- Apple has yet to announce any details about the iPhone 12 release date, but a new report suggests that not all of the new iPhone models will launch together.
- Industry sources say that Apple will launch two 6.1-inch iPhone 12 models first, and then will launch the 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 models later.
- Apple is reportedly planning to release four iPhone 12 models with OLED displays and 5G.
The days of Apple keeping hardware under wraps until launch day are long gone. From the latest Mac or iPhone to the Apple Watch or HomePod, virtually everything leaks ahead of time, including the iPhone 12. Rumors and reports about the 2020 iPhone have been spreading for months, and if they are to be believed, Apple has four models in the works for this fall. There will be a 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and a 6.7-inch model, all of which are said to feature OLED displays and support 5G networks. But they might not all be ready at the same time.
Citing industry sources, DigiTimes reported on Monday that Apple might release the iPhone 12 in waves, with the two 6.1-inch models (iPhone 12 Plus and iPhone 12 Pro) dropping first, and the 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch models (iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Max) coming several days or weeks later.
“The new iPhone lineup may arrive in two stages, with two 6.1-inch models in the first and another two 6.7- and 5.4-inch devices in the second, said the sources, noting that shipments of SLP mainboards for the 6.1-inch models were kicked off in July and those for the 6.7- and 5.4-inch ones began in the second half of August,” said the report.
This is not the first time a staggered release schedule for the iPhone 12 has been suggested. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Apple would launch the lower-end 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Plus ahead of the higher-end models. The report also claimed that the iPhone 12 lineup will feature the same squared edges as the iPad Pro, harkening back to the design of the iPhone 4 and abandoning the rounded edges of the iPhone 11.
The designs and specifications of the new iPhone models have leaked repeatedly, but the launch details have been hard to nail down. Jon Prosser, who has been behind many of the biggest Apple leaks of 2020, says Apple is currently planning to hold a special event for the iPhone 12 on the week of October 12th. Much like Bloomberg, he believes the cheaper models will ship first, likely on October 23rd, while the Pro models will be delayed to November.
None of this has been confirmed, but we now have three reports from a variety of different sources all suggesting the iPhone 12 release will be staggered. Given all of the uncertainty the industry is facing due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, this isn’t especially surprising, but hopefully we get official word from Apple soon.
