Apple is struggling to keep its production plans for the iPhone 12 on track and could delay assembly on its next smartphone to October, according to a new report published on Wednesday by Nikkei Asian Review.
With just three months to go until an expected unveiling, Apple is reportedly doing everything it can to reduce delays with suppliers in the hope of hitting an early Q4 2020 release date for the iPhone 12.
Nikkei claims that Apple is facing up to “months of delay” as it attempts to move ahead with mass production.
The Japanese newspaper said that there is still a chance that it will be able to bring production forward but warned that further setbacks are possible.
Nikkei noted: “Some final iPhone assembly could be delayed to early October, and it wouldn’t be surprising if there are further delays because there are still a lot of tests going on now and the final designs have not yet been locked down.”
Factory lockdowns and workplace absences following on from the COVID-19 crisis could also be a problem.
The latest news comes just 24 hours after DigiTimes cited several sources within Apple’s supply chain that claimed that shipments of the 5G iPhone 12 could be slashed by 50% later this year.
DigiTimes said that Apple was looking to the early months of 2021 as a busier period for sales.
Nikkei believes that Apple is in a better position now compared to March, when the outbreak of the coronavirus threatened to derail its plans entirely and push the iPhone 12 back to next year.
If there are fewer iPhone 12 models ready for Q4, reports say that Apple is ready to ramp up the production of iPhone SE, iPhone XR and iPhone 11 models to make up for the shortfall.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently stated that production of the larger 6.7-inch ‘Pro Max’ model could be delayed a month longer than other models due to its more complicated design.