iPhone 8 Facing Delay Due to Challenges in Producing OLED Panels, Wireless Charging Modules, PCBs [Report]

The release of Apple's new 'iPhone 8' may be delayed due to challenges in producing various components including OLED panels, wireless charging modules, and even printed circuit boards, reports Nikkei.

Samsung, the exclusive OLED supplier for the new iPhone, is allegedly facing challenges in delivering what Apple wants. It's unclear what those issues are.

"There might be a one to two month delay in Samsung's production of OLED panels for Apple," said Brian Huh, an analyst at research company IHS Markit. "Samsung originally plans to begin churning out OLED panels in May but now the schedule will likely be pushed back to the end of June or sometime in July."


There are also overheating issues with the new wireless charging modules. Arthur Liao of Taipei-based Fubon Securities says the wireless charging board still does not work properly.

Sean Kao, an analyst at IDC, said that even printed circuit boards, a common electronics component, are running into problems.

"There is a new design for a much smaller printed circuit board to allow a more powerful battery for this upcoming iPhone...but there are still some quality issue to overcome to achieve smooth mass production," said Kao.

Low yield rates have Jeff Pu at Taipei-based Yuanta Investment Consulting estimating a November release. Liao is predicting a late October delivery. This aligns with a recent report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


Notably, a memory chip executive tells the site that they've already started to ship small quantities for the new device.

"The placement of orders is much more aggressive than the previous two years but not as high the year when they rolled out iPhone 6 in 2014," the executive said. "The demand from this year's iPhone looks healthy but the memory chip suppliers are a bit concerned whether the upcoming iPhone's migration to advanced 3D NAND flash memory chips would be smooth enough to avoid tight supply or a shipment delay."

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