TrueDepth Camera System is Primary Reason for Slow iPhone X Production

[MacRumors]

Following a report claiming Apple's suppliers are shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for initial production of the iPhone X, a new report suggests the TrueDepth camera is the primary bottleneck.

The word comes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the facial recognition system is "far more complex" than those on competing devices, which is making it challenging for Apple to achieve mass production.

An excerpt from Kuo's research note obtained by MacRumors:

TrueDepth camera may be main production bottleneck of iPhone X ramp. The 3D sensing (TrueDepth camera) on iPhone X is composed of a structured-light system, time-of-flight system and a front-facing camera, which represents a far more complex structure than those of rivals. It will therefore be harder to achieve mass production. While we project iPhone X will see output ramp up meaningfully in mid/ late October, tight supply may only start to ease in 1H18F due to strong demand.

Kuo said shipments of iPhone X components will likely ramp up in mid to late October. Given pre-orders begin October 27, with in-store availability starting November 3, all signs point towards the iPhone X being in extremely short supply.

Kuo believes iPhone X pre-orders have the potential to exceed 40-50 million units, so it's clear the device won't achieve supply-chain balance for quite awhile.

Article Link: TrueDepth Camera System is Primary Reason for Slow iPhone X Production

 

[vertsix]

doesn't apple have like $200 billion in the bank? like jesus christ buy some factories, companies, or whatever to get production what it needs to be smh

 

[BulkSlash]

Presumably if I pre-order early on the 17th I'll get one a few weeks before the iPhone 11 launches?

 

[vannibombonato]

40-50 million of PreOrders would honestly be just insane. We're talking 40-50 Billions of sales....

It'll be a hell of fun this year to watch the launch day crazyness, scalpers, etc.
[doublepost=1506350259][/doublepost]

doesn't apple have like $200 billion in the bank? like jesus christ buy some factories, companies, or whatever to get production what it needs to be smh

That is like saying "hey, why Samsung can't just go out and buy someone who can make a phone better than the iPhone?"

At the moment they are probably the only ones on earth who have the know-how to manufacture the thing. They are probably literally learning how the thing can be made, there's no manual for this type of stuff. They can't just hire an expert, they are the experts.

 

[jsmith189]

Are we just gonna have a 30 minute production update cycle until release day? Lol

 

[pat500000]

I wonder what jeff williams have to say about this.

edit: Forget it. Tim should fire him.

 

[questionmark32]

Something must have happened where they decided later than normal that they wanted to do Face ID over Touch ID. The fact that the couldn't get Touch ID underneath the screen forced them to use their backup technology that they may have been planning for future iPhones, but not for the X

 

[garethjs]

This thing is going to be delayed till end of November by the looks of it.

 

[ghostface147]

Makes sense. I guess it'll be in stock easily in the spring 2018.

 

[blahbrah]

This thing is going to be delayed till end of November by the looks of it.

November 2018

 

[Jetfire]

doesn't apple have like $200 billion in the bank? like jesus christ buy some factories, companies, or whatever to get production what it needs to be smh

Ok this isn't TV you can't build a factory overnight. Apple is pushing tech to the limits here. It takes years of planning. Look at what happen with sapphire glass supplier a couple years back.

 

[Sunny1990]

I am getting iPhone X but I suspect the delays and supply will be so bad at launch that most likely no one will have get until next year

 

[Swazaloo]

doesn't apple have like $200 billion in the bank? like jesus christ buy some factories, companies, or whatever to get production what it needs to be smh

If Apple owned the factories, they wouldn't be able to get away with the slave labour that is Chinese manufacturing.

 

[Iconoclysm]

doesn't apple have like $200 billion in the bank? like jesus christ buy some factories, companies, or whatever to get production what it needs to be smh

Aside from the ridiculousness of this statement, Apple has done these things.

 

[MistrSynistr]

So get this, the design model that should of been the choice for ALL the iPhones this year is delayed due to a "feature" literally no one wanted or asked for.
LOL

 

[Dades]

doesn't apple have like $200 billion in the bank? like jesus christ buy some factories, companies, or whatever to get production what it needs to be smh

And miss out on all the huge queues and hype around who has and hasn't got one? No, better to have short supply and drip feed the masses while they save up to pay for it.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Something must have happened where they decided later than normal that they wanted to do Face ID over Touch ID. The fact that the couldn't get Touch ID underneath the screen forced them to use their backup technology that they may have been planning for future iPhones, but not for the X

This is my guess as well.

 

[bobob]

Are we just gonna have a 30 minute production update cycle until release day? Lol

Only when it's bad news/rumors.

(Good news doesn't generate clicks/$$$.)

 

[Fzang]

The workers assemble it, and spend another 20 minutes asking around, shuffling through manuals and calling their supervisors to see if their iPhone X also has a weird notch at the top, and if it’s supposed to be that way.

My take on what’s causing the slowdown.

 

[Rogifan]

40-50 million of PreOrders would honestly be just insane. We're talking 40-50 Billions of sales....

It'll be a hell of fun this year to watch the launch day crazyness, scalpers, etc.
[doublepost=1506350259][/doublepost]

That is like saying "hey, why Samsung can't just go out and buy someone who can make a phone better than the iPhone?"

At the moment they are probably the only ones on earth who have the know-how to manufacture the thing. They are probably literally learning how the thing can be made, there's no manual for this type of stuff. They can't just hire an expert, they are the experts.

What does Samsung have to do with the true depth camera?

 

[rGiskard]

Something must have happened where they decided later than normal that they wanted to do Face ID over Touch ID. The fact that the couldn't get Touch ID underneath the screen forced them to use their backup technology that they may have been planning for future iPhones, but not for the X

Very likely. Honestly I'd have preferred an 8 Plus with OLED display and touch ID in the lower bezel. Minimize the top bezel for more display area. I don't care if it isn't symmetric.

 

[Rayban]

Something must have happened where they decided later than normal that they wanted to do Face ID over Touch ID. The fact that the couldn't get Touch ID underneath the screen forced them to use their backup technology that they may have been planning for future iPhones, but not for the X

The more I think about this logic the more I don't believe it. If they wanted to keep touch ID they could have put in in the back for the time being then introduce the ID under the screen as a huge new feature. I believe that their intent is to make Face ID the norm.

 

[Gudi]

Presumably if I pre-order early on the 17th I'll get one a few weeks before the iPhone 11 launches?

iPhone X = Xpensive
iPhone VX = Very Xpensive
iPhone MMXVIII ...

 

[AlphaGuitarist]

News like this makes me wonder if the iPhone X was ready for primetime. I will be preordering one, regardless, but this doesn't sound too promising.

 

[Rogifan]

Something must have happened where they decided later than normal that they wanted to do Face ID over Touch ID. The fact that the couldn't get Touch ID underneath the screen forced them to use their backup technology that they may have been planning for future iPhones, but not for the X

This isn’t true. Craig Federighi told John Gruber Touch ID under the display was plan B. Gruber also confirmed the same with Apple engineers who said they’ve been working on Face iD for over a year.