Apple could delay the launch of its next-generation iPhone until October or November, according to a new report.
It is claimed the company has run into “technical issues” associated with its new curved OLED displays, which means we may not get the spectacular refresh we were expecting this September.
In case you haven’t been keeping up, this year marks the tenth anniversary of iPhone. Apple is expected to deliver a long-overdue redesign to celebrate, which means we can finally bid goodbye to the aluminum unibody we’ve been used to since 2014.
The new model, believed to be called iPhone 8, is expected to ship with curved glass and the iPhone’s first OLED display. But that curved screen could cause a delay that means will have to wait until as late as November to get our hands on the device.
“There are signs indicating that Apple may delay the launch of its next-generation iPhone to October or even November, instead of September as usual,” reports Digitimes, citing claims from Chinese newspaper Economic Daily News.
“Technical issues related to the lamination process of curved OLED panels, and the adoption of a 3D sensing system may cause the delay of the new iPhone devices, said the paper.”
Apple has been announcing its latest iPhone every September since it introduced iPhone 5 in 2012. Rumors surrounding a delayed release surface every year, but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard iPhone 8 could be held back due to supply issues.
We’re also yet to see any leaks associated with the device from component manufacturers, which means that either these reports are correct, or Apple has significantly bolstered security to ensure the secrecy of a much-anticipated upgrade.
Other iPhone 8 variants could be available earlier, however. It is thought only one version of the device — which could offer a larger 5.8-inch display — will offer OLED screens and curved glass, while the 4.7- and 5.5-inch models will retain LCD panels and more traditional designs.
