Apple willing to take hit on 3D Touch sensors for iPhone 8

Sensors for upcoming iPhone said to cost twice as much

Multiple rumors are pointing to a pricier than usual next-gen iPhone coming this year, and one of the reasons for Apple’s hotly tipped anniversary edition iPhone price hike could be the difficulty the company is facing with 3D Touch. Chinese newspaper the Economic

DailyNews has info from sources at TPK Holdings, the company which currently supplies 3D Touch sensors to Apple. It claims the price of those sensors will rise for the iPhone 8 – to around $18 to $22 each, compared to $7 to $8 in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

This is apparently due to the complexity of attaching them to the AMOLED display the iPhone 8 is tipped to feature – bonding to LCD displays in previous models is easier.

The source goes on to claim Apple is willing to absorb the cost rather than pass it on to consumers.

It’s expected that the tenthanniversary iPhone will cost a significant amount, and as rumors continue to flow regarding the tech Apple is seeking to squeeze inside the handset, we could end up with an eye-watering price.

Additionally, whispers of a jeopardized iPhone 8 launch due to production issues have circulated for a few weeks now, but Economic Daily

News sources (via DigiTimes) suggest it’s actually right on schedule.

Apple will unveil its next iPhones in September ahead of them going on sale in October, according to the sources. Apple’s parts suppliers are reportedly on track to meet an August/September mass production schedule, with some key parts set to ramp up sooner.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 8 to mark the iconic smartphone’s tenth anniversary this year, along with the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus, which are expected to be relatively minor upgrades to last year’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

The Economic Daily News report is in opposition to one analyst, who, citing sources, said the iPhone 8’s “significant hardware upgrades” have led to a two-month schedule slip, pushing the production ramp up to October or November.

The iPhone 8 is said to feature a curved design, edge-to-edge display, vertically arranged dual-camera lenses, wireless charging, plus augmented reality features.