Apple still undecided on fingerprint tech for 'iPhone 8,' no shipments until October
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.
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.
Comments
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.
Bigly sad :-(
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.
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.