The iPhone 8 might be unveiled in September alongside the more “boring” iPhone 7s series, but the flagship model will see a limited September release, because Apple is facing various manufacturing issues. We already knew the iPhone 8 will face delays, as multiple reports detailed some of Apple’s component-related problems. But a new report from the most reputable Apple insider in the world indicates things may be even worse than we thought.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a steady source of accurate Apple reports, said in a note seen by 9to5Mac that the iPhone 8 will be delayed by one to two months. iPhone 8 mass production will be pushed back to October/November rather than the expected August/September timeframe. As a result, Apple’s bottom line will take a serious hit, as buyers are expected to wait for the iPhone 8 rather than upgrade to the iPhone 7s.
Kuo says the iPhone 8 features “significant hardware upgrades” that are responsible for the production delays, including the custom OLED display, the A11 10nm chip, the new 3D Touch module and the 3D sensing cameras. The analyst says that Apple has custom-ordered several “major cutting-edge components,” which might explain the manufacturing delays.
He also says that the iPhone 8 will see shortage supplies “for a while” after launch. The report offered a more pessimistic outlook for the iPhone 7s as well, as the phone might not seem like a great alternative to all the full-screen smartphones launching from Samsung and other Android device makers this year.
KGI now expects Apple to sell 80-90 million iPhones in the second half of the year, down from the firm’s initial forecast of 110 million units.
