Apple is preparing to announce a new series of iPhone at an event next week. Two models are on tap and TechCrunch has learned from trusted sources the more expensive, fancier version will ship at a later time.
It’s unclear how long will separate the availability of the two different versions. Several reports have surfaced over the last few weeks pointing to supply issues and production glitches that could be the reason for the delay.
Today The Wall Street Journal stated that a glitch in the manufacturing process pushed back the iPhone’s production by a month. Reportedly the issue stems from the decision to use OLED screens while also trying to integrate a fingerprint scanner into the screen itself. This process was apparently abandoned and the new iPhone will ship without a fingerprint scanner.
Apple apparently requires the screens to be made in a different fashion than what Samsung uses for its phones. For the iPhone, Apple separates the display and touch panel instead of integrating them together. This requires more steps to make each unit.
The new screens add another layer of complication outside of the manufacturing process. They’re apparently very expensive. As Romain pointed out earlier today, KGI Securities’ analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that Apple is paying $45 to $55 for LCD displays in current iPhone models. But Samsung is asking for $120 and $130 per unit. This could be the reason why the next high-end iPhone is going to be so expensive.
Reports have suggested that the more expensive iPhone could top $1,000. This would be the version that would be released after the standard model.
New iPhones are always in short supply when they are first available and that’s likely to remain true with this version. By staggering the release and selling one phone at a much higher price, Apple could relieve some of the pressure on its supply chain to process and fulfill orders.
