DigiTimes: Apple's Travel Restrictions Could Delay iPhone 12 Launch Until October

Apple's ban on its engineers from traveling to Asia in the wake of the coronavirus has affected the development of its next-generation iPhone which could result in a delayed fall launch, claims a new report today from DigiTimes.

fouriphones2020
According to the supply chain-focused Taiwanese publication, Apple has extended the deadline by one month to the end of April for the removal of a set of travel restrictions preventing its engineers from making business trips to Asia, and the restrictions have delayed the engineering verification tests (EVTs) for the 5G iPhones at manufacturing facilities in China.

Related supply chain makers had originally expected the rescheduled EVT procedures to be carried out by the end of March enabling the kick-off of volume production of the new iPhone devices in June, said the sources, adding that a further delay of EVT tests to the end of April could postpone the volume production by another 1-2 months.

Judging from the revised EVT schedule, Apple's product launch for the next-generation iPhone devices could to be postponed to October, said the sources.

The claim follows a Bloomberg article published over the weekend that quotes a report from Bank of America analysts suggesting Apple's 5G iPhone release could be delayed by a month this fall.

Apple's travel restrictions were first reported late last month. The restrictions apply to several countries hit by the coronavirus outbreak, including China, which is an issue because Apple engineers often visit China at this time of year to prepare for the manufacturing of new iPhones.

Production of new devices usually kicks off in the summer, but during the first months of the year, Apple employees visit China to perfect assembly processes with manufacturing partners like Foxconn.

These delays could eat into the time Apple needs to finalize orders for chips and other ‌iPhone‌ components that need to be made well in advance of when full production begins. However, supply chain experts told Reuters in late February that Apple still has time to keep the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ schedule on track, despite the travel restrictions.

"We have instituted specific travel restrictions in a few countries including China, South Korea, and Italy," Apple said in a memo sent out to employees last week. Apple is recommending that employees manage meetings through phone calls and video chats instead.

Apple plans to release four new ‌iPhone‌ models in the fall, according to respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The all-OLED lineup is said to consist of 5.4-inch, two 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch models, all of which will support 5G.

DigiTimes predicts that overall shipments of 5G-enabled smartphones will be much lower in the first-half of 2020 than originally expected, due to the influence of the outbreak.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...

Top Rated Comments

newyorksole Avatar
70 months ago

Health is the most important thing! there are more important things than a new iPhone
Jeez no one is saying iPhones are more important than health Lol. Idk why you guys keep saying these statements.

Websites are simply just reporting the news. It’s possible to care about health and still have curiosity when the new iPhones will come out.

No one is going to riot over a delayed iPhone and consumers have no say in the matter either way. These are just simply articles with information.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lozza013 Avatar
70 months ago
Oh well. Health is more important than iPhones. I’m happy to wait for the new iPhone or maybe even delay my new iPhone to 2021 model.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
70 months ago
The Coronavirus might cause Apple to delay the next iPhone until October or even later..

The iPhone 4S was released October 14, 2011 before Apple changed to the September release for the iPhone 5
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rew f fwd Avatar
70 months ago
Health is the most important thing! there are more important things than a new iPhone
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
recoil80 Avatar
70 months ago

They might end up releasing it in october

The iPhone 4S was released October 14, 2011 before Apple changed to the September release
iPhone X was released in November, the Xr in late October.
People on the iPhone Upgrade Program would complain, as they expect to upgrade their phones after 12 months, but it is not the end of the world.
If iPhone is postponed, maybe iOS 14 will be, unless they are able to launch the new Apple Watch in September and the new watchOS requires iOS 14.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
himanshumodi Avatar
70 months ago
Several iPhones have launched in October. This is not much of a delay at all, if these timelines hold good.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)