iPhone 8 Release Date Delay Rumors: Could Production Issues Postpone Apple's Upcoming iPhone Launch?
Release date delay rumors have recently plagued the upcoming arrival of Apple's highly awaited iPhone 8.
According to a report by Apple Insider, an Apple analyst with historically off-target claims about Apple's plans and supply chain machinations is alleging that the iPhone 8 will ship later than expected and that full manufacturing won't begin until the first quarter of 2018.
Jun Zhang of Rosenblatt Securities issued a note to investors that the finger print sensor behind the screen of the upcoming iPhone 8 has displayed many issues, and that the components required to produce the device in large quantities will not be available until the holiday quarter of 2017. As a result, these factors have allegedly led to the reduction of the production orders for the new iPhone 8.
Because of this supposed delay, the analyst believes that other smartphone devices from Chinese manufacturers like the Huawei Mate 9 will take advantage of the situation. Zhang went so far as to suggest that the delay could lead to a scenario in which Apple's flagship phone could "lose its competitiveness when the market fills up with high screen-to-body ratio smartphones and 3D glasses."
It is important to note, however, that Zhang and Rosenblatt's predictions in the past have been somewhat aggressive toward Apple, according to the International Business Times.
For example, Zhang previously claimed in 2016 that if the Apple iPhone 7 did not have a significant panel upgrade, then it would lack a driving feature to boost sales. However, in reality, the iPhone 7 would go on to fuel stronger year-over-year (YoY) sales for the Cupertino-based tech company in the first quarter of 2017.
At present, the iPhone is still a driving factor in Apple's success, but the flagship smartphone of the company is faced with some tough competition this year with the high-profile releases of several smartphones from other tech companies like the LG G6, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Google Pixel.
Should the launch of the iPhone 8 really be delayed, the company might do so to ensure that the upcoming flagship device will reach the same heights of past iPhone launches, and so that the tech giant maintains its current status as a market leader.
