iPhone 5S Reportedly Delayed Due to Fingerprint Tech

The iPhone 5S release could see a delay of one to two months according to multiple sources, and the latest rumor claims this is due in part to issues with the rumored iPhone 5S fingerprint reader.

Apple is reportedly working on the next iPhone, which could carry the iPhone 5S name, and despite earlier leaks which claimed iPhone 5S production would start by June, but the most recent supply chain leaks point to a date later than June.

Reuters sources claim Apple’s inability to find a coating that doesn’t interfere with a home button fingerprint reader is to blame. The issues could push the delay beyond June.

Despite these claims, Foxconn is reportedly hiring as many as 10,000 workers a week to prepare for the upcoming iPhone 5S production kick off.

This morning in a note predicting the iPhone 6 will not make an appearance in 2013, Citi analyst Glen Yeung claims the iPhone 5S production will slip to at least July. Yeung adds, we now believe that a further 1 to 2-month delay (from July to August or September) is possible”, in a note shared on Cnet. Citi blames “volume production issues” for the delay.

These rumors come on the heels of predictions about which suppliers Apple is working with for an embedded fingerprint reader and predictions from KGI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that push the iPhone 5S release as late as November.

While there is no concrete evidence, multiple analysts predicting a similar delay in iPhone 5S production may signal Apple will not be able to deliver the iPhone 5S as soon as it hoped. If these production rumors are accurate, a summer iPhone 5S release is unlikely.

While analysts talk about iPhone 5S release delays, Apple did not set a target date for the smartphone, and the company is shifting iPhone release dates within several months for the last three years.

Read: iPhone 5S: Five Things to Know Pre-Launch

The biggest casualty in an iPhone 5S release ‘delay’ could be the iOS 7 release date. Apple normally releases a new major version of iOS days ahead of a new iPhone. If the iPhone 5S does not arrive until November, users may be on iOS 6 for over a year with no major feature additions.

Apple is expected to announce iOS 7 at WWDC 2013, likely in June. This new version of IOS is reportedly behind due to a massive overhaul, which required Apple to pull software engineers from the new version of OS X.

The iPhone 5S reportedly shares a similar design to the iPhone 5 and the same 4-inch display. Some sources point to an iPhone 5S with a new camera, faster processor and new color options. Other popular rumors include the use of NFC technology which could pair with a fingerprint reader for a secure mobile payment system.