- Apple’s iPhone 12 release may not be delayed by the coronavirus according to a new report from Bloomberg, and that’s probably the best possible news we’ve could’ve heard.
- If all goes according to plan, iPhone 12 mass production will commence in May.
- The biggest selling points on Apple’s new iPhone models will be a big redesign and support for 5G.
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With the coronavirus turning the entire world upside down, there have been a handful of reports claiming that Apple’s iPhone 12 — which is poised to be the first iPhone with support for 5G — will be a bit delayed. To this point, analyst Jon Prosser took to Twitter yesterday and said that the iPhone 12 release might be pushed back as far as November.
In light of that, a more optimistic report from Bloomberg claims that Apple’s iPhone 12 lineup is still on schedule and, in a best-case scenario, may not be delayed given that mass production isn’t even slated to begin until May. In other words, if the countries that house Apple’s supply chain can get a handle on the coronavirus over the next 4-6 weeks, there’s a chance iPhone 12 production may not skip a beat and may arrive in stores this coming September.
While the bulk of Apple’s supply chain resides in China, Apple sources iPhone’s components from a variety of countries in both Europe and Asia. In turn, all it takes is a single hiccup within the supply chain to bring production to a standstill.
As a prime example, Bloomberg notes that there has been a “fresh round of supplier factory closures enforced by Malaysia.” Meanwhile, Apple sources components from a number of other countries that have also been impacted by the coronavirus, a list which includes but is not limited to Italy, Germany, and the US.
The report adds:
One person who works in Apple’s supply chain said not all operations are moving at normal speed because the flow of components to assemble is still slow. It will take another month or more to get parts moving steadily through the system, the person added.
With mass production on the iPhone 12 set to begin in May, the next few weeks should provide us with more precise information about whether or not Apple will be able to release the iPhone 12 on schedule.
As for what we can expect out of the iPhone 12 when it eventually hits stores, 5G support will undoubtedly be the device’s key selling point. Aside from that, the device will boast an A14 processor that will reportedly be manufactured by TSMC on a 5nm process and will provide impressive performance gains compared to last year’s A13.
The scope of Apple’s iPhone 12 lineup will be impressive and will reportedly feature four devices, including an entry-level device with a 5.4-inch OLED display, two 6.1-inch devices that will be distinguished by the inclusion of a 3D triple-camera scheme with a Time of Flight sensor on the back of the higher-end model, and a gargantuan iPhone 12 Pro Max with a 6.7-inch OLED display.
As for the aforementioned 3D camera, Fast Company a few days ago shed some light on what that will bring to the table.
The camera—actually a laser, sensor, and software system—emits light to measure the distance between the phone and various objects and surfaces in front of it. This detailed depth information will enable new photo and video effects, as well as better augmented reality experiences.
iPhone engineers have been working on the rear-facing, or “world facing,” 3D camera for at least two years now. It’s been on a short list of possible feature additions for new iPhones, but until this year hasn’t made the cut. In truth, Apple could decide to nix it this year, too. For now, though, it’s in the design, which we’ll hopefully get to see for the first time this fall (if the coronavirus doesn’t get in the way of Apple’s plans).
Other rumored iPhone 12 features include more RAM and improved battery life.
