Another report seems to indicate that the launch will occur in fall, not summer

Apr 20, 2012 09:15 GMT  ·  By

Japan-based part suppliers are scrambling to meet the demands of Apple Inc. whose next iPhone is said to employ in-cell touch panels manufactured by Sharp and Toshiba Mobile Display.

Sources in Apple’s supply chain are telling Digitimes that “Apple's new iPhone, which is expected to be released in the third quarter of 2012, is likely to adopt in-cell touch panels rolled out by Sharp and Toshiba Mobile Display (TMD).”

Apple seemingly put its orders on hold until it became convinced that both Sharp and TMD would improve their yield rates in mass manufacturing of iPhone touch panels.

The sources reportedly indicated that “Sharp will produce the in-cell panels at its 5.5G lines, while TMD will utilize its 6G lines for production,” adding that the duo would speed up production in the second quarter of this year.

The current range of iPhones features glass-on-glass touch solutions made by TPK Holding and Wintek, which haven’t yet mastered the in-cell technology, the report suggests. Both vendors will reportedly be affected by Apple’s change of heart.

TPK, for its part, responded to Apple’s move stating that it has begun developing TOL (touch on lens) single-glass touch solutions.

TPK believes this technology will be “more suitable for the production of high-end customized devices and that the market will accommodate more than one technology,” the report notes.

The Digitimes report reinforces rumors that Apple will not release its next iPhone in summer, but sometime in fall.

Another reason for that is Qualcomm’s recently reported shortage of LTE chips necessary to give the new iPhone’s 4G wireless networking.

Regardless of Apple’s original plans with the iPhone 5, the Cupertino, California-based company still relies heavily on part sourcing in order to have a proper launch.