Thursday Apple Rumors: iPhone 5S Launch Supply Constrained

by Christopher Freeburn | July 18, 2013 12:37 pm

daily apple rumors AAPL[1]Here are your Apple rumors[2] and AAPL news items for today:

Trouble: When Apple’s (AAPL[3]) much-anticipated new iPhone is unveiled later this year, there could be fewer of the smartphones available for consumers[4] than the company had originally planned, DigiTimes reports. According to unnamed insider sources, Apple’s supply chain partners have encountered difficulties producing the fingerprint scanner and LCD driver components for the iPhone 5S. The problems have forced the manufacturers to delay volume production of those parts until later this month. Apple’s plans had originally called for volume production on those components to commence in late June or early July. The production issues could mean that Apple will have as many as three million fewer iPhone 5S than it wanted at launch time. DigiTimes has a decidedly mixed records in regard to the accuracy of its reports relating to Apple. Most analysts expect the iPhone 5S to launch in September. However, a recent report claimed that Apple was considering a last minute change to the phone’s screen size, which could delay the launch until the end of the year. Apple experienced similar supply problems after the launch of the iPhone 5 last year when its manufacturing partners had difficulty mass producing the ultra-thin phone.

Ad-Free: Apple is working on technology that would allow Apple TV users to skip advertisements when watching TV shows[5], Bloomberg notes. The company has reportedly discussed the technology with TV broadcasters and pay-TV service providers and could potentially offer some form of payment for ads skipped by users. More than 13 million people own Apple’s current set-top box, but the company has long been rumored to be working on a more ambitious set-top system, possibly even its own television set. Rumors have circulated for some time that Apple has been negotiating with broadcasters and media companies about providing content to a new device. Satellite TV provider Dish Network (DISH[6]) offers ad-skipping technology in its Hopper TV set-top box. That has drawn lawsuits from Disney’s (DIS[7]) ABC, Comcast‘s (CMCSA[8]) NBC, CBS (CBS[9]) and News Corp.’s (NSWA[10]) Fox.

Changes: One of Apple’s biggest supply chain partners is looking to reduce its reliance on the iPhone-maker[11], Reuters notes. LG Display (LPL[12]) says it wants to expand its customer base in the mobile device screen market. Despite slowing mobile device shipments, LG Display still posted operating profits up 53% during the latest quarter, due to stabilizing prices in the flatscreen TV market. A company executive said that one LG customer accounted for a high portion of its smartphone component sales and that it was talking to other manufacturers in a bid to “gradually diversify our smartphone customers.”

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors[13] stories.

Endnotes:

  1. [Image]: https://investorplace.com/hot-topics/apple-rumors-stock-news/
  2. Apple rumors: https://investorplace.com/search/?q=Apple+Rumors&searchsubmit=Search
  3. AAPL: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=AAPL
  4. fewer of the smartphones available for consumers: http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20130716PD206.html?
  5. to skip advertisements when watching TV shows: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-16/apple-said-developing-ad-skipping-as-part-of-tv-strategy.html
  6. DISH: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=DISH
  7. DIS: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=DIS
  8. CMCSA: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=CMCSA
  9. CBS: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=CBS
  10. NSWA: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=NSWA
  11. reduce its reliance on the iPhone-maker: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/18/us-lgdisplay-earnings-idUSBRE96H07W20130718
  12. LPL: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=LPL
  13. Apple Rumors: https://investorplace.com/2012/04/hot-topics/apple-rumors-stock-news/

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