Other smartphones joining Apple's iPhone X with 3D sensor module delays

Apple's iPhone X — the first iPhone with a "TrueDepth" camera — may not be the only smartphone suffering from problems with 3D sensor production, as shipments for competing products are also reportedly being delayed.

Chinese vendors Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo are nominally scheduled to launch 3D sensor-equipped phones in the fourth quarter of 2017, but are having to delay shipments until the first half of 2018 due to low yield rates for modules produced by a Qualcomm/Himax partnership, DigiTimes sources said on Thursday. The people also claimed that Apple has downgraded its December-quarter shipment forecasts for the iPhone X, something consistent with recent analyst estimates.

Three separate reports have claimed that the TrueDepth camera is creating production bottlenecks. Most recently, the Wall Street Journal said that the camera includes two components — dubbed "Romeo" and "Juliet" — the former of which is more difficult to make, and hence creating a supply imbalance.

The camera is a major selling point of the iPhone X, enabling the Face ID system for tasks like unlocking the phone and using Apple Pay. It also supports animoji in Messages.

Industry-wide problems could give Apple an edge, since the company is nevertheless planning to ship the iPhone X on Nov. 3, following a preorder period starting Oct. 27. It will however cost at least $999, with a 256-gigabyte model coming in at $1,149.

37 Comments

ddawson100 532 comments · 16 Years

About 7 years ago

From my balcony: Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo. Deny Xiomi and Oppo and refuse Vivo., Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love. [with some credit to Shakespeare]

DanielEran 290 comments · 9 Years

From the end of the Digitimes report: "Nevertheless, it would take a longer time for smartphone vendors to establish the relevant application ecosystem, involving firmware, software and apps, needed to support the performance of 3D sensing modules than to support the function of fingerprint recognition or touch control. This will constitute the largest barrier to the incorporation of 3D sensors into smartphones, the sources continued."

tzeshan 2350 comments · 14 Years

Tim Cook is adopting an immature technology.

tshapi 372 comments · 13 Years

tzeshan said:

Tim Cook is adopting an immature technology.

Not true. Cook is miniaturizing already existing technologies and combining them into one seemless product.

slurpy 5388 comments · 15 Years

tzeshan said:

Tim Cook is adopting an immature technology.

Says who? No doubt Apple execs have been living with this phone for months as their daily driver, and they wouldn't release it if it didn't work perfectly or near-perfectly for them. Oh, and if you weren't adopting that narrative, you'd be saying Apple is "sitting on their asses", "not-innovating", and "late to the party", etc. Touch ID was mocked and fear-mongered when it was unveiled as well, with people coming up with all kinds of scenarios where it "wouldn't work". Face ID will work seamlessly for 99.999% of people.