Apple is reportedly delaying mass production of its upcoming iPhone 12 handsets by around a month. The Wall Street Journal reports that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic across supply chains and manufacturing has disrupted Apple’s iPhone 12 mass production plans. Rumors suggest Apple will introduce four new iPhone models later this year, all with 5.4-, 6.1-, or 6.7-inch OLED screens.

Apple typically unveils its annual iPhone refresh in September and begins shipping devices before the end of the month. The iPhone maker is able to do this thanks to mass manufacturing over the summer months, allowing the company to quickly ship devices to retailers after the handsets are officially unveiled.

The rumored mass production delays might not have a direct impact on when Apple launches the iPhone 12, though. WSJ reports that Apple will still be manufacturing new iPhones during July to September, but the mass production delay could mean we’ll see shortages of the new handsets later this year.

Apple has experienced iPhone production delays before. The iPhone X was announced alongside the iPhone 8 in September 2017, but it didn’t arrive in stores until November thanks to some production issues. Apple’s iPhone XR was also announced in September 2018, and hit stores in October after reports suggested Apple was having issues with LCD display production.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/27/21238081/apple-iphone-12-mass-production-delay-rumors-coronavirus-impact