The company typically unveils the latest entry to its flagship smartphone model in late September every year, which would then be shipped within the month itself. However, Apple CFO Luca Maestri said in an earnings call with investors on 31 July that it wouldn’t be the case for this year. Maestri did not reveal the cause of the iPhone 12 supply being delayed or constrained. The possibility of its development affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic is feasible, as the outbreak did force the production of other products to be temporarily halted. Earlier this year, Foxconn – another Apple major supplier in China – were required to close its iPhone manufacturing factory in Zhengzhou due to coronavirus concerns.
That said, it is also possible that the delay could be caused by production issues or other factors. Back in 2017 and 2018 respectively, Apple’s iPhone X and iPhone XR models saw delays due to complications in production which had caused them to be released nearly a month after their initial reveals. (Source: MacRumors / The Verge | Images: Renders by EverythingApplePro)