iPhone 8’s Touch ID could be in trouble and launch might be late

It’s not a good day for iPhone 8 rumors, as several pieces of potentially bad news have come to light, including the possibility that the iPhone 8 won’t have a fingerprint scanner at all.

Previous rumors were suggesting that the Touch ID scanner would be built into the screen, but we’ve heard that this is proving challenging, and now Mac Otakara has chimed in, saying that it’s looking unlikely.

That needn’t be the end of the world, as a rear-facing scanner or one built into the power button had also previously been put forward as possibilities, but the site adds that based on Taiwanese supplier information the power button lacks the parts needed for a fingerprint sensor, so that too looks unlikely.

Instead, the iPhone 8 might rely on a new facial recognition system – a feature which has also been rumored before, but which was previously assumed to be included in addition to a Touch ID sensor.

An image of a screen protector supposedly for the iPhone 8 and obtained by the site supports the addition of facial scanning, due to additional cut-outs, but doesn’t mean that there won’t also be a fingerprint scanner. And we seriously doubt that Apple would launch a new phone without Touch ID, so take this information with a whole bucket of salt.

Delays and color troubles

The same site has more bad news though, also reporting that the iPhone 8 may not launch until October or November, based on information from various suppliers and accessory makers, and that when it does it might land in limited numbers.

We’ve heard talk of production delays before, but most recent sources seemed to be under the impression that the iPhone 8 would still get a September launch. So again, take this with a pinch of salt.

And finally, the site claims that the iPhone 8’s front frame may only be available in black, with a white version supposedly not possible and potentially few color options for the rear, though it doesn’t explain why this would be the case.

The good news for anyone interested in the iPhone 8 is that rumors are just that, and Mac Otakara’s track record is mixed, so we wouldn’t give up hope of lighter shades (or Touch ID and a September launch) just yet.