Analyst: 6.1-Inch LCD iPhone Delayed, No Apple Pencil Support This Year

Apple is expected to launch three new iPhones next month and one of them might be delayed. A well-known Apple analyst claims that the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone model will be delayed “due to its production schedule.”

In a new research report, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED models of the 2018 iPhones will be available in September, AppleInsider has learned.

As for the more affordable 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, Kuo said that it will be delayed, but he didn’t provide any specifics on pre-order or shipping dates. Kuo’s prediction coincides with Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty’s research note from last month.

Huberty claimed that the 2018 LCD iPhone will have a one month delay in mass production due to issues with “LED backlight leakage.” If Huberty’s report is accurate, the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone could be available to consumers sometime in October.

The popular rumor right now is that all three new iPhone models might be announced on Sept. 12 and pre-orders will be available on Sept. 14. The two OLED models are expected to start shipping on Sept. 21, as pointed out by MacRumors.

In addition to predicting the delay, Kuo said the 6.1-inch and 6.5-inch iPhone models will be available in single and dual-SIM versions. It is believed that the dual-SIM models will only be available in specific markets, like China. The 5.8-inch OLED iPhone model will be the only 2018 iPhone to not have dual-SIM support. However, Kuo said that the model could have e-SIM and single-SIM functionality.

Kuo also presented possible pricing for the 2018 iPhones. The analyst believes that the 6.1-inch LCD model could start between $600 and $699. The 5.8-inch OLED iPhone could be priced between $800 and $899, while the 6.5-inch OLED iPhone could start at $900 to $999. Kuo said that the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone could capture 50-55 percent of total unit sales through the end of 2018, and as much as 70 percent throughout 2019.

A couple of weeks ago, it was rumored that the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED iPhone models would arrive with Apple Pencil support like the iPad Pro. However, Kuo said that that won’t be the case. The analyst claimed that Apple won’t include Pencil support for any of the 2018 iPhones because it won’t be able to offer a “good user experience.”