Upcoming iPhone 12 release is likely to be delayed this year

Reportedly, Apple is pushing back on their iPhone 12 production as the COVID-19 pandemic weakens global consumer demand and disrupts manufacturing across Asia. This means the phones will likely launch later than September of this year.

Apple is expected to launch four new models this year—one 5.4-inch model, one 6.7-inch model, and two 6.1-inch models. The current iPhone 11 lines comparatively feature 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.5-inch displays.

Delaying production also means production estimates for the end of the year have fallen, as more build orders are pushed into 2021. Apple reportedly has cut 20% of their build estimates for the July-December period.

The flagship feature of the iPhone 12 will be the addition of 5G cellular networking, as well as an iPhone 5-like flat edge. The new phones are also planned to include a processor upgrade to speed up artificial intelligence and AR tasks, three cameras on the back for the higher-end phones, and two cameras for the lower-end phones.

As Apple engineers aren’t able to fly to China right now due to the pandemic, the company has shifted procedures to remote operations. However, it is taking more time than under normal circumstances.

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