The iPhone 12 is expected to feature an all-new design and 5G support, but it looks like Apple is considering delaying the launch of the new device, possibly till 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic, officially known as COVID-19. The news comes from Nikkei Asian review, which cites three sources “familiar with the matter.”
If Apple were to delay the iPhone 12, it would be pretty big news. Flagship iPhones have launched in September every year since 2011, and customers now expect a new iPhone at that time of year. The coronavirus has put a strain on supply chains, and even if the iPhone 12 is announced in September, there could be a delay in the phone’s release, or at least limited supply.
“Supply chain constraint aside, Apple is concerned that the current situation would significantly lower consumer appetite to upgrade their phones, which could lead to a tame reception of the first 5G iPhone,” said a source for Nikkei Asian Review. “They need the first 5G iPhone to be a hit.”
There could be other reasons for a delay. According to the report, Apple was supposed to be working with suppliers on prototyping components for the new iPhone, but had to delay that process due to travel restrictions.
Apple is already a few years behind some of its biggest rivals in launching a 5G phone. Samsung, Huawei, LG, and others all released 5G phones last year, and Apple likely wants to incorporate the new tech as soon as possible. According to the report, Apple will make a final decision as to when it will release the new iPhone around May, with its decision likely to hinge on the coronavirus pandemic and global economy. In a worst-case scenario, Nikkei’s sources say the device could be delayed to 2021, which would seriously disrupt Apple’s product road map.
Apple was rumored to be considering hosting a hardware event in March 2020, but the company instead chose to reveal new products, like the new iPad Pro and MacBook Air, through a press release on its website. The company has also announced that its annual Worldwide Developers Conference will be online-only.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.
Apple's first foldable phone is now on shelves, in short supply, but with an unreal amount of buzz around it. After all, it's the first foldable iPhone, and there's plenty that this phone gets right. But there's also a lot that is either broken or underwhelming. What's peculiar is the dialogue around this phone, and how it has completely overshadowed every other attempt at making a phone with a similar form factor.
I've spent some time with the iPhone Duo, and I've used the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for almost three months now. In my opinion, Samsung deserves more credit. When the Galaxy Z Fold 8 arrived earlier this year, it was celebrated in some circles and ridiculed in others for supposedly copying what Apple would eventually deliver with the iPhone Duo. The dialogue was pretty odd, for multiple reasons. Samsung has been making foldable phones for years, so claiming that it copied a product Apple hadn't even launched was simply absurd.
For years, Samsung’s Galaxy A phones have been some of the easiest recommendations for anyone who wants to go the Android route without paying flagship prices. But that part of the lineup could soon become harder to find at a good price.
According to South Korea’s Electronic Times, Samsung is cutting Galaxy A production by about 20% in the fourth quarter compared to its original plans. Component orders have reportedly dropped by a similar amount, which could mean roughly 10 million fewer phones over the year. Samsung is also said to be considering another production cut of more than 10% next year.