iPhone 8 availability could be further pushed back to late October, owing to shortage of OLED panels whose mass production has been delayed until late June or July. This theory gains further momentum as a fresh Nikkei report claims that the OLED iPhone 8 will be initially available in limited stocks until Samsung addresses the supply-demand challenge in fulfilling the orders requested by Apple.
While Samsung seems to be struggling with catering to the high demand for OLED panels from Apple, other component suppliers are busy resolving the overheating issues of the wireless charging modules, besides some quality control issues with the newly designed Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for the forthcoming flagship iPhone.
With just over five months left for the launch of iPhone 8, Apple's supply chain vendors may get enough time to address the inherent bugs and hardware challenges including the ability to fit a larger battery on the new PCB.
However, the delay in ironing out these issues could force a backlog of OLED iPhone 8 shipments and customers may have to wait a couple of months more than the estimated time of arrival for the phone's delivery.
In such a scenario, Apple will run the risk of losing potential buyers to Samsung's Galaxy S8 or Note 8. Besides, the iPhone 8's staggering price (more than $1000) could also be a major setback to its success in the smartphone market when it comes to value for money.
However, some of the noteworthy features that grab the prospective buyer's attention, include a bezel-less display akin to S8's Infinity Display, integrated fingerprint scanner, wireless charging and a 3D selfie camera.
[Source: Nikkei]
