14 DAY TRIAL // Apple will announce its new generation of iPhones next week as part of an event at the Apple Park, and the big star of the show is expected to be an OLED model celebrating the 10th anniversary of the device.
Referred to as many as iPhone 8 (but likely to be called iPhone X or iPhone Edition), the new OLED model is expected to see daylight on September 12, but instead go on sale only in October. This means that while the other 2 iPhones that'll go live next week will hit the shelves on September 22, the more exciting iPhone 8 would be held back a little bit longer.
Reports that the iPhone 8 would be delayed have made the rounds several times in the last 7 days, and now Rosenblatt analyst Jun Zhang claims this is very likely to happen, but for a different reason than we heard lately.
Glass body and metal frame
Most people with knowledge of the matter said the iPhone 8 would be delayed because of production issues with OLED displays. But Zhang says it's the metal frame the one to blame, though it's not yet clear why exactly this particularly component is causing trouble to Apple.
The iPhone 8 will feature an edge-to-edge display and a glass body that are glued to a metal frame, with new capabilities like wireless charging and facial recognition. All these novelties for the iPhone lineup will lead to a substantially increased price tag, with some analysts estimating the top-of-the-range configuration to cost nearly $1,200.
Zhang says the iPhone 8 is expected to hit the market in October, while the other iPhone 7s and 7s Plus are on track for a September 22 launch. Pre-orders for these two models could go live on September 15, 3 days after the public unveiling on September 12.
Apple should detail its iPhone 8 plans next week, but with so many sources pointing to a delay, it's all but confirmed that the device would be held back a little bit longer.