Problems with the camera of the iPhone 14 plague Apple's supply chain

While most of the tech community has set its sights on Samsung, given that the Korean tech giant is set to release its newest foldables in the beginning of August, some smartphone enthusiasts are already looking forward to September - especially Apple fans.

Apple is known for its consistency and predictability, hence there is much less room for speculation when it comes to release dates as opposed to Android manufactures. The new iPhones invariably make their debut in mid-September, period.

However, every year, as September draws nearer, practical problems often arise with Apple’s supply chain. 2022 is no exception. Last week, we covered reports concerning issues with two hardware components (the memory and panels of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max), which have since been ostensibly overcome.

This time around, the new set of difficulties concern the camera modules of the next iPhones. The rear camera lenses supplied by Genius in particular are suffering from quality issues, due to a “coating-crack” problem. This information was first brought to light by prominent Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a tweet, and has since been covered by MacRumors.

Kuo’s assessment is that the issues are unlikely to impede general production. In the short term, another camera supplier, Largan, will step in to fill the gap. According to Kuo, it will take “1-2 months” for Genius to resolve the issue so that production could continue as usual.

Even in the event that Genius fails to solve the problem, Largan should still theoretically be capable of handling the supply, predicts Kuo. All in all, the supply chain should remain relatively stable.

This is good news for everyone looking forward to buying the new iPhone 14. Given that the demand for Apple’s upcoming smartphones is projected to increase, no one wants to see shortages and delays.