Amid rumors of delays in iPhone X production due to low yields of 3D camera components necessary for the device’s Face ID, Bloomberg is reporting that Apple loosened its requirements for the accuracy of the components to increase supplies ahead of next week’s launch. People familiar with the discussions said the company quietly informed suppliers that they could “reduce the accuracy of the face-recognition technology to make it easier to manufacture.” As recently as a month ago Foxconn pulled as many as 200 workers off an iPhone X assembly line because there weren’t enough of the delicate sensor components to justify their staffing levels.
Apple also lost a key laser supplier — Finisar Corp.
— when that company failed to meet requirements early on, leaving Apple to rely on its other two suppliers to pick up the slack. Relaxing the requirements resulted in less time spent testing completed modules, and it’s unclear if this will have any noticeable impact on the performance of Face ID.
Apple has said there will be a supply in retail locations next Friday, but advised customers to “arrive early,” hinting that the company is well aware of its supply constraints.
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