Apple Confirms Late Release for New iPhones
Apple has officially confirmed that it will delay the release of its forthcoming iPhone 12 handsets by approximately one month, Business Standard reports. Historically, Apple unveils its annual iPhone refresh in September and begins shipping devices before the end of the month.
Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri revealed during an earnings call that, "Last year, we started selling new iPhones in late September, this year we expect supply to be available a few weeks later."
Earlier this year, Apple temporarily closed its stores in China due to the coronavirus outbreak, while companies responsible for supplying Apple with chips took significant financial hits. At the time, the tech giant warned that production was moving slower than expected on the iPhone 12. Now, "according to people familiar with the changes," the WSJ reports that the impact of the coronavirus has indeed delayed the release of the new model.
While the coronavirus pandemic continues to undermine global consumer demand and disrupt manufacturing across Asia, Apple is still reportedly aiming to release four new iPhone models later this year.