There’s been a lot of talk lately about the possible iPhone 8 delay. Both JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank have released reports that come in conflict with each other. Before jumping to conclusions and dreading the delay, let’s take a quick look on both sides.
For starters, delays are nothing new. They’re very common prior to almost every iPhone release. Hearing a possible delay is no reason to be alarmed. Previous delays were quickly resolved, and others were not. How long the delay would be is the only concern here. The optimistic JPMorgan is suggesting the likelihood of Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone to be announced in next month’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). The last iPhone model announced at annual WWDC was the iPhone 4. The iPhone 5, along with succeeding models above it, followed the September-October release timeframe. Considering that the iPhone 8 is Apple’s 10th anniversary phone, a special announcement at the WWDC is very much possible. In line with the expected “S” model that usually comes as a small incremental upgrade from the previous model, the 10th anniversary edition, according to JPMorgan, is said to launch within the same same year.
Deutsche bank tells another story. In a report released in the 30th of April, they shared manufacturing delays due to a shortage on new components. The immediate problem with this report is that it was based on ValueWalk’s story that apparently cited supply chains close to Foxconn (One of Apple’s primary partners in assembly) having a lack of orders for packaging materials. ValueWalk isn’t known to break major Apple news or leaks, so the report comes of as more than shady. After all, the release of Apple’s iPhone 8 is indeed a big deal, and much more of a big deal if Apple decides to release it in a later date than expected. Deutsche bank is reporting a release date pushed back to the year 2018.
Credible news, however, come from Ming Chi Kuo, an analyst of KGI securities. Kuo said that a delay is indeed possible, but not at the extreme date of 2018. It’s very much possible that the iPhone 8 will still be announced at the WWDC this June, but will be limited in quantity once released. Kuo further shares in a statement that there’s no reason for the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus variants not the be announced either in the month of September or October.
Will Apple be releasing its 10th anniversary phone this calendar year? There’s a big possibility that they still will. Pushing it to the year 2018 would be a big blow to the brand. Nonetheless, despite a possible delay, the iPhone 8 will still definitely sell like hot cakes, as with all iPhones previously sold. For the people still hoping to get their hands on the anniversary iPhone this year, don’t lose hope. Deutsche bank’s report, although shared to its investors, is based on report without consistent credibility.