Rumors that the iPhone 8 release date will be delayed have popped up every once in a while, but a reliable Apple insider looks to debunk these claims once and for all.
However, with good news comes bad news, as it appears that the iPhone 8 will only be offered in three colors, and the popular rose gold option is not included among them.
iPhone 8 Delay Debunked
Rumors of an iPhone 8 delay claimed that the ramp-up production of the premium smartphone was taking longer than expected, which meant that the device might not launch alongside the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus and will instead be released in October or November.
While these rumors have since been put down by succeeding reports, including one by famed tech leaker Benjamin Geskin who said that iPhone 8 production is on track, famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities looks to debunk the claims once and for all.
In a new investor note shared by Kuo, the analyst shared his belief that Apple will start product verification tests on the iPhone 8 late this month, which would result in the start of mass production by the middle of September.
The earlier start of mass production for the iPhone 8 means that Apple will likely announce the premium smartphone beside the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus in September, with all three devices to launch on the same date.
However, while the iPhone 8 launch date will not be delayed, it will be in short supply upon its release, with shipments forecasted by Kuo to only be between 2 million and 4 million units in the third quarter. In comparison, Apple sold 41 million iPhones in its third quarter, with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus accounting for 25 million units despite only being in the market for a few weeks.
With the tight supply, in combination with the expected demand, customers should expect the shortage to persist until the first quarter of 2018.
iPhone 8: No Rose Gold
In addition to debunking the iPhone 8 delay, Kuo stated that all iPhone models that Apple will release this year will only come in three colors, namely black, silver, and gold. The popular rose gold option, as well as the different shades of black introduced in the iPhone 7, will not be returning.
Forbes's Gordon Kelly agrees with the color options for the 2017 iPhone models being limited to only three choices, but his source claims that the choices will be black, silver, and jet black. Nevertheless, it appears that this is the end of the road for the rose gold iPhone.
