may command a US$1,100 (AU$1,485) tag.

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