The upcoming iPhone 8 is a highly-awaited device both by fans of the series and industry insiders. Countless rumors and speculations have almost ensured that most aspects of the impending handset are already known to people before the official launch of the device. The revolutionary design and completely re-conceptualized iPhone 8 will be Apple’s tenth anniversary edition and will perhaps show just how far the company has come since the launch of its first iPhone.

Even though, most features and specs that the handset will sport is known, there is one aspect regarding which there still remains some doubt in the minds of iPhone fans.

The flagship’s launch date still remains a mystery, with the whole industry divided in their opinions. Some say that Apple will unveil the handset in mid-September, just as it does every year, while other analysts feel that due to the limited availability of the OLED panels, the iPhone 8’s launch will be pushed back. Now, a new insight comes from another well placed analyst.

iPhone 8 launch and release

BMO Capital Markets analyst Tim Long has said that the Cupertino-based company will be launching the new flagship in September similar to other years. However, he also reinforced that Apple is currently facing shortages when it comes to the OLED panels, which are needed for the display. iPhone 8 is the first smartphone from the company to boast an Oled Display, where normally it ships devices with LCD displays.

Long, mentioned one way in which Apple may be able to launch the device in the stipulated period of time, while also ensuring that the supply of OLED panels does not become a major issue. Long believes that the company will produce a very limited number of iPhone 8 before launch and will release the devices in the market by the end of September or beginning of October.

Long said in a note to investors that he believes that Apple will release the limited quantities at first and will then ramp up production for the handset. This will mean that most stores will run out of the smartphone before the Christmas holidays. According to the analyst’s report, these stock-outs will continue into the first half of 2018.

Long based his assumptions on his own checks over Apple’s supply chains.

Price of the iPhone 8

Long’s assertions if true would mean that even though the handset is rumored to bear a price tag of over $1000, it will still be available in limited quantities at launch. Some reports have indicated that the brand new features such as the OLED display, 3D facial recognition, and iris scanning capabilities will result in the device sporting $1100 price tags. The higher variant of the device is expected to set customers back by $1200 according to recent estimates.