Apple is reportedly facing multiple supplier problems with the iPhone 8, as manufacturers hit roadblocks relating to the handsets’ display, wireless charging and printed circuit boards.
Samsung is said to be having trouble delivering OLED displays in large enough quantities. Meanwhile, the iPhone 8’s wireless charging technology is prone to overheating, and the phones’ smaller printed circuit boards (to accommodate larger, more powerful batteries) are also causing problems.
The result? Suppliers are running behind in manufacturing the various iPhone components.
“There might be a one- to two-month delay in Samsung’s production of OLED panels for Apple,” says Brian Huh, an analyst at research company IHS Markit. “Samsung originally plans to begin churning out OLED panels in May but now the schedule will likely be pushed back to the end of June or sometime in July.”
iPhone 8 running behind schedule?
What this means for delivery of the new handsets remains to be seen. Apple ran into production issues in the past and still managed to deliver new iPhones on time. But those typically were cases in which only one component suffered yield problems — such as the rumored sapphire displays for the iPhone 6.
In this case, Apple is experiencing multiple bottlenecks, which means buyers hight be forced to wait until late October or November to get their hands on the 10th anniversary iPhone 8.
Previously we’ve heard that Apple plans to launch an advanced iPhone 8 alongside two iPhone 7s models that feature only marginal upgrades. The two iPhone 7s models would likely ship at the same time as Apple’s usual September launch, while the high-end iPhone 8 would be delayed.
However, a slightly sketchy rumor today claims that Apple only plans to release two iPhone 8 models this year — and no iPhone 7s whatsoever — which means all new models could experience delays.
Source: Nikkei
