Apple iPhone 12 Series Production Delayed, iPhone SE Plus Launch Shifted To 2021

Coronavirus pandemic has become the reason for slowing down the entire world. Most of the big companies are non-operational and small enterprises are on the verge of shutting down. Tech companies like Apple and Samsung are also facing difficulties to meet the demands and keep the pace of production line like earlier.

Apple was expected to launch the next-gen iPhone 12 series in the second half of this year (possibly in September). But it seems that the global disturbances due to coronavirus outbreak might cause a delay in the production.

According to the new report, the online qualification process for the iPhone 12 models has started, but the engineering verification testing process has been delayed by one-moth. All thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak, launch of the speculated iPhone SE Plus is also said to be pushed to the second half of 2021.

Apple is already facing manufacturing issues and delay in production due to the pandemic. 9to5Mac was the first one to come up with this information citing analyst Ming-Chu Kuo. According to Kuo, Apple has started the online qualification process for the forthcoming iPhone 12 series smartphones remotely.

The report also suggests that Apple will have a "staggered schedule for mass production" this year. Earlier reports claim that the company will launch multiple iPhone 12 models in 2020. However, Kuo's latest report indicates that the 6.1-inch and the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 variants will enter the mass production in September. The 6.7-inch model which might be the iPhone 12 Pro Max is said to begin mass production later because of its complicated design.

"The mmWave iPhone will be pushed back because the design of the antenna in package (AiP) changes in early April. Additionally, the test lab is closed and can't offer qualification process services. If the pandemic can't be controlled well until July, then we think that the shipment allocation of mmWave iPhones will decrease to 5-10 percent from 15-20 percent," 9to5Mac quoted Kuo's report.

Meanwhile, the alleged iPhone SE Plus is said to be delayed until the second half of 2021. Currently, the company will only focus on the flagship smartphones of 2020.

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