iPhone 8 Release Date News: Samsung To Deliver 80 Million OLED Panels To Apple, Report Says

Samsung is on schedule to deliver 80 million OLED panels to Apple for the upcoming iPhone 8, but the Cupertino company could still face a shortage when it releases the 10th anniversary smartphone, according to a DigiTimes report.

Samsung will deliver the screens before the end of the year, sources from the “upstream supply chain” told DigiTimes. The remainder of Samsung’s production will be used to supply orders for its own electronics and other smartphone clients. However, Samsung will reportedly keep some flexibility in case Apple asks for more OLED panels.

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Apple upstream supply chain has reportedly started mass producing components for the iPhone 7S, iPhone 7S Plus and iPhone 8, the report said. The 4.7-inch model and 5.5-inch version will feature a reinforced glass chassis with aluminum metal frame, while the 5.8-inch iPhone will come with an OLED screen and reinforced glass chassis with metal frame.

A DigiTimes analyst predicts Apple will ship between 50-55 million iPhone 8 units before the end of the year, but the company will only have about three million to start with when it launches. The analyst also said mass production for the iPhone 8 will probably begin until after mid-September. This could impact the normal release date for iPhones. As for the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, the analyst predicts Apple will ship a total of 25-30 million units before the end of 2017.

The report comes after previous rumors pointed to an Apple-Samsung deal for OLED screen displays. In April, it was reported by DigiTimes that Apple had signed a two-year deal worth $9 billion with the South Korean company. Meanwhile, a previous report by Nikkei said Apple had placed orders for 70 million OLED panels from Samsung. The deal backed up previous rumors that have been circulating for a year pointing to an iPhone 8 with an OLED display.

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iPhone 8 Features, Release Date, Price

Apple’s 10th-anniversary phone, which could also be called the iPhone X, iPhone Pro or iPhone Edition, is expected to be released this fall. It will reportedly come with a 3D-sensing front camera. LG Innotek, a unit of LG group, will reportedly supply Apple with 3D facial recognition modules for the upcoming smartphone. LG already supplies the dual-lens camera modules on the back of the iPhone 7 Plus. The 3D modules will be used on the front of the iPhone 8. The iPhone 8 is rumored to come with a dual-camera system on the back, but will be placed vertically, unlike the camera system on the current iPhone 7 Plus.

The iPhone 8 is also rumored to come with an embedded Touch ID, a True Tone display, which automatically adjusts the color and intensity of the phone’s display based on the environment, and wireless charging.

Previous reports have said the iPhone 8 will be priced at more than $1,000.