14 DAY TRIAL // Rumor has it that Apple would launch a total of three iPhone models next year and all of them could feature Face ID facial recognition. And while all of this is still in the speculation stage, an Apple supplier has just dropped a big hint that this is very likely to be the case.
Finisar, which makes vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL), which power the dot projector that Apple users on the iPhone X facial recognition system, has purchased a 700,000 square foot production facility that should begin manufacturing in the second half of 2018.
Located in Sherman, Texas, the plant is believed to be the result of Apple granting final qualification to the company, which means that Finisar can greatly expand production and supply more parts for future iPhone models.
Major revenue boost next year
Finisar is the second largest VCSEL array supplier after Lumentum, and Loup Ventures analyst Gene Munster says this move to substantially expand output could be a sign that all 2018 iPhone models could feature facial recognition systems.
This should help Finisar record revenues of approximately $30 million after production is expanded, getting closer to the $40 million figure that Lumentum reported in September, and a substantial increase from the “low-single-digit million” the company reported for the last quarter.
The analyst says Apple has managed to secure the biggest part of VCSEL components, and this should help the company become a leader in this field with the iPhone X and the upcoming 2018 models.
Apple is expected to launch three iPhone models next year, all based on the iPhone X design and borrowing features like Face ID and the notch. A 5.8-inch OLED iPhone would come as a direct successor to the existing model, while a Plus-sized version with an OLED screen as big as 6.5 inches could also see daylight.
A third iPhone presumably equipped with an LCD screen and a metal body could also be launched with a 6.1-inch display, and analysts believe this could be positioned as a more affordable alternative to the other models with premium pricing.