Recent reports have stated that the iPhone 8 will see significant delays, with some of the bleakest forecasts saying the phone may hit stores in November or later. But a new report reveals one ingenious way for Apple to prevent iPhone 8 “delays.”
Rather than announcing the iPhone 8 during a regular early September iPhone keynote we’ve come to expect from Apple every year, Apple might postpone the event to October this year. This trick might limit the iPhone 8’s perceived delay. Rather than months between announcements and release, iPhone fans might only have to wait a few weeks to get one following the handset’s unveiling.
The rumor comes from Apple fan site iGeneration, which learned about it from trusted sources. This isn’t the first time the French-language blog has posted an Apple scoop. A few months ago, the site revealed the iPhone 8 would feature an advanced 3D camera system from STMicroelectronics, and other reports have since added weight to the rumor.
However, iGeneration did not reveal any details about this October event.
Some analysts already expect that the iPhone 8 won’t have any positive impact on Apple’s September quarter. But they see huge December and March quarters for Apple. If the iPhone 8 effect is already lost for the September quarter, it makes sense to delay the iPhone 8 event. That way, Apple could prevent iPhone 7s sales from getting hurt in the weeks after launch, as fans wait for the iPhone 8 to hit stores.
There’s one other thing to consider when talking about Apple’s future keynotes. It’s likely that Apple will use its new campus to host events going forward, but it’s unclear whether the new amphitheater is going to be ready by September. What’s also interesting is that iGeneration says Apple will host a separate event in late August to unveil a new version of the iPhone SE. Of course, it’s highly unlikely that Apple would host an event for the SE alone, so we’ll definitely see other new products unveiled in August if Apple does indeed host an event.
