Apple may deviate from its long-reigning trend of releasing iPhone devices in September if recently surfaced rumors about the iPhone 8's delayed launch are anything to go by.

Apple iPhone 8 Release Date Delayed?

A new report coming from the Chinese-language Economic Daily News (via CNBC) suggest the next iPhone is unlikely to hit the store shelve before October or November. For those unaware, Economic Daily News has a reputation of leaking exclusive shreds of information related to the Cupertino-based tech titan.

The report attributes the delayed launch to supply chain issues, which is quite understandable considering a large volume of iPhone components is made in China. Aside from that, technical issues circling the lamination process of the device's curved OLED panels are likely to cause further delay in iPhone 8 launch.

Meanwhile, a citation from veteran Apple analyst Brian White's research note -- in collaboration with Drexel Hamilton, an investment banking firm (via MacRumors) suggest Apple's long-rumored trio of upcoming iPhones including the standard 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models as well as a newfangled 5.8-inch model with an OLED display, will be up for pre-orders in September. The theory; however, claims that the 5.8-inch model will make an appearance several weeks later.

The unnamed sources claim the launch of the 5.8-inch iPhone 8 will be postponed for several weeks due to 3D sensing technology related challenges. Nevertheless, the tipster says the iPhone model will be in time for the December holidays.

White's prediction coincides with recently surfaced supply chain information acquired by the research division of Barclays. Interestingly, the bank too points to a September launch for Apple's first iPhone with an OLED display. But the report suggests a considerable amount of stock may not be available until later in Q4 2017.

Apple iPhone 8 Leaks

More leaks in the form of new drawings of the iPhone 8 coming from Asia and originally posted on Weibo (via BGR) by a leaker known as KK seems to divulge some interesting details about the next iPhone's design. There's word floating around that the aforesaid drawings have been made by a Foxconn employee who allegedly had an opportunity to delve into Apple's plans for the highly anticipated iPhone.

The standard home button on the front side is missing, and there's no rear-mounted standalone fingerprint sensor, meaning, Apple could be gearing up to embed the Touch ID sensor on the screen. There's a dual camera setup on the front, but there's a possibility that one of those big openings shown in the drawings could house the 3D sensor. Furthermore, there's a vertically-positioned dual camera on the back, just like it is on the iPhone 7 Plus (the larger sibling of the iPhone 7).

While Apple has neither confirmed nor denied these rumors; more concrete details are likely to surface online ahead of the purported iPhone 8's release date. Watch this space for more iPhone-related news and updates!