New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

iPhone X Parts Suppliers Reportedly on Schedule to Meet 2017 Production Demand

Tuesday October 17, 2017 3:46 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Yield rates for some iPhone X components have improved and become more stable, allowing for shipments of the upcoming smartphone to grow substantially after October, according to sources from Apple's supply chain.

Yesterday it was reported that Apple manufacturer Foxconn has started shipping its first iPhone X units from its main plant in Zhengzhou, China. The same sources are now reporting improved production yield rates for key parts such as the 3D sensing modules, signaling the first positive indicator from suppliers previously struggling to meet Apple's demand.

The first batch of iPhone X devices has already been shipped out from Foxconn Electronics' site in Zhengzhou (Henan, China), said the sources. With production yield rates for certain key components such as 3D sensing modules improving, shipments of the device have increased gradually and will meet Apple's demand ahead of the Christmas and New Year's holidays, the sources indicated.
DigiTimes quoted sources at analog IC vendors who said that chip deliveries for the iPhone X have been on schedule up to now, with orders fulfilled on time for the device in the third quarter. The same sources claimed they were not aware of any production delays or shipment cutbacks, contradicting media reports and analyst claims of supply issues, particularly with respect to tricky-to-manufacture 3D sensing modules used in Apple's new TrueDepth camera.

Chip orders for the iPhone X are now expected to grow through the fourth quarter of 2017, before slowing down in the first quarter of the following year, said the sources.

At the same time however, other supply chain sources have sounded a note of caution over the late availability of the iPhone X and worries about pre-order demand for the device outstripping supply, with a supply/demand balance not achievable until the first quarter of 2018.

There are some suggestions that iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sales have been lower than expected, as the public bides their time until the more feature-rich iPhone X hits stores, although with no actual sales figures at hand, this is still purely speculation.

Pre-orders for the iPhone X start on Friday, October 27, with the device's official launch the following Friday, November 3.
[ 167 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
slprescott
15 months ago
And thus, the annual ritual of falsely predicting Apple doom due to production shortages begins to wind down...
Rating: 32 Votes
Avatar
0815
15 months ago

Personally I'd wait a couple of months to make sure Apple (and suppliers) have ironed out obvious manufacturing issues.

This is a major redesign. We don't have to be guinea pigs.


Good for you

Please everyone follow this example ....... That way i wont have to get up at 3am to pre-order and still get the phone on launch day (and if something is wrong with it, i just exchange it ... But i anyway never had an issue with my launch day phone, and i do this every year)
Rating: 28 Votes
Avatar
truskino
15 months ago
Come on guys (y’all, from Engadget to MacRumors to Mashable and so on), please stop this meaningless rumor mill, nobody knows a damn thing on chain supply and despite of this everybody seemingly need to follow and forward these “reports” based on a profound lack of veritable informations, all contradictory second by second, nothing concrete, with a generous dose of "reportedly" here and there.

- YESTERDAY: “Apple is doooooooooooomed”

- TODAY: “everything’s fineeeeee”.

Massive improvements from a cataclysmic report THROUGH. A. SINGLE. DAY.

Is ANYBODY really thinking there’s somebody over here (a very broad “here”, not specifically MacRumors) holding his/her [redacted-but-you-know-the-word] on this matter?

This is ridiculous. Really.
Please, stop writing about the nothingness: it's exhausting.

Sometimes it's a sign of quality and professionality to NOT say that "reportedly" happened something. And news outlet like Engadget, The Verge or clickbait-and-ads-in-chief-Mashable are not a guarantee, too. Distinguish yourself, guys.

Thank you and sorry for the rant.
Rating: 22 Votes
Avatar
Joseph H
15 months ago
This whole debacle has been painful... roll on pre-order day so we can finally be put out of our misery about this supply/demand crap!
Rating: 21 Votes
Avatar
burgman
15 months ago

This whole debacle has been painful... roll on pre-order day so we can finally be put out of our misery about this supply/demand crap!

Cut and paste news stories from every iPhone release, Classic click bait.
Rating: 15 Votes
Avatar
JaySoul
15 months ago
Personally I'd wait a couple of months to make sure Apple (and suppliers) have ironed out obvious manufacturing issues.

This is a major redesign. We don't have to be guinea pigs.
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
x-evil-x
15 months ago
I think this is just a big game and they've had plenty of phones made by mid summer. :D
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
KingslayerG5
15 months ago

Personally I'd wait a couple of months to make sure Apple (and suppliers) have ironed out obvious manufacturing issues.

This is a major redesign. We don't have to be guinea pigs.

Add the fact iOS11 needs to get ironed out even more and iPhone X will come with it out of the box.

This has tick model (4/5/6 Plus) -gate issues written all over it. But a $1000-$1200+ iPhone just to be first to own a potentially laggy af, only 3gb RAM, iPhone flagship could be worth it enough for some buyers.

I knew the limited supply talk is just to help the lackluster 8 sales. And perhaps the X really won't sell that well and only YouTubers and sites like this are the ones magnifying the X hype.

This isn't 2010-2012 anymore. Early-bird eagerness and excitement for launch day iPhones died out years ago.
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
Jsameds
15 months ago

Its not really "major" Its a slight redesign. Its not like they went from an iPhone 3g to an iPhone 4 now...


These are all the exterior design changes. I don't know about you but I'd consider removing the home button alone as a major.

- Removed home button
- Changed Biometric technology, added the notch
- Changed screen size
- Changed aspect ratio
- Changed screen technology
- Reduced bezels on all sides
- Dual camera implemented on a smaller phone
- Changed materials
- Changed size in all dimensions
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
62tele
15 months ago
It no longer matters to me. I decided to get an 8 Plus. I am sure I would have loved the X but I don't really care for the "notch"; I think the edge to edge is underwhelming in it's design/aesthetics; and I am ambivalent towards Face ID/3 D cameras.
Plus, I wanted an unlocked phone and I doubt it will be easy to find an unlocked device anytime in the near future.
FWIW, I am very pleased with the 8 Plus coming from an iPhone 6. The 8 should last me 3 to 4 years if I need it to assuming no physical damage.
Rating: 7 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]