iPhone X Supply Revised Lower Yet Again as TrueDepth System Still Faces Production Issues

[BornAgainMac]

I have upgraded every year but this news makes me not want to bother upgrading this year for the first time. Not interested in the iPhone 8. There is also a chance there could be a "gate" issue with the iPhone X that won't be known until it gets in the hands of customers.

 

[HallStevenson]

Who in their right mind really wants an "X" on launch day other than absolute, die-hard Apple fan-boys ? I think people will regret it and the phones will be problematic.

 

[Small White Car]

So aren't they supposed to be MAKING the iPhone X now, but instead are still perfecting manufacturing of the iPhone X's TrueDepth camera and 3D facial recognition system?

Does that mean the ones they made already (if they have) don't have good TrueDepth cameras?

You're a little confused. The issue isn't with the design of the technology. The issue is if it can be made fast enough in large enough quantities without a large number of rejects. This is about whether or not the phone is profitable to Apple, not if it works or not.

 

[barthrh]

No, its mass production issues.

Just like the first touchId, which everyone here praises - turned out production issues != tech quality:
http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/0...elds-may-cause-iphone-5s-availability-issues/

Precisely! Comments drone on about it not working, how everyone will unlock manually, how they should have limited the release. In the end, this is about delivering a fully reliable component at quantity. This has happened with almost every Apple release where new manufacturing techniques or components were used. It's not like it won't work. The issue is yield where they won't allow a non-functioning component out.

 

[ani4ani]

Thanks for the info that it’s “not working”. Didn’t realize we could source our imaginations for facts.

where are you getting your facts from?

 

[44267547]

Who in their right mind really wants an "X" on launch day other than absolute, die-hard Apple fan-boys ? I think people will regret it and the phones will be problematic.

Please share with the rest of us why you believe the iPhone X will be 'problematic'? And More specifically, what's problematic about an unreleased iPhone?

 

[dazed]

My advice as always would be to wait. 1st gen devices are usually full of issues and this will be no different.

Of course, people want bragging rights so many will kill to get their hands on one

 

[IG88]

Actually, the notch was deliberate and required a lot more engineering effort... they had to make sure the display worked in that irregular shape and had to rework the UI as well.

Wow you’ve really been guzzling the Apple Kool-aid haven’t you?

 

[GetSwole37]

Good news. Makes the price higher to resell. Easy money.

Unless the phone is crap and now you are stuck with it.

 

[_Refurbished_]

If you’re a 16 year old girl.

Pretty sure that one flew over your head

 

[Roller]

The supply constraint is disappointing, but not surprising. Mass production of complex new components may uncover issues that weren’t predictable during design and testing. That doesn’t mean that they’re flawed or unreliable, though they may be.

Some posters here seem to think that anyone who’s going to pre-order an X is foolish for spending money on untried technology and doesn’t know what they’re getting themselves into. Funny, as I recall, that’s what I did with the original iPhone in 2007.

 

[snarlz]

I've decided to sit this one out and wait for the refined version next year. At almost £1500 for the 256GB model and Apple Care and probably not receiving it until the new year, it would be crazy to spend that sort of money on something that will be replaced 9 months later.

My iPhone 7 is doing just fine.

I'm starting to think along these lines too, just slapped a new case on my 7 Plus and it's looking good! Also I have a 128GB model and I'm a bit pi**ed that it wasn't an option, as 256 is way too much for my needs.

 

[filmantopia]

where are you getting your facts from?

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/21/qualcomm-3d-sensing-tech-lags-behind-apple/

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

"The 'Romeo' module reportedly includes the dot projector that beams more than 30,000 invisible dots to create a precise depth map of your face, while the 'Juliet' module includes the infrared camera that analyzes the pattern."​

From an engineering point of view, the alignment among "Romeo" (the emitter) and "Juliet" (the receptor) need be precise and repeatable to avoid false positives (incorrect facial recognition) and, to a lesser extent, annoying false negatives.

Regardless, the miniaturization of this technology on the iPhone X is indeed a major accomplishment.

 

[DJ_Rosko]

At what point do those who laughed in the faces of people who decided to buy the 8/Plus and wait for the XI, start eating humble pie?

I may about to become one of those people who goes for the 8+ if my preorder doesn’t go thru with reasonable delivery. Screws up my whole ATT Next plan by three months

 

[The Game 161]

all talk at the moment...lets see what happens

 

[Dropbrian]

I don't think they have to change too much in the future:

McDonald's will always sell a Big Mac and be successful.
The Coca-Cola Company will always sell Coca-Cola and be successful.
Apple will always sell an iPhone and be successful.

Phones are just commodity items nowadays.

Counterpoint: New Coke

Related: can iPhone X officially be the New Coke of Apple? I guess that would make iPhone 8, Coke Classic?
If not iPhone X, then at least faceID—New TouchID! Now with a crisper, more refreshing taste!

 

[WilliamG]

Good thing I got an 8+. Who knows what kind of software issues they're gonna have with this thing over the next year.

The Samsung Galaxy 8+ has truly dismal face recognition. It's essentially useless. Hope Apple is much better.

Yes, it’s a good thing you got the 8+ so there’s more inventory available for those of us that want the X.

And yes, there is literally ZERO difference between the Galaxy 8+ facial recognition and the iPhone X facial recognition...

...except one thing. My money’s on Apple’s version working.

 

[Mildredop]

Stop worrying everyone! There won't be any significant delays. @zhandri guarantees it.

If apple is not able to mass produce the phone, they wouldn't have released it. Period.

 

[ani4ani]

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/21/qualcomm-3d-sensing-tech-lags-behind-apple/

ahh from a rumor site..ok understood

 

[Princejb134]

Does anyone remember when Apple didn't ship a product unless it was ready? Clearly the X is compromise after compromise.

Good thing that Apple does not manufacture the components. They contract other companies to do them for them.
So is not necessarily their fault this is happening but the contractors

 

[filmantopia]

ahh from a rumor site..ok understood

The most reliable source regaridng the supply chain in the industry (Kuo). And Macrumors is the same site you’re getting info about the phone’s scarcity.

 

[Jmanstk]

I have to just sit back and laugh at all of these people here who are apparently experts on Apple production and on a product that has not even been released to the public yet....You basing all of these assumptions on RUMORS....No one knows beyond a shadow of a doubt how well Face ID will work, no one knows exactly how Apple is doing with production of the iPhone X, no one knows for sure how Availability will be at launch...Its rumors, rumors, rumors..oh and more rumors....Can't we just wait until pre-order day and just see how everyone makes out? Can we maybe not talk about the phones features as if we actually have it and know exactly how its going to work? Everyone just needs to take a breath, relax and STOP ASSUMING.

 

[5105973]

The supply constraint is disappointing, but not surprising. Mass production of complex new components may uncover issues that weren’t predictable during design and testing. That doesn’t mean that they’re flawed or unreliable, though they may be.

Some posters here seem to think that anyone who’s going to pre-order an X is foolish for spending money on untried technology and doesn’t know what they’re getting themselves into. Funny, as I recall, that’s what I did with the original iPhone in 2007.

It’s not so much foolish, it’s that the price of the iPhone X makes taking on the calculated risks inherent in embracing a new form factor and authentication technology a tougher decision to justify. The payoff isn’t really apparent to some people. What can the IPhone X really do that’s so amazing that we can’t already do with iPhone 8/8 Plus? Facial recognition is cool but it’s just another way to do something we can already do well with Touch ID. And it ignores the people who have reasons for preferring Touch ID. There will be some pictures and effects you can get with an X that can’t be gotten with any other iPhone. And there are the animoji and possible other uses for the new camera system. But do these rewards justify the risk and are they worth the stratospheric price of admission (especially factoring in the cost of Apple Care).

 

[flat five]

11 weeks until year's end @ 500,000 per day..
~38 million phones.

idk, sounds about right..

also-- that's a whole lotta iPhones


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fwiw-- this is a helluvalot different than "Apple can only make 10k per day".. ha!