Apple is all set to unveil the successors of iPhone 7 (aka iPhone 8) and iPhone 7 Plus (aka iPhone 8 Plus) at its forthcoming September 12 event in Cupertino. However, the flagship 'iPhone X' aka 'iPhone Edition' is expected to see delayed arrival of shipments due to supply-chain constraints in procuring the OLED panels for Apple's premium smartphone.
Apple has traditionally accepted pre-orders for new iPhones within three days of launching it and the same is expected this time as well, according to Japanese website Macotakara citing its familiar supply-chain sources. Consequently, it is now confirmed that all the three next-gen iPhones (iPhone Edition, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus) will go on pre-orders starting September 15.
iPhone Edition's delayed production and shipping schedule is triggered by supply constraints with OLED panels as well as other technical issues such as replacing the Touch ID feature with password authentication and Facial Recognition technology.
As a result, iPhone 8 pre-orders may also get pushed back by a week to balance the delay in production and shipping window.
Nevertheless, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are expected to hit the retail shelves as early as September 22 in line with their proposed release schedule.
The Wall Street Journal has claimed in a recent report that the manufacturing of iPhone Edition was setback by about a month, while an alleged presentation leak from Foxconn has confirmed a delay of five weeks.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are touted to be the true successors of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with identical looks and design language. However, the few additions to these next-gen handsets will include wireless charging, improved camera and faster chipset.
On the other hand, the iPhone Edition aka 'iPhone X' will be the show stopper of the event with its estimated price tag of $1000. It is touted as the top-end smartphone in the next-gen iPhone lineup with a bezel-less display, support for wireless charging, and a vertical dual-camera setup.
