iPhone 5S Specs Rumors: Sharp to Start LCD Production for Next Apple Smartphone

Apple's next smartphone will allegedly have a component manufactured by a struggling company.

Sharp has been reported to have signed up with Apple to building the iPhone 5S's display. According to Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun of Japan, Sharp will use their Kameyama Plant No. 1 to construct LCDs.

As Apple Insider noted, "The Kameyama facility has seen poor utilization rates as Sharp's LCD business waned in 2012, with the plant's use dropping to some 40 percent of its 600-million unit per month maximum capacity."

Sharp won't be alone in supplying display components. Japan Daily reported Sony, Toshiba, LG Display, and Hitachi have been tapped to product displays as well.

Apple hasn't commented on a release date for the next iPhone, but CEO Tim Cook provided a subtle hint.

"Our teams are hard at work on some amazing new hardware, software and services we can't wait to introduce this fall and throughout 2014," said Cook. "I don't want to be more specific, I'm just saying we've got some really good stuff coming in the fall and in all of 2014."

Since then, it appears analysts have rearranged their forecasts and projections.

Citigroup Capital Markets' Glen Yeung stated Apple will delay the iPhone 5S from June or July to approximately August or September. However, Yeung noted volume production problems will likely create the delay.

According to France's NoWhereElse, a document from Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI stated a July release date is set with pre-orders going as early as June 20. The document's findings are similar to a report by MacFan, which stated Apple will hold an event on Thursday, June 20, to showcase the iPhone 5S. In addition, they added iPhone 5S is expected to go on sale in early July.