Reports indicate that the release of the upcoming iPhone may be delayed due to the fact that Apple has not made a decision regarding the design and location of the device’s fingerprint sensor. According to Timothy Arcuri, a Cowen and Company analyst, the Cupertino, California-based tech giant is grappling with three design options and this could cause a delay of between one and two months.

One option could see the fingerprint sensor embedded just underneath the screen and a pinhole made through the display for an ultrasonic or optic sensor. There is also the option of having a film sensor integrated into the display. Though there initially had been speculation that the fingerprint sensor would be placed at the back of the device, this option is no longer being considered by Apple.

Wall Street sales estimates

Arcuri has also estimated that Apple will only manage to sell about 46 million iPhones in the first quarter following the release of the iPhone 8. This will be about two million devices less than the consensus on Wall Street. However, in the quarter that will follow, Arcuri has projected that the tech giant will sell about 90 million devices.

Regarding the iPhone 7S Plus and the iPhone 7S, Arcuri was, however, less certain only speculating that the launch of the 7S series would boost sales. Previous reports have indicated that the iPhone 7S Plus will have a display of 5.5 inches while the iPhone 7S will have a screen measuring 4.7 inches. Unlike the iPhone 8, the home button will be physical. It has also been speculated that they could offer wireless charging.

Tenth anniversary

Since Apple launched the iPhone 7 last year, the company received criticisms for the lack of anything revolutionary and this has placed enormous pressure on the tech giant to pack a futuristic design and cutting-edge technology in the next iPhone whose launch will coincide with the tenth anniversary of the iconic device. This has consequently led to endless speculation on exactly what features to expect in the iPhone 8. Some of the features that are expected in the iPhone 8 include support for augmented reality technology, 3D sensors and an OLED display.