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Rumours that the new iPhone could be delayed are unfounded, according to an authoritative new report. But that doesn't mean it's going to be easy to get one.
The new phone will be launched in mid-September alongside the less spectacular iPhone 7s, according to a report from usually reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Some had suggested that the iPhone 8 – the top of the line model that will include a range of new features – could be delayed by weeks or even months, pushing it all the way to December .
But Apple will have all three phones ready to go for a launch event in mid-September as usual, the report suggested. And they will all go on sale on the same date, which will probably come about a week and a half after they're first shown off.
Gadget and tech news: In picturesShow all 25 1 /25Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy.
Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at California’s Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100
Google
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019
Reuters
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020
Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB
Apple
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash
PA
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once
AFP/Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology
EPA
Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s
Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018
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Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore
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Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore
Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea
Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi
Rex
Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session
Rex
Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
Reuters
Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
Reuters
Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China
Rex
Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China
Reuters
Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China
Reuters
Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London
Getty
Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv
Getty
But Mr Kuo suggested that the new iPhone 8 will still be in extremely short supply when it hits the shelves, suggesting that it might sell out incredibly quickly. The company is only expected to make between two and four million of the phones this quarter, he said – a small number, given that Apple usually sells more than 200 million phones each year.
That production will increase quickly through 2017, meaning that Apple will have far more of the phones ready to go on sale towards the end of the year and into 2018. The high-end iPhone 8 or iPhone Pro is expected to eventually sell more than either the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, he said.
Apple is expected to unveil three iPhones at its traditional launch event in September. They will include the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, as expected – but also a whole new model, with a new design, that could be referred to as the iPhone 8, the iPhone Pro or something else entirely.
The iPhone 8 is expected to be far more expensive than any handset before, costing as much as $1,400 . For that, customers will get hold of a range of new features, including a display that sweeps all the way across the front of the handset and special depth-sensing technology .
The new phone will come in just three colours: black, silver and gold, he said. That is relatively conservative for Apple, but it might also choose to release new features in the middle of the year, like it did with its red iPhone.
Mr Kuo also suggested that all of the new phone models will include fast charging, which is currently only available in the iPad Pro. Like with the tablet, it's likely it will need a special wire and plug to actually use it, though.
Apple appeared to suggest during its most recent earnings call that the phone would be ready . It told analysts that it was expecting to make more money than predicted in the next quarter – something that would be very unlikely to happen if the phone was going to be delayed .
The company initially appeared to have done a great job at keeping any details of the iPhone 8 under wraps this year. But that was largely spoiled in recent weeks when someone at Apple accidentally uploaded software that included many details of the new phones .
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