Apple's 'iPhone 8' Might Not Ship Until Late 2017, Side Button Touch ID Unlikely

Though Apple's radically redesigned "iPhone 8" is expected to be introduced in September alongside standard iPhone 7s and 7s Plus devices, it may not start shipping out to consumers until October to early November, according to new information shared today by Japanese site Mac Otakara [Google Translate].

Citing information from supply chain sources and various accessory makers, Mac Otakara says the iPhone 8 will not ship until the first half of the first quarter of fiscal 2018, translating to sometime in October or November. This is in line with many previous rumors and analyst predictions hinting at a delayed mass production timeline.

iP8 04

An iPhone 8 rendering based on leaked CAD drawings that depicts the much larger side button

The site's sources have only seen a front display panel component in black, suggesting Apple may only release the iPhone 8 in black. Previous rumors have suggested it will be available in a limited number of colors, with white unconfirmed.

There has been some speculation that because Apple is removing the Home button from the iPhone and introducing a larger side button Touch ID could be built into said side button, but Mac Otakara does not believe that is the case. Side button components are said to be solid with no additional sensors or parts needed for Touch ID, suggesting the side button is just a simple power button.

With rumors of both rear and side button Touch ID quashed, it's looking more like reports suggesting Touch ID is built into the display or removed entirely are accurate.

Apple was said to be planning to build Touch ID into the display of the device, but rumors now indicate its efforts may have been unsuccessful, with the company instead planning to replace Touch ID with facial recognition.

Reports are still mixed, however, so it's not yet entirely clear if Touch ID has been eliminated, but Mac Otakara says the possibility of in-display Touch ID "seems to be low."

Based on images of screen protectors, the site believes there are several new front-facing sensors accessory makers will need to compensate for, further pointing towards the inclusion of new 3D sensors for facial recognition purposes. The front-facing FaceTime camera may also be relocated to the right of the device.

macotakarascreenprotectorfrontlayout
With August fast approaching, we're only about five or six weeks away from the prospective debut date of the iPhone 8 and its companion devices, based on past launch timelines. In recent years, iPhone launch events have taken place during the first or second week of September.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
87 months ago
Based on the lines pointing to different features, the iPhone 8 will come with:

* An IR Sensor
* An Iris
* A Sensor
* A Receiver
* FaceTime
* An Iris Sensor


Attachment Image
Score: 68 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dilster3k Avatar
87 months ago
Jesus ***** Christ. The rumor cycle for this particular iPhone has been unbearably ridiculous. Major contractions on the daily and summaries of every possible outcome weekly. The hype train on this is a headache, everyone needs to chill out.
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Non-Polar Avatar
87 months ago
Yawn. One week it's a touch sensor on the front, the next it's on the side. Next time I'll read that you can summon Steve Jobs by placing your pinky toe on the back of the 8 while whispering Apple's stock price.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nfl46 Avatar
87 months ago
Blah Blah Blah. It will be available and in our hands in September, with Touch ID under the display.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
826317 Avatar
87 months ago
Just perfect the Touch ID under the glass. We'll happily wait.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gwhizkids Avatar
87 months ago
At Apple, they are either laughing their butts off at all this speculation or crying in their cereal because they can't get Touch under Glass to work.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...