iPhone 8 final design ‘revealed’ – but those production delay rumours just won’t go away

A new report claims to reveal the iPhone 8’s final design – but Apple’s next flagship could still see its release delayed.
The iPhone rumour mill continues to churn merrily away, with the latest gossip suggesting that Apple’s iconic smartphone is indeed due for a massive 10th anniversary design overhaul, as we’ve been predicting for some time now.
That’s according to Forbes, which has published a new series of iPhone 8 renders.
The images in question are the work of Forbes contributor Gordon Kelly and high-end Apple accessory maker Nodus, who say they are based on CAD (computer-aided design) files obtained direct from the iPhone 8 supply chain.
A couple of things stand out about the photos, namely that – if accurate, and as with all rumours, we stress this is a big ‘if’ – they show the iPhone 8 adopting a vertical dual-camera configuration on the rear. This is in contrast to the horizontal alignment found on the iPhone 7 Plus.
Additionally, the site says the renders ‘confirm’ that the iPhone 8 will feature a significantly reduced bezel – and that Apple will integrate its Touch ID fingerprint scanner into the device’s power button, rather than directly into the phone’s display.
But don’t get too excited, as you might not be able to get hold of the iPhone 8 any time soon.
A further report from China’s Economic Daily News (H/T DigiTimes) claims that the redesigned Apple handset – which is also being tipped to introduce an OLED display – won’t actually be released until November or December due to delays.
It says that Apple’s two main ODMs, Foxconn and Pegatron, are still yet to enter ‘volume production’ of the iPhone 8, and that when it does appear later this year, it will be in very limited quantities.
Even the more incremental iPhone 7S upgrade might be released a month or two later than usual, the report adds.
Whatever the case, we’re still expecting to see Apple unveil its new 2018 handsets at a September launch event as in previous years, though when they actually enter the wild continues to be the subject of considerable debate.
Related: Best smartphones
Tell us what you think of the latest iPhone 8 renders in the comments below.