Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Apple
    • Apple

    New iPhone Production Hampered by OLED Screen Issues: Report

    By
    Todd R. Weiss
    -
    September 8, 2017
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      iPhone

      Manufacturing problems with the OLED displays in the upcoming new iPhones from Apple are leading to lower-than-expected phone production inventories and could mean a shortage of the devices as the December 2017 holiday gift-giving season approaches.

      The OLED issues, and related problems trying to incorporate fingerprint sensors into the new phones, were reported in a Sept. 7 story by The Wall Street Journal, based on information from people with knowledge of the complications. The latest iPhones, including an expected 10th anniversary special edition of the industry-changing phones, are expected to be unveiled Sept. 12.

      Apple has been having manufacturing problems with the upcoming phones since earlier this summer, when difficulties arose in trying to embed the new fingerprint scanners into the new OLED displays, the story reported. The problems have not been resolved, which caused Apple to abandon the fingerprint scanners for now and go back to password protection for the phones. A new facial-recognition feature is expected to be available in the latest devices.

      The complex manufacturing processes needed for the new OLED displays have also been problematic and are contributing to the production issues and lower-than-expected volumes of phones waiting to be shipped, the report added.

      All of this likely means that normal iPhone shortages when new models are released will be exacerbated by the production problems. The phones are expected to be available for sale starting Sept. 22.

      “The glitches, which occurred early in the manufacturing process, set back the phone’s production timetable by about a month,” the Journal story reported.

      Apple is expected to introduce three new iPhones as well as several new Apple Watch models at its Sept. 12 launch event. One of the new iPhones will likely be a more costly 10th anniversary edition commemorating the introduction the first ground-breaking iPhone in September 2007.

      In July, rumors circulated that starting prices for the next iPhones could rise in price to as much as $1,200, which is substantially higher than current iPhone 7 prices. Prices of some of the upcoming iPhone models—which could be called iPhone 8, but more likely will be labeled with extensions of the iPhone 7 naming hierarchy—could even hit $1,399, those earlier reports stated.

      The expected higher prices could help differentiate the newest iPhones from existing models while also giving the company the opportunity to sell the handsets at its existing 35 percent margins and in measured quantities based on available supplies of components. The original iPhone 7 prices started at $649 for a 32GB base iPhone 7 and rose to $969 for a 256GB iPhone 7 Plus.

      The upcoming iPhones have been the focus of rumors for months as analysts and Apple watchers have speculated about the features that Apple has built into the handsets, how much the new phones will cost and whether they will have what it takes to trigger a new round of upgrades.

      Apple will probably keep older iPhone 7 models in its lineup as well with lower price tags, as it has done in the past.

      Apple’s iPhone 7 models, which were released in 2016, were the first iPhones to drop a physical headphone jack in favor of wireless ear buds.

      The iPhone 7 models, which currently start at $649, are water- and dust-resistant, include 12-megapixel cameras with dual lens cameras in the iPhone 7 Plus model and the A10 Fusion processor. The handsets come in 32GB, 128GB or 256GB versions. 

      The iPhone 7 has a 4.7-inch Retina touch-screen display, while the iPhone 7 Plus uses a 5.5-inch Retina touch-screen display. Both handsets offer 4K video recording capabilities as well as auto-focus and optical image stabilization features.

      Todd R. Weiss
      As a technology journalist covering enterprise IT for more than 15 years, I joined eWEEK.com in September 2014 as the site's senior writer covering all things mobile. I write about smartphones, tablets, laptops, assorted mobile gadgets and services,mobile carriers and much more. I formerly was a staff writer for Computerworld.com from 2000 to 2008 and previously wrote for daily newspapers in eastern Pennsylvania. I'm an avid traveler, motorcyclist, technology lover, cook, reader, tinkerer and mechanic. I drove a yellow taxicab in college and collect toy taxis and taxi business cards from around the world.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×