Apple supplier says iPhone 12 launch WILL be delayed until October at the earliest due to coronavirus pandemic
- iPhone 12 launch is set to be pushed back by at least a month to October 2020
- Apple and its component supplier Broadcom have been hit by the coronavirus
- Broadcom’s CEO referred to a ‘large North American’ phone client impacted
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
A supplier to Apple has revealed that the tech giant’s upcoming iPhone will be delayed from its usual September launch, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
US hardware manufacturer Broadcom, which develops chips for the iPhone and other Apple mobile devices, spoke of a ‘major product cycle delay’ on Thursday.
While Apple wasn’t named explicitly, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan referred to a ‘large North American mobile phone’ client during his company’s earnings call.
Tan – who often refers to Apple this way, according to Bloomberg – suggested the device wouldn’t be released to consumers until the last three months of 2020.
The new information corroborates other reports from respected Apple insiders that Apple’s new high-end device will be delayed by at least a month.
Apple and its component supplier Broadcom have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which could push back the launch of the iPhone 12 by more than a month from the company’s usual September release
Broadcom itself will be suffering from a business ‘trough’ during the third quarter (Q3) of the year due to delays in supplying its products.
A rise in revenue from its wireless chips, which it supplies to Apple for iPhones to connect to Wi-Fi, will happen one quarter later than usual, he said.
‘We’re designing, obviously, [wireless chips] in those big flagship phones in our large North American phone maker,’ Tan told analysts during Thursday’s earnings call.
‘We believe because of product cycle delays, the trough for our fiscal year will be Q3 this coming quarter.
‘Nothing has changed in terms of designs.’
The delay has been caused by the economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic – including some closed factories as part of social distancing measures.
Employees work on the assembly line at Hon Hai Group’s Foxconn plant in Shenzhen. The company had to close factories due to coronavirus
Broadcom had warned customers they’ll need to place orders for parts at least six months ahead of time, Bloomberg reported in April, while other reports revealed Apple’s concerns over reduced operations at Broadcom’s Fort Collins plant in Colorado.
Nearly 20 per cent of Broadcom’s revenue in 2019 came from Apple, which was the first big tech firm to say the epidemic was hurting its production and demand in China.
Broadcom also entered into to two multi-year agreements worth as much as $15 billion in revenue to supply Apple with wireless components.
Meanwhile, Apple’s primary assembler, Taiwan-based Foxconn, said it will be ready to meet demand for Apple’s typical September launch, but factors in other parts of Apple’s supply chain may hinder that timeline.
Apple’s iPhone 12 could be completely wireless, meaning users will not receive a free pair of earbuds and be forced to purchase the firm’s $159 AirPods
The coronavirus forced Foxconn to shut down temporarily from March, leading many to believe the tech giant’s next handset would be delayed.
Foxconn has now resumed most of its operations and hired enough staff to meet ‘seasonal demand’, but had noted it still ‘has a long way to go’ before returning to full production.
Analysts expect Apple to release a range of 5G iPhone models later this year, but are now expecting an October launch at the earliest.
Citing ‘people familiar with the plans,’ The WSJ said in April that although Apple would still be building some of the new phones in the July-to-September period, the mass-production ramp-up would be pegged back by about a month.
According to a variety of sources, Apple’s iPhone 12 will be completely wireless, meaning users will not receive a free pair of earbuds and be forced to purchase the firm’s $159 AirPods, and feature a smaller camera ‘notch’ and almost zero bezel.