WSJ Says iPhone X's Production Issues Due to Fewer 'Romeo' Than 'Juliet' Modules

The Wall Street Journal reports that iPhone X production issues were due to a supply imbalance of components dubbed Romeo and Juliet.

truedepth labeled
The report, citing people familiar with the situation, claims it has taken more time to assemble the Romeo module than the Juliet module, both part of the iPhone X's new TrueDepth facial recognition system for Face ID.

The so-called Romeo module reportedly includes the dot projector that beams more than 30,000 invisible dots to create a precise depth map of your face, while the Juliet module includes the infrared camera that analyzes the pattern.

Earlier this week, both KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and sources speaking with Nikkei Asian Review said the TrueDepth system has indeed been a significant bottleneck for Apple suppliers manufacturing the iPhone X.

One of The Wall Street Journal's sources said the assembly process is now moving smoothly, but the production issues add to concerns about extended shortages when iPhone X sales begin in early November.

iPhone X pre-orders begin October 27, and the device officially launches November 3.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped

Monday April 14, 2025 3:12 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them. According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
iPad Pro iPadOS

iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

Sunday April 13, 2025 6:43 am PDT by
A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware. That could soon change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS." Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:Improved productivity Improved multitasking Improved app window management...
Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta

Vision Pro 2 Rumored to Have Two Key Advantages Over Current Model

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:15 am PDT by
Apple is working on a new version of the Vision Pro with two key advantages over the current model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, in his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing a new headset that is both lighter and less expensive than the current Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499 in the U.S. and weighs up to 1.5 pounds. Gurman said Apple is also...
Apple Bristol Current

An Apple Store in the UK is Permanently Closing Later This Year

Monday April 14, 2025 7:33 am PDT by
Apple has confirmed that it will be permanently closing its retail store in the heart of Bristol, England, and there is no replacement in sight. Apple Bristol in 2023 Apple Bristol will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 9, due to redevelopment plans at the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, and the adjacent Bristol Shopping Quarter. According to news reports, and a building application, the ...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...

Top Rated Comments

jonnyb Avatar
99 months ago
“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Exile714 Avatar
99 months ago
Whatever. TouchID will be back next year..
Just like the headphone jack, right? Because Apple’s not stubborn and it totally makes sense for them to backtrack on device features like that...

Honestly, if FaceID works as promised, why would you even need TouchID? There’s no added benefit unless FaceID is a total failure, and even if it is (which I wouldn’t bet on), Apple would probably throw money at fixing its issues rather than roll back their devices to what they are already treating as an inferior solution.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wanted797 Avatar
99 months ago
Whatever. TouchID will be back next year..
No it won’t.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ck2875 Avatar
99 months ago
Well at least everything worked out well in the end for Romeo and Juliet.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dlewis23 Avatar
99 months ago
Whatever. TouchID will be back next year..
Chances are its not, and FaceID will end up being on the iPad and Mac with in a couple years.

All iOS devices will eventually become a bezel-list device with the FaceID sensors under the display and a gesture based UI.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BMcCoy Avatar
99 months ago
Whatever. TouchID will be back next year..
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)