iOS 7 and Fingerprint Sensor Integration Causing iPhone 5S Production Delays [Digitimes]

Apple likely will face production issues with the iPhone 5S, Digitimes reports. This year the rumoured fingerprint sensor is the root of the trouble, which will hold production back: 3-4 million units instead of 10 million, as originally planned.

fingerprint

According to the hit-or-miss Taiwanese news agency, mass production of the fingerprint sensor originally was scheduled to begin in May. The two key players are TSMC, AuthenTec’s earlier partner, and Xintec, a TSMC subsidiary, which handles the packaging.

At issue is something that delayed the integration between iOS 7 and fingerprint chips and the issue is “helped” by a low yield rate at packaging firm Xintec, the sources speaking with Digitimes revealed.

Apple, however, has sent a team to Xintec to resolve the issue.

An engineering team composed of engineers from Apple and TSMC has been dispatched to Xintec recently to help ramp up the yield rate for the packaging of fingerprint sensors, revealed the sources, adding that the supply chain will be able to start volume production of fingerprint chips at the end of August.

Everything looks to be solved, though, as the report closes by claiming that iPhone 5S production will reach 28-30 million units in the holiday quarter.

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