We’ve been hearing various reports since the start of the year that the typical production schedule for the iPhone lineup is not happening this year, and these claims have only been boosted in recent weeks. Today, Economic Daily News is reporting that all three new iPhones — the major-redesigned iPhone 8 and the ‘7s’ iterative updates to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus — are yet to start mass production.
The report says that the new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch phones are expected to ramp up in August, a month behind the normal new iPhone production timelines. Moreover, the OLED 5.8-inch iPhone (with bezel-less screen and all-new chassis design) may not be available until November.
Economic Daily News says that Foxconn has secured the vast majority of orders for the upcoming OLED phone, which will feature almost no bezel enabling Apple to pack in a 5.8-inch screen into the same physical size as the current 4.7-inch iPhone 7.
Pegatron will assemble most of the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s devices and a small number of the ‘iPhone 8’ devices (tentative naming), whilst Wistron will mainly focus on making the 5.5-inch 7s model.
The report says that output at Foxconn and Pegatron is not yet at a level to be considered mass production, rebutting some previous reports that the supply chain for the LCD iPhones was already in full swing.
The later iPhone 8 production has been expected by many sources, blaming low yields of new circuit boards, 3D Touch pressure-sensing components and the OLED display. To help with circuit board production, Apple stepped into the supply chain and leased equipment to its manufacturing partners according to one publication.
There are always reports of various iPhone delays, but this year the rumour mills seems more vociferous than ever regarding a delayed release. A previous report said that only 4 million iPhone 8 phones would be ready by September and Apple analyst KGI Securities has stated that it expects iPhone 8 mass production to be pushed back to October at the earliest as well.
Separately from the hardware, multiple sources have also indicated software delays for features like wireless charging and the 3D front sensor.
