iPhone 6 update: production delays reported

Problems with the backlight for the display on Apple’s upcoming iPhone reportedly stopped production during part of June and July. That does not mean that Apple won’t be ready to announce a new iPhone at its Sept. 9 media event, but it could mean the company will have problems meeting demand for the new smartphone.
Apple is widely expected to announce two new phones on Sept. 9, one with a 4.7-inch screen and one with a huge 5.5-inch screen. (The 5s and 5c have 4-inch screens.) Apple’s traditional screen suppliers are Sharp, LG Display and Japan Display.
According to Reuters, a supply chain source said that Apple delayed itself by trying to make a thinner phone. The company reportedly tried to produce the 4.7-inch model with one layer of backlight film instead of the standard two layers. The screen was too dark, and production had to stop while the backlight was re-engineered to include two layers.
This is not the first time that screen problems have surfaced shortly before the launch of a new iPhone. When Apple’s in-cell touchscreen debuted two years ago with the iPhone 5, reports that screens were not shipping on time preceded the launch. But the iPhone 5 launched on time and Apple was able to meet demand.
U.S. carriers are counting on Apple to again come through with blockbuster smartphones and to be ready to ship as many as they can sell. As carriers slash prices for mobile data, they are seeing less service revenue per customer and are trying hard to make that up through the sale of devices. Device upgrades are key to this strategy.