iPhone 8 Release Date Rumors: Apple Device Launch Reportedly Delayed

We are at the half-year point of when the last iPhone was released and naturally the rumors are in full swing. Apple is expected to celebrate the 10th anniversary of when the original smartphone was launched, which people are calling the iPhone 8. Fans of the brand can usually expect a refreshed line of devices every September, but a new rumor suggests that the special edition would be delayed by a couple of months. "Technical issues related to the lamination process of curved OLED panels, and the adoption of a 3D sensing system may cause the delay of the new iPhone devices," according to DigiTimes.

If the iPhone 8 is delayed, what would happen to the "s" cycle of the smartphones? MacRumors suggests that it might not be affected and Apple would released them in September as they have for the last couple of years. That is the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus. It is all speculation at this moment as Apple is extremely secretive with product launches and what they have down in store for consumers. It might very well be that the tech company announces the premium device during the September event, but announced the release date for sometime later in the year, just like they did at the time for the iPad Pro and AirPods.

In recent days it was rumored that Apple placed a big order for OLED panels. David Hsieh, senior director at research company IHS Markit, revealed that the tech company had placed a huge order for screens of the device. "Apple has ordered 70 million units of OLED panels from Samsung this year, while Samsung is preparing to churn out as many as 95 million for Apple in 2017, in case demand exceeds expectations," Hsieh told Nikkei.

Pricing for the iPhone 8 has also had many rumors surrounding it with analysts expeciting it to be around the $1000 mark. A new claim from UBS analyst Steven Milunovich confirms that the new model would come at a premium, but not as much that was anticipated beforehand. Milunovich says that the factory cost of the 64GB iPhone 8 will be $70 to $90 higher than the equivalent iPhone 7s Plus model. Judging by the analysis Milunovich claims the device will come with a price tag between $850 and $900. "Apple customers seem fine with paying more for products they feel are differentiated," Milunovich told CNBC, and noted that the OLED model could account for 45 percent of shipments in fiscal 2018.