Though various news reports have hinted that the iPhone 8 will be delayed, a well-connected industry analyst says that this year’s iPhone models won’t be delayed. In addition, all three devices will reportedly be available in just three colours — and the once-popular rose gold isn’t making the cut.
The report comes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a reputation for scoops on Apple’s upcoming iPhone moves. Kuo’s latest research note, spotted by MacRumors, contends that Apple will unveil the iPhone 8 and its iPhone 7 updates all at once in September, with the three models shipping at the same time, too.
The OLED-equipped iPhone 8 is expected to be in short supply for the rest of 2017, though.till, that’s a lot more optimistic than other reports about the iPhone 8’s release, as some analysts had been talking about the new phones not arriving until late in the year. Besides shortages of the OLED panels which will feature prominently in the new iPhone, some reports say that Apple engineers are struggling to perfect new features such as wireless charging and face recognition.
The research note also says that Apple plans to release black, silver and gold versions of its iPhones this fall. What’s more, those color schemes apply to all of Apple’s iPhones — the rumored iPhone 8 as well as the more modest iPhone 7s and 7s Plus that are expected to debut alongside the new-look iPhone.
A trio of colours would be a bit of departure from Apple’s current array of iPhones. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus debuted last year in black, jet black, silver, gold and rose gold versions. A [Product] Red model of each phone arrived in March. Colours are notoriously hard for the rumour mill to nail down before a phone launch. Last year, rumours circulated about a blue iPhone 7 that never materialised.
Still, Kuo’s strong track record for iPhone forecasts — he was among the first to peg wireless charging as a feature for this year’s iPhones, and now that’s widely expected to be added to Apple’s phones — coupled with other leaks suggest Apple may limit the colour scheme for the iPhone 8.
