Apple iPhone 8 may not come with a Touch ID sensor; supply constraints also expected: Report

Apple Inc’s new iPhone had hit production glitches early in its manufacturing process and could lead to supply shortfalls and shipping delays following its launch next week, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The report also goes on to state that the Apple iPhone 8 will most likely ditch the Touch ID sensor. [caption id=“attachment_3972497” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] iPhone 8 render[/caption] The Touch ID sensor which was introduced back in 2013, is expected to be replaced by facial recognition according to Bloomberg. But nothing is certain on that front either. The production glitches pushed the manufacturing process back by about a month, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, Apple has faced production delays while trying to embed the Touch ID sensor. The company is widely tipped to adopt higher-resolution OLED displays for the latest iPhone, along with better touchscreen technology and wireless charging — which could come with a $1,000 plus price tag. Recently, there were reports of Apple looking for a partner apart from Samsung to source its **OLED panels** from. The primary reason for this need for the new supplier is the immense bargaining power that the current situation provides Samsung with. According to a report by AppleInsider, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities pointed that Apple may be paying $120-$130 for each **OLED display** panel instead of the price of $45-$55 for the LCD panels being used in iPhone 7 Plus. “There never appears to be a shortage of chatter about alleged production glitches at Apple but they seem to be able to crank out tens of millions of iPhones each quarter,” BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk said in an email. “I also doubt someone interested in a new iPhone will change brands if they have to wait a few months,” he added. According to TheVerge, Apple iPhone 8 might launch at a later date as compared to the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 7s Plus. Fans and investors are eagerly looking forward to the 10th anniversary iPhone 8 to see whether it will deliver enough new features to spark a new generation to turn to Apple. The company’s shares closed down 0.4 percent at $161.26. Apple did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, journalists have started receiving invites for a 12 September event at the newly opened Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino. This will be the first official event that Apple will be holding at the location. The Steve Jobs Theater is a 1,000-seat auditorium with a 20-foot tall glass cylinder at the entrance, at Apple’s new disc shaped facility known as **Apple Park** . The Steve Jobs Theatre is located in one of the highest points on the Apple Park campus, overlooking meadows and the main facility. Two of the new devices are expected to be the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 7S Plus, updates to last year’s iPhone models. Another iPhone is expected to be unveiled with cutting edge features and specifications, to mark 10 years of the iconic device. Here is what we know so far about  **the 12 September event** . With inputs from Reuters