Apple has encountered a serious issue with building displays for its next-generation iPhone just as it's gearing up to launch next month, forcing suppliers to redesign a key component, according to a new report.
Members of Apple's supply chain are reportedly "scrambling to get enough screens ready" for the company's so-called "iPhone 6," according to Reuters. The report said the latest issue comes "on the heels of a separate screen technology problem" that was associated with making the new screens thinner, but has apparently been resolved.
The previous problem, according to two supply chain sources, centered around the backlight of the "iPhone 6," which previously caused display production to be put on hold in June and July. Apple apparently wanted to use a single backlight module to make the screen as thin as possible, but the displays were not bright enough and Apple had to find a way to fit a second layer.
Details on the latest issue, however, were scant, simply referring to a "key component."
Sources who spoke with the news outlet said it was "unclear" whether the problems could "delay the launch or limited the number of phones initially available to customers." The report reaffirmed widely expected details about the next iPhone: That it will be unveiled Sept. 9, and it will come in screen sizes of 4.7 and 5.5 inches.
There have been a number of reports discussing the potential for manufacturing issues with Apple's next iPhone, but most of them have centered around the larger 5.5-inch model, suggesting it might arrive later than the 4.7-inch version.
Apple is rumored to be planning a media event for Sept. 9 to launch its next iPhone, but of course nothing has been made official by the company, which typically announces its events a week in advance. If Apple does hold to that date, history suggests the "iPhone 6" would first arrive in consumers' hands the following Friday, Sept. 19.