• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

Apple Has an iPhone 8 Problem

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 15, 2017, 9:00 AM ET

Apple is reportedly planning three new iPhones for later this year—but one of them may be in trouble.

Over the last several days, several news reports have suggested that the iPhone 8, the unofficial name used to describe Apple’s next big smartphone, could be delayed. Those reports suggest the company is facing problems in its supply chain and technical troubles with critical features like a fingerprint sensor integrated into the display. All the while, Apple is said to be pressuring its suppliers and employees to get the phone ready in time for an as-yet-announced September unveiling.

But Apple’s week wasn’t just dominated by iPhone news. Use of the company’s virtual personal assistant Siri has fallen in the last year, according to a report, and Apple has made a big change to how customers pay for apps and music through digital services like its App Store.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Read on for the week’s biggest Apple news:

This is Fortune’s weekly roundup of the biggest Apple news this week. To see last week’s roundup, click here.

  1. Apple’s iPhone 8 may have a fingerprint sensor built directly into its screen. However, KeyBank Capital Markets analyst Andy Hargreaves told investors in a note this week that the fingerprint sensor isn’t working properly, and that Apple’s supplier partners are scrambling to get it to work. He said that Apple and its suppliers have only a few weeks to fix the problem or face the possibility of delaying the handset’s release. Apple may also opt to remove the fingerprint sensor altogether and instead rely on a face-scanning feature to verify purchases and to let users access the smartphone’s software.
  2. Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts Wamsi Mohan and Stefano Pascale followed that report this week with a note of their own, claiming Apple’s iPhone 8 could be delayed for three to four weeks. The analysts, who visited companies in Apple’s supply chain, said that Apple is “working through” problems with the fingerprint sensor and 3-D face-scanner. Again, the analysts said Apple and its suppliers are working to fix the problems before it’s too late.
  3. Apple unveiled new back to school deals for students, educators, and parents. Customers who buy an iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air through the program will receive their choice of a free pair of Beats Sol3, Powerbeats3, or BeatsX headphones. Apple is offering a 50% discount to students, parents, and educators on Beats Solo3 headphones with the purchase of an iPad Pro.
  4. Apple has made it possible to use PayPal in its App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes store. The feature will allow users to enter their PayPal credentials to make a payment rather than a credit card, debit card, or gift card. The feature is available in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and several European countries.
  5. Between May 2016 and May 2016, Apple’s virtual personal assistant Siri lost 7.3 million monthly users, or about 15% of its total U.S. user base, according to data from researcher Verto analytics. However, at 41.4 million monthly unique users, Siri is the most popular virtual personal assistant.
  6. Apple has taken its fight with graphics maker Imagination Technologies to another level by opening a 22,500-square-foot office just minutes from Imagination’s headquarters in London. While Apple hasn’t acknowledged the move, it’s viewed as a shot over Imagination’s bow, and an attempt by the iPhone maker to attract Imagination employees for its own graphics efforts. Apple and Imagination are embroiled in a legal spat following the iPhone maker’s decision to stop sourcing graphics technology for its iPhones from Imagination. Since then, Imagination’s shares have plummeted and the company is for sale.

One more thing…Apple announced this week that it’s building a data center in China. The move will allow it to comply with a new Chinese law that requires all foreign companies wanting to do business there to open data centers in the country so they can store user data there.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
Fortune Secondary Logo
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Bankinginvestment banking
DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank, partners with VC giant Granite Asia to counter the region’s lack of capital
By Angelica Ang and Andrew StaplesFebruary 22, 2026
3 hours ago
daron acemoglu
AILayoffs
The Nobel laureate who co-wrote ‘Why Nations Fail’ warns U.S. democracy won’t survive unless these two things change
By Jake AngeloFebruary 22, 2026
17 hours ago
jesse
CommentaryDEI
A decade ago, I had a front row seat as Jesse Jackson held big tech firms accountable for being overwhelmingly white and male
By Brennan Nevada JohnsonFebruary 22, 2026
17 hours ago
Man wearing a suit awkwardly takes a video call on a laptop
Future of WorkInterview
Recruiter reveals broken Zoom interview etiquette: bathrobes, yoga, and outsourcing thinking to AI
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 22, 2026
18 hours ago
werfel
CommentaryTaxes
Former IRS Commissioner: Here’s how we used AI to create immediate value when taxpayers scrutinized every dollar
By Danny WerfelFebruary 22, 2026
19 hours ago
LawMedia
DOJ probes Netflix’s power over filmmakers in Warner deal review
By Josh Sisco and BloombergFebruary 21, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 21, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
New Fed report proves Milton Friedman and Joe Biden understood something vital about immigration—and explains why growth may sputter under Trump
By Shawn TullyFebruary 22, 2026
19 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Startups & Venture
'I have a chip on my shoulder.' Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with 'no ties to my privilege or my last name'
By Sydney LakeFebruary 21, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Peter Thiel and other tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 21, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
40% of Stanford undergrads receive disability accommodations—but it's become a college-wide phenomenon as Gen Z try to succeed in the current climate
By Preston ForeFebruary 21, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
The Nobel laureate who co-wrote 'Why Nations Fail' warns U.S. democracy won't survive unless these two things change
By Jake AngeloFebruary 22, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.