Apple’s upcoming smartphone, the iPhone 12, probably won’t launch in September, when Apple typically launches new flagships.
According to the outlet’s sources, all four upcoming variants of the iPhone 12 are going to be delayed by one to 2 months thanks to production disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In March, Nikkei gave a grim prediction of the iPhone 12 is months » late, with the likelihood of it being delayed into 2021.
Several other outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, chimed in with their own reports within the following months, predicting a delay of a minimum of a month.
The report indicates that 5G parts are partly responsible for the delay, because the high-end iPhone 12 model, which uses the faster, millimeter-wave 5G band, is currently two months not on time, while the opposite models, which use the sub-6 GHz 5 band, are between 1 and 1.5 months behind.
Nikkei’s sources also claim that Apple is ramping up the production of older models, including the iPhone XR, the iPhone 11, ant the iPhone SE, to weather out the iPhone 12 delay.
Apple is widely expected to launch four new iPhones later this year: two cheaper models with 5.4- and 6.1-inch screens, and two high-end variants with 6.1- and 6.7-inch screens.
All the phones should have an OLED display, though some high-end variants will have a display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and 5G connectivity.
The new phones should also accompany an upgraded Face ID system and a LIDAR sensor on the rear.
The 2 pricier models will likely accompany a bigger battery and 3x optical zoom. Finally, a rumor says that the iPhone 12 will come without a charger or earbuds within the box.
