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Supply-chain sources corroborate KGI report of Face ID in all three 2018 iPhones

KGI said back in October of last year it was likely that Apple would bring Face ID to all three of this year’s new iPhone models, and this is supported by two new supply-chain reports today.

The reports says that Face ID is coming to the LCD iPhone as well as the flagship OLED ones, and that Apple is diversifying suppliers for the 3D face recognition modules needed for the feature …

Both ETNews and The Korea Herald say that LG Innotek will remain the primary supplier of the module, but Sharp will no longer be included – the latter source saying that the supplier ‘failed to renew the deal.’

Apple is said to be bringing aboard two unnamed Chinese suppliers.

We have learned that Apple selected two Chinese companies, one a growing smartphone component company, the other a popular semiconductor packaging firm. We’ve heard that LG Innotek will be the biggest vendor of the three, with the two Chinese companies picking up the balance of the orders.

Evidence for Face ID throughout this year’s iPhone range is growing. Primary supplier LG Innotek announced last month that it was investing more than $800M into ‘camera modules for mobile devices and new technologies for modules.’ Although it declined to name the customer, it is widely believed that this is to boost capacity for this year’s iPhones.

Last year’s KGI report said that Face ID will be a key selling point of the 2018 iPhone line-up, with Apple abandoning altogether Touch ID.

Although some iPhone owners have expressed reservations about giving up Touch ID, the overwhelming view among iPhone X owners has been that they were immediately converted and would never want to go back.

Photo: idownloadblog


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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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