Has Apple put India on the back burner again? Official site removes Oct 17 launch date

It seems like Apple is having second thoughts about launching the iPhone 6 in India on October 17. The official Apple website first claimed a release on September 26 and later pushed it to October 17. Now, as first noticed by  NDTV, the website has now removed the launch date leaving us wondering if it will take longer for the iPhone 6 to come to India.   The real reason behind the decision is not yet known, but it could be an availability issue as Apple would hate the phones to go out of stock soon after launching them. Pre-orders for the phone start September 12 in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico and Singapore, and will starting shipping after September 19.   China is also at the receiving end of Apple's derision . As with India, Apple has kept China out of the iPhone 6’s international launch and delayed the release in the country. Adding to the confusion this week was an Apple Web page that said consumers in Australia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore would be able to buy the new iPhones on 26 Sept as part of the first wave of sales in Asia. In an overnight edit, Apple deleted the reference to the date and removed China altogether from the list of Asian markets to receive imminent iPhone shipments.   There have been reports of Apple facing production issues with the iPhone 6 Plus causing it to release the phone in limited quantities. Before the launch, some supply chain sources reported difficulties in sourcing enough iPhone 6 displays. Two supply chain sources said display panel production suffered a setback after the screen had to be revised, putting screen assembly on hold for part of June and July.   Apple is known to make tough demands on its parts suppliers for new iPhones and iPads as it competes to create designs, shapes, sizes and features to set it apart and command a premium price in a fiercely competitive gadget market. This can cause glitches and delays, including screen problems that crimped supplies at last year’s launch of a high-resolution version of Apple’s iPad Mini. Earlier this month, Japan Display, said to be the lead supplier for the new iPhone panel, said orders for “a large customer” – which analysts said was Apple – arrived as expected, but shipments may be delayed in the July-September quarter.