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iPhone 5S Production Reportedly Limited to 3-4 Million Units in Q3 2013 Due to Fingerprint Sensor Shortages

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Industry sources have told Taiwanese news outlet Digitimes that production of the upcoming iPhone 5S will be limited to 3-4 million units in Q3 2013 due to a shortage of the fingerprint scanners to be used in the phone. Specifically, the sources cite difficulties in interaction between the fingerprint scanners and Apple's upcoming iOS 7 mobile platform.
iphone5_image-800x800.jpeg
Production of Apple's next iPhone, commonly referred to be the iPhone 5S and is scheduled to be unveiled on September 10, could reach only 3-4 million units in the third quarter of 2013 compared to 10 million units as originally planned due to a delay in production of fingerprint sensors needed for the iPhone 5S, according to industry sources.

Mass production of the fingerprint sensors was originally scheduled to begin in May at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and then to be packaged at Xintec, a TSMC subsidiary, the sources indicated.

However, the production of the sensors has been delayed due to issues related to integration between iOS 7 and fingerprint chips, as well as a low yield rate at packaging firm Xintec, the sources revealed.
Click to expand...
The report also says that engineers from Apple and TSMC will be arriving to packaging firm Xintec to help increase the yield rate for the fingerprint sensors, with volume production beginning at the end of August. Additionally, the report claims production of the iPhone 5S is likely to then increase to 28-30 million units in Q4 2013 due to the increased supply in fingerprint scanners.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously reported that launch supplies of the iPhone 5S would be tight due to production challenges.

Earlier this week, Kuo stated that the iPhone 5S would feature a sapphire-covered convex home button that would house a fingerprint sensor. A report yesterday also indicated a new home button as well with its traditional printed square mark being removed to perhaps make room for a fingerprint scanner.

Apple will reportedly unveil the next-generation iPhone on September 10, but it is still unclear whether the event will focus singularly on the iPhone 5S or also include the announcement of the rumored low-cost iPhone, potentially named the iPhone 5C.

Article Link: iPhone 5S Production Reportedly Limited to 3-4 Million Units in Q3 2013 Due to Fingerprint Sensor Shortages
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/12/iphone-5s-production-reportedly-limited-to-3-4-million-units-in-q3-2013-due-to-fingerprint-sensor-shortages/
Dulcimer

Dulcimer

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2012
891
688
Please, anyone already with an iPhone 5, don't buy this phone. Let us who will be getting their first iPhone have a chance at owning one. :cool:
 
T

TC03

macrumors 65816
Aug 17, 2008
1,272
356
That's a pretty massive constraint considering the iPhone 5 sold 5 million pieces in the first weekend, and now it's just 3-4 million for a whole quarter? That would be disastrous.
 
R

ronjon10

macrumors regular
Dec 9, 2009
232
44
Apple is taking a pretty big risk for a feature of dubious value. They can't really afford production delays or problems with the device that this new tech may cause.
 
Dulcimer

Dulcimer

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2012
891
688
TC03 said:
That's a pretty massive constraint considering the iPhone 5 sold 5 million pieces in the first weekend, and now it's just 3-4 million for a whole quarter? That would be disastrous.
Click to expand...

Well, it's not "for a whole quarter." Q3 ends at the end of September, so the 5S would've been selling for probably one weekend or little more.
 
LostSoul80

LostSoul80

macrumors 68020
Jan 25, 2009
2,136
7
Maybe you're missing that we are interested in Q4, not Q3.
And the source is Digitimes.
:rolleyes:
 
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,449
1,230
Charlotte, NC
Only 3-4 million would be disastrous for Apple. Didn't the iPhone 5 sell over 5 million the first weekend?

These will be selling on eBay for over $1000 each if supplies are that constrained.
 
R

Raftysworld

macrumors 6502
Oct 28, 2011
287
0
Anyone else elated by this news? It will only add to the "Wow" factor of the 5S when everyone around me sees mine but can't actually order one themselves
 
A

Aidan5806

macrumors 6502
Feb 20, 2012
312
0
So I'm confused. Are these production constraints due to hardware malfunctions when used with iOS 7? Or is it a software issue. If it's the latter, then there isn't a reason for Apple to delay the production of these sensors. I'd understand if there were production issues with the hardware, but software issue should be easily fixable. And going from 4 million to 28 million units in one quarter doesn't make any sense.
 
Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,116
31,140
Wow rumors of production shortages before an Apple announcement. Who couldn't have seen that coming. Just waiting for the WSJ to plaster it on their front page. But AAPL is up almost 2% this morning so maybe these rumors aren't working any more?

----------
ThomasJL said:
Ming-Chi Kuo has one of the best track records when it comes to announcing rumors that eventually turn out to be proven true.
Click to expand...

Source?
 
E

everything-i

macrumors 6502a
Jun 20, 2012
827
2
London, UK
So there is a shortage of a component that they haven't even started volume production yet that we don't even know for sure is going to be used in the phone that for some odd reason does not interface with the new version of iOS. This story makes no logical sense at all, I'm going to call FUD on this one.
 
lolkthxbai

lolkthxbai

macrumors 65816
May 7, 2011
1,426
489
SJism23 said:
Please, anyone already with an iPhone 5, don't buy this phone. Let us who will be getting their first iPhone have a chance at owning one. :cool:
Click to expand...

Heck no! It's every man and woman for themselves! I'll sell you my iPhone 5 though ;)
 
Mad Mac Maniac

Mad Mac Maniac

macrumors 601
Oct 4, 2007
4,802
2,109
A little bit of here and a little bit of there.
Aidan5806 said:
So I'm confused. Are these production constraints due to hardware malfunctions when used with iOS 7? Or is it a software issue. If it's the latter, then there isn't a reason for Apple to delay the production of these sensors. I'd understand if there were production issues with the hardware, but software issue should be easily fixable. And going from 4 million to 28 million units in one quarter doesn't make any sense.
Click to expand...

I think the article is pretty clear that they are talking about production yield rates for the fingerprint sensors. It has nothing to do with iOS 7 or any other software issue. It's simply the difficulty in scaling up this hardware component.
 
I

inlinevolvo

macrumors 6502
Jul 11, 2012
359
3
ronjon10 said:
Apple is taking a pretty big risk for a feature of dubious value. They can't really afford production delays or problems with the device that this new tech may cause.
Click to expand...

I agree. I don't see the value added over typing in my pass code.
 
BC2009

BC2009

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2009
2,237
1,393
brock2621 said:
What's this guys track record?
Click to expand...

Ming-Chi Kuo has a good track record and he says supplies will be limited (but aren't they always limited with every iPhone launch except maybe the 4S?).

However, Digitimes (the one putting a number on the limit) has a horrible track record. They contradict themselves from week to week just to keep their rumor credibility rating at 50% (at least one of their contradicting rumors has to be true, right?).

So expect limits, question the actual 3M to 4M units.

In the source link above, Ming-Chi Kuo gave very different projections for shipments of iPhone 5S in 2013:

kuoreportiphone5s.jpg


Those numbers are projected final shipments in 2013, but if they only sold 3M in Q3 that would be a tough number to hit (you gotta remember that iPhone 5C will likely sell in boat loads if its basically a plastic iPhone 5 priced like today's iPhone 4).
 
J

jglonek

macrumors member
Aug 20, 2012
32
10
Rogifan said:
Wow rumors of production shortages before an Apple announcement. Who couldn't have seen that coming. Just waiting for the WSJ to plaster it on their front page.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. We hear this before every product launch and every one turns out fine. Why do we even bother worrying about it at this point?
 
SwiftLives

SwiftLives

macrumors 65816
Dec 7, 2001
1,356
341
Charleston, SC
inlinevolvo said:
I agree. I don't see the value added over typing in my pass code.
Click to expand...

Assuming it's only used as a replacement for your passcode.

Why not use it to authenticate personal info? Or to transfer money? I think there will be uses far beyond replacing the passcode.

My concern is how it will be able to determine my fingerprint. I tend to use different parts of my thumb - or occasionally different fingers - to activate my phone. Will it accommodate that?
 
A

Asriel

macrumors newbie
Sep 27, 2012
24
0
Excellent, so iPhone 5 + tiny extra LED sticker next to flash = lots of money on eBay
 
E

everything-i

macrumors 6502a
Jun 20, 2012
827
2
London, UK
Mad Mac Maniac said:
I think the article is pretty clear that they are talking about production yield rates for the fingerprint sensors. It has nothing to do with iOS 7 or any other software issue. It's simply the difficulty in scaling up this hardware component.
Click to expand...

Then why does it say 'specifically' there is a problem interfacing with iOS7. How do software driver issues in iOS7 produce yield problems. This whole story looks very suspect.
 
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