Apple has reportedly delayed the mass-production of its flagship iPhone 12 smartphone, which is expected to make its debut later this year.
The Wall Street Journal reports that as the coronavirus pandemic has weakened global consumer demand and disrupted supply chains, the iPhone maker has been forced to delay its mass-production plans for the highly-anticipated iPhone 12, by about a month.
Apple currently assembles the majority of iPhones in Shenzhen, China, although Foxconn maintains factories in countries across the world, including Thailand, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines.
The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in China in December, resulted in almost all technology companies ‒ including Huawei, Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung, Google and Apple ‒ suspending their manufacturing operations for several weeks during the last quarter.
This resulted in delayed tech production lines and a significant drop in product sales, leading to Apple cutting its sales expectations for last quarter. In February, Apple revealed the outbreak will result in it failing to meet its quarterly revenue target of $63 billion to $67 billion, due to “iPhone supply shortages” as a result of its Chinese factories being shut down for weeks.
While manufacturing has resumed in China, analysts predicted the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on Chinese manufacturing plants could lead to a hike in technology product prices, as supply chains become severely affected.
Despite the disruptions, the Wall Street Journal notes Apple will recommence with plans to release four new iPhone models later this year.
The iPhone 12, which was expected to launch in September, has been the topic of rumours, with supposed information leaks showing a much-altered iPhone, after the iPhone 11 failed to impress in terms of its upgrade from the iPhone X.
The flagship iPhone 12, known as the first iPhone of the new decade, is anticipated to see Apple go the extra mile, instead of making incremental upgrades. It is predicted to be the first iPhone to feature 5G connectivity, with new cameras, a new design and super-charged screen.
Last week, Apple’s lower-cost second-generation iPhone SE was made available for pre-orders on its Web site.
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