Some rival smartphone manufacturers are waiting to see what features are introduced in the iPhone 8 before finalizing their own plans, according to chip suppliers …

Digitimes reports chip orders slowing ahead of the iPhone 8 launch at a time when they would normally be accelerating, suggesting more than usual interest in Apple’s flagship.

Chip orders from the non-Apple camp should have picked up starting April and grown through August, but orders seem to have been pushed back in 2017 as companies adopt a wait-and-see approach before the launch of Apple’s upcoming iPhones which they believe will come with revolutionary features, the sources indicated.

MediaTek and HiSilicon are two fabless chip firms which are said to have slowed the pace of their orders.

No specific end-clients were named, but it’s likely to be mainly Chinese manufacturers delaying orders until they have a clearer view of Apple’s plans.

The latest reports suggest that the iPhone 8/Pro will launch in September as usual with constrained supply, ramping up in October and early November. Earlier reports had claimed that Apple would delay the launch altogether until later in the year.

This year’s flagship iPhone is expected to have a near-bezel-free design, a glass back, thin stainless steel frame, and 3D camera capabilities front and rear.

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