Apple still undecided on fingerprint tech for 'iPhone 8,' no shipments until October

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in iPhone
The OLED-embedded fingerprint technology for Apple's "iPhone 8" is "still being worked out," an analyst claimed on Wednesday, with the company only deciding on one of three options by the end of June.




The one settled point appears to be that there won't be a sensor on the back of the phone, Cowen and Company's Timothy Arcuri indicated in a memo obtained by AppleInsider. The three options include thinning the cover glass over a sensor area, creating a pinhole through the glass for an optical or ultrasonic sensor, or trying a "film" sensor integrated into the display, using either capacitive or infrared technology.

Regardless of which route Apple chooses, there will probably be a one- to two-month delay for the "iPhone 8," Arcuri wrote. As such the analyst is leaving the product out of a forecast 46 million iPhone sales in the September quarter -- below a Wall Street concensus of 47 to 48 million.

The company could potentially sell 90 million units in the following holiday quarter, he estimated.

Arcuri was less certain about the prospect of an "iPhone 7s" and "7s Plus," and noted that their launch might boost sales numbers in the September period. Rumors have suggested the devices will stick to 4.7- and 5.5-inch LCDs, as well as physical home buttons, but get some features of the "iPhone 8" such as wireless charging.

The "iPhone 8" is typically expected to use a 5.8-inch, edge-to-edge OLED display, reserving about 0.7 of that for a virtual home button and/or other controls. It should also have a vertically-aligned, dual-lens rear camera, and on the front sport sensors for 3D facial recognition.

Arcuri is continuing to maintain an "outperform" rating for Apple stock, with a $160 price target. September quarter revenues are predicted to hit $49.5 billion, about $1 billion below Wall Street consensus.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,904member
    This news is no news. I don't believe Apple is still undecided on one of the important feature of next iphone and manufacturing is about to start for fall release..
    edited June 2017 robjnSoliwatto_cobraStrangeDaystmaylongpath
  • Reply 2 of 32
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Give me a break. Seriously. If this was true everyone involved should get sacked cause it is so idiotic considering the immense manufacturing, marketing and sales implications of such a decision.

    Seems like a dump play on wall street from analysts.
    robjnSoliwatto_cobratmaypscooter63jmey267longpath
  • Reply 3 of 32
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    Every aspect of the iPhone 8's design was locked at least a year before production. 
    robjnwatto_cobrabdkennedy1002longpath
  • Reply 4 of 32
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    Totally moronic analysis. The analyst is suggesting that Apple has yet to pick which part they will rapaciously demand 100 million of in the next few months? Nonsense. 
    robjnradarthekatwatto_cobramike1right_said_fredtmayanton zuykovStrangeDayslongpath
  • Reply 5 of 32
    alandailalandail Posts: 755member
    I signed in to say the same thing as the 3 posts above me.  There really is no way that Apple is undecided about how to implement a feature of the iPhone 8 this close to it's release.  The article could simply be called "Analyst doesn't know anything so is guessing."
    robjnradarthekatwatto_cobraanton zuykovlongpathlolliver
  • Reply 6 of 32
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Breaking news: Apple to decide iPhone screen size one week before launch.
    Soliradarthekatwatto_cobraright_said_fredtmayanton zuykovpscooter63StrangeDaysjmey267lolliver
  • Reply 7 of 32
    supadav03supadav03 Posts: 503member
    Good to hear that the rear finger print censor rumor has been put to rest. Even if there's difficulty I like that they have resolved to have it in the display. Still don't understand the iPhone 7S & 8 release. I just have no idea why anyone would consider an 7S with the 8 coming out at same time or right around the corner. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 32
    robjnrobjn Posts: 275member
    Why are you printing this garbage!

    It is obviously not true because that's not how manufacturing millions of parts works. Why give credence to it by repeating it.

    This "Apple can't decide" story is also just a repeat of claims made months ago.
    watto_cobraanton zuykovStrangeDays
  • Reply 9 of 32
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    The fact that AI chose to report on this drivel really smacks of click-trolling desperation. 

    Bigly sad :-(
    watto_cobraomar moralesanton zuykovStrangeDayspscooter63jmey267macky the macky
  • Reply 10 of 32
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,834moderator
    The problem with predicting the future is that it hasn't happened yet.  These analysts can barely comprehend the significance of Apple's platforms and product features already shipping.
    pscooter63bb-15jmey267
  • Reply 11 of 32
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    jd_in_sb said:
    Every aspect of the iPhone 8's design was locked at least a year before production. 
    In general I'd say that's correct, but with the fingerprint placement specifically I do think they ran into some issues with implementation, but with the decision on how to proceed already made IMHO. Anyway there's far too many mentions of it for there not to be something behind it.

    It would be next to impossible to 100% accurately predict a year out that a specific new and challenging technology is going to be perfected and ready for the next iPhone. A roadmap doesn't guarantee arrival. It's a plan, and plans don't always pan out despite the best efforts. 
    edited June 2017
  • Reply 12 of 32
    indieshackindieshack Posts: 328member
    Honestly, I find it rather difficult to believe that here we are in late June with a reveal of the iPhone 8 in about three months that Apple would be finalizing touch ID now. I have trouble buying this unless the devices were slated for production/distribution Q1 2018.
  • Reply 13 of 32
    drewyboydrewyboy Posts: 73member
    supadav03 said:
    Still don't understand the iPhone 7S & 8 release. I just have no idea why anyone would consider an 7S with the 8 coming out at same time or right around the corner. 
    Maybe I don't want to pay anywhere from 30-50% more for base model.
  • Reply 14 of 32
    AI_liasAI_lias Posts: 434member
    I believe these rumors, they certainly have precedent: the switch to glass front just before the first iPhone was released. Remember, this is one of the advantages of using manufacturers in Asia: they give you this kind of freedom to pivot in the last "minute." 
  • Reply 15 of 32
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    AI_lias said:
    I believe these rumors, they certainly have precedent: the switch to glass front just before the first iPhone was released. Remember, this is one of the advantages of using manufacturers in Asia: they give you this kind of freedom to pivot in the last "minute." 
    The first Iphone had very small volumes and most of the inside were decided a long long time before, in this case the logistics of producing 100M+ phones doesn't add up in this case.
    This would impact manufacturing all over their supply chain, but also engineering cause many internal components would be in a different area with an alternate design.


  • Reply 16 of 32
    jhart376jhart376 Posts: 30member
    supadav03 said:
    Good to hear that the rear finger print censor rumor has been put to rest. Even if there's difficulty I like that they have resolved to have it in the display. Still don't understand the iPhone 7S & 8 release. I just have no idea why anyone would consider an 7S with the 8 coming out at same time or right around the corner. 
    Apple has many client types. They sell the SE very well along the top tier models and also sell year old phones which millions of people buy, not to mention refurb phones older than a year. 
    bb-15
  • Reply 17 of 32
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,821member
    gatorguy said:
    jd_in_sb said:
    Every aspect of the iPhone 8's design was locked at least a year before production. 
    In general I'd say that's correct, but with the fingerprint placement specifically I do think they ran into some issues with implementation, but with the decision on how to proceed already made IMHO. Anyway there's far too many mentions of it for there not to be something behind it.
    So by that logic bigfoot and aliens and the loch ness are all a thing, because far too many mentions?
    pscooter63
  • Reply 18 of 32
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,153member
    gatorguy said:
    jd_in_sb said:
    Every aspect of the iPhone 8's design was locked at least a year before production. 
    In general I'd say that's correct, but with the fingerprint placement specifically I do think they ran into some issues with implementation, but with the decision on how to proceed already made IMHO. Anyway there's far too many mentions of it for there not to be something behind it.
    So by that logic bigfoot and aliens and the loch ness are all a thing, because far too many mentions?
    No by YOUR logic then I would suppose, not mine. I like to think I'm just a tad smarter than that.  :)
    bb-15
  • Reply 19 of 32
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,293member
    I don't buy this in any form.

    One absolute is that Touch ID has to occur on the front lower chin, and has to meet or exceed the the performance and security of the current Touch ID sensor.

    Apple would not move forward on a process that didn't meet those requirements.

    The other is that Apple wouldn't risk volume manufacturing on any process that hadn't already been proven to scale. If there are issues with yields in volume manufacturing, Apple would have the knowledge and ability to work these out with the vendor, even if the initial result would be limited availability of that model iPhone. Apple would rather take the hit on delivery than ship a product with a lesser Touch ID capability.

    Apple may have a number of processes proven out and ready to go, but there is still a point in time when Apple would have to initiate and follow through on a process choice. I'm thinking that 90 days until announcement it too tight to change that, but I'll wait to see what the story is after announcement.
  • Reply 20 of 32
    curtis hannahcurtis hannah Posts: 1,832member
    supadav03 said:
    Good to hear that the rear finger print censor rumor has been put to rest. Even if there's difficulty I like that they have resolved to have it in the display. Still don't understand the iPhone 7S & 8 release. I just have no idea why anyone would consider an 7S with the 8 coming out at same time or right around the corner. 
    The rumors were the 7S and 7S+ would maintain $650 and $750(770 with the current 7+), both with the current storage models while the 8 would be $1000, but likely starting at a higher storage teir. $250 is enough for a lot of people not to the make the jump, of course it makes me wonder what will be the most popular option if an updated SE comes out in the next year.
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