Whispers of a jeopardized iPhone 8 launch due to production issues have circulated for a few weeks now, but a new report suggests the new iPhone is actually right on schedule.
Apple will unveil its next iPhones in September before going on sale in October, according to Economic Daily News sources (via DigiTimes). Apple's parts suppliers are reportedly on track to meet an August/September mass production schedule, with some key components already set to ramp up beginning next month.
Apple is widely expected to announce the iPhone 8 to mark the iconic smartphone's 10th anniversary this year along with the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus, two phones that follow the tech giant's traditional update cycle.
The Economic Daily News report flies in the face of an analyst who, citing sources, said the iPhone 8's "significant hardware upgrades" have led to a two-month schedule slip, pushing the necessary production ramp up to October or November.
While Apple could have still unveiled the iPhone 8 in September, this rumored clog would have potentially led to limited supplies and lower-than-expected sales in the all-important holiday quarter.
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Wait. Did you say, October?
Though the iPhone 8 and its cohorts don't seem to be facing production delays, it's worth pointing out the new iPhones' sale dates are being circled for sometime in October.
This is later than Apple's typical iPhone releases, when the handsets hit store shelves in September.
Apple apparently anticipated releasing its iPhone trio in October all along, so while there's technically no delay, it will be later than shoppers are used to seeing. This could be due to the iPhone 8's rumored upgrades, though we're just speculating.
The iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus are expected to be relatively minor upgrades over last year's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, with the real "wow" saved for the iPhone 8.
The device is said to sport a curved design, edge-to-edge display, vertical dual-camera lens, wireless charging and augmented reality features, among other additions. iPhone shoppers are already holding out for Apple's 10th anniversary smartphone, so the real question now is: will the iPhone 8 stand up to all the hype?
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