With only days to go until Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expected to hold its big September event, iPhone leaks are ramping up. The latest are components reportedly from both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 7s.
If authentic, they reveal additional details about the devices AAPL will be unveiling.
AAPL stock isn’t usually affected by these parts that are smuggled out of the company’s supply chain, but it continues its summer-long rise in anticipation of the launch of the new iPhones.
iPhone Leaks: iPhone 8 Motherboard, Display and Slower Qi Wireless Charging
With launch day getting closer, Apple is apparently having trouble keeping the lid on its supply chain. Over the weekend, a flurry of components purported to be from the iPhone 8 surfaced online. Included in the latest photos of parts that were smuggled out of the company’s Chinese supply chain are a stacked motherboard for the iPhone 8, as well as the new iPhone’s entire screen assembly — including its OLED display.
These components appear to confirm the growing speculation about the 10th anniversary iPhone’s key distinguishing feature: an edge-to-edge OLED display that eliminates the home button.
A second round of iPhone leaks was a little more puzzling. Apple has widely been expected to adopt wireless charging for the iPhone 8. That’s one of the reasons the company is apparently moving to a glass back for the new iPhone. But a Japanese website (via AppleInsider) reported over the weekend that Apple is sticking with an older Qi wireless charging standard.
If true, this would put Samsung Electronics Galaxy S8 and new Galaxy Note 8 at a competitive advantage for something AAPL is expected to promote as a key feature. Both of these devices — as well as last year’s Galaxy S7 — support the newer Qi 1.2 standard, which means much faster wireless charging than the iPhone 8 will offer.
In addition, the website claims the iPhone 8 will not support third party wireless chargers unless they are MFi certified with an Apple chip. That would eliminate popular options like Ikea’s line of furniture with built-in Qi charge pads, at least unless it chooses to release MFi versions …
These may not be deal breakers given that many people charge their smartphone overnight and stick to Apple’s own accessories, but any areas where the competition can point to the new iPhone as being several years behind the curve could have sales implications — which in turn could impact AAPL stock.
iPhone Leaks: iPhone 7s to get A11
Also leaked over the weekend were the logic board and A11 CPU for the iPhone 7s, the other new iPhone Apple will be launching this fall. While the iPhone 7s has received nowhere near the attention that the iPhone 8 has (and there have been correspondingly few iPhone leaks related to it), the followup to last year’s iPhone 7 is also expected to be a big seller.
The good news for those without deep enough pockets to afford the premium priced iPhone 8 is that with the same A11 CPU as Apple’s new flagship, the iPhone 7s should offer comparable speed. The iPhone 7s is expected to appeal to mainstream smartphone buyers, so this move should go a long way toward keeping people in the Apple camp instead of buying a Galaxy S8 if they can’t afford the iPhone 8. That means more sales, more revenue and more growth potential for AAPL stock …
With the clock ticking down to September’s Apple event, stay tuned for more iPhone leaks. They’re coming fast and furious and painting an increasingly detailed picture of what Apple CEO Tim Cook will be showing off on stage.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
