Apple fans looking forward to the iPhone 8 might have to wait a while before they get their hands on the upcoming premium smartphone, as multiple reports suggest that its launch will be delayed.
The iPhone 8 will be the star of the upcoming Sept. 12 event at Apple's new Steve Jobs Theater, but it appears that after the smartphone is unveiled, it will take some time before the device arrives to the market.
Launch Of iPhone 8 Delayed
According to trusted sources, TechCrunch reported that while the iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, and iPhone 8 will be unveiled on Sept. 12, the premium version will ship much later than the two simpler upgrades.
It is not clear how long the actual launch of the iPhone 8 will be delayed, but the report corroborates with several previous claims that Apple is experiencing supply issues and production glitches for the iPhone 8.
The Wall Street Journal also recently reported that, according to its sources, iPhone 8 production was plagued with glitches this summer, pushing back the process by a month and likely resulting in a supply shortage for the device. The issue was said to be related to Apple's decision to use OLED screens for the first time in the iPhone 8, while the company was also trying to embed the fingerprint scanner underneath the display. That was said to have been abandoned, and the iPhone 8 will be dropping Touch ID in favor of the Face ID facial recognition system.
Rosenblatt analyst Jun Zhang adds to the iPhone 8 delay reports, claiming that the smartphone will be released in late October or later. However, Zhang claims that the cause of the delay is the metal frame of the iPhone 8, which is the first time that a report attributes the production issues to that particular component.
Will You Still Buy The iPhone 8?
The iPhone 8 delay was supposedly already debunked by famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities. Kuo said last month that the iPhone 8 launch date will not be delayed, but the smartphone will be in short supply upon its launch.
With new reports claiming that Apple will delay the release of the iPhone 8, flagship smartphones of rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will have more time to grab a share of the market.
According to a survey by Creative Strategies, the iPhone 8 price will largely affect the decisions of customers in purchasing the device, but it did not take into account a possible delay in release.
