Previously a rumour had surfaced regarding the iPhone 8 that Apple's anniversary edition premium smartphone will boast a fingerprint sensor but now KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Andy Hargreaves has suggested in a new note that Apple still hasn't figured out a way to incorporate a fingerprint reader in their iPhone.
Apple has been battling this particular problem since a long time now and it might delay the launch of their most high-end iPhone's launch beyond the expected September date this year.
Apple's iPhone 7s and 7s Plus are however still projected to offer the fingerprint reader as they will have smaller industrial designs.
According to Hargreaves, Apple might have to cancel the idea of fingerprint sensor for their upcoming iPhone altogether or include the facial recognition feature and if Apple goes ahead with it, the cost of the phone will further rise "above our current expectation". And as per Hargreaves it "could put F2018 gross margin at risk."
"We do not believe facial recognition would be initially qualified as an acceptable verification method for Apple Pay. While Apple could achieve this over time, the likelihood for an initial lack of Apple Pay could adversely affect demand," said Andy Hargreaves.
He also added that it appears to be quite likely that Apple will ditch the fingerprint concept entirely for now and focus on getting the iPhone out to the market sooner. If the Cupertino-based tech giant keeps working on the problem it will push the production from September to October or even early November, opines Hargreaves.
