Both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 7S series will start selling on October 2017 following the official announcement the month before or September, new reports said, belying earlier claims that rollout of the iPhone will not happen until late in the year or early 2018.

Taiwanese publication DigiTimes reported this week that mass production of the A11 mobile processing chip that will power the 2017 iPhone upgrades will commence June 10, en route to the delivery of volume quantity to iPhone assemblers by middle of July. In the same month, Apple's manufacturing partners are expected to begin their large-scale production activities.

DigiTimes also said on its report that Foxconn, Pegatron and Winstron are currently on hiring spree mode, indicating the device makers' preparation for the wholesale assembly of the next iPhone release.

The new information contradicted with the earlier reports that due to low yield rates and component production problems mass assembly of the 2017 iPhones will not start until August or September this year, possibly leading to push back on the product launch date. Speculations are rife only the iPhone 7S series will hit the market on time and the iPhone 8 will be delayed by a number of months.

According to MacRumors, the radically redesigned iPhone 8 will be in short supply following its commercial debut due to the use of OLED display and 3D sensor. The same report cited a recent note from reputed Apple watcher Ming-chi Kuo - that in light of the supply and production issues plaguing the iPhone 8, the device will not be available the closing months of 2017.

A number of analysts even predicted that Apple fans will have to make do with the iPhone 7S series this year as the perceived iPhone 8 supply shortage is not seen to be resolved until January next year, at the earliest.

On release date, the iPhone 7S series is said to mirror the general build and design of the immediate predecessor but with significant inside component upgrades. The iPhone 8, on the other hand, will be unpacked boasting of an all-screen profile, 3D sensing technology for both the virtual control keys and cameras and wireless charging.