Vernee delays Apollo 2 launch due to low 10 nm SoC yields

Since MediaTek is unable to manufacturer 10 nm FinFET SoCs in sufficient quantities on its own, the Chinese manufacturer has been facing the same fabrication hurdles as Samsung and Qualcomm with the upcoming Helio X30 SoC. The delay in chip production for these new processors has directly impacted the launch window of the Galaxy S8 and other high-end smartphones sporting next generation SoCs.

Despite the ongoing battle for higher chip yields, Vernee announced two weeks ago that its upcoming Apollo 2 smartphone would be the first to ship with the 10 nm Helio X30 SoC. The company is standing firm on its promise and showed off a prototype of the smartphone at this year's MWC. Furthermore, Vernee has clarified that the Apollo 2 will not launch this month as previously planned and will instead be delayed by two months for a launch this May. Production yields for 10 nm SoCs are expected to pick up in the following months to satisfy the demands of other major smartphone manufacturers.

The Apollo 2 will launch in 6 GB and 8 GB RAM variants with up to 128 GB of internal storage space. Retail prices are likely to start at about $300 USD.

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