Qualcomm Suggests Launch of 5G iPhone 12 Models Could Be Slightly Delayed Past September

Qualcomm today shared its third quarter earnings report and hinted that Apple's upcoming 5G iPhones could be delayed, according to Reuters. Qualcomm said its fourth quarter projections might be impacted by the "delay of a global 5G flagship phone launch."

iphone12dummylineup
From Qualcomm CFO Akash Palkhiwala, who referred to the delay as "slight":

"We're seeing a partial impact from the delay of a flagship phone launch. And so what we've seen is a slight delay that pushes some of the units out from the September quarter to the December quarter for us."

The fourth quarter covers July, August, and September, and September is typically the month when Apple launches new smartphones. Given the release timelines of other smartphones and Apple's size, it's unlikely that Qualcomm is referring to a different smartphone launch, even though Qualcomm declined to name Apple or the iPhone.

Apple is using Qualcomm's 5G chips in its ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup, and all models are expected to support 5G technology. There have been multiple rumors indicating Apple's ‌iPhone‌ launch will be delayed this year due to the ongoing global health crisis and restrictions on travel.

So far, rumors have indicated that iPhones could be delayed by about a month, which suggests a launch in October rather than September. It's not clear if all iPhones will be delayed, or if some models will come out in September while others launch in October or later.

Apple is still likely to unveil the new iPhones in September as it usually does, launching the devices later in the year. There is precedent for a launch that's uncoupled from an announcement. In 2018, Apple debuted the ‌iPhone‌ XS, XS Max, and XR, with the two more expensive iPhones launching in September and the XR coming later in October.

We're expecting a total of four iPhones in 5.4, 6.1, and 6.7-inch sizes in 2020, with more details available in our iPhone 12 roundup.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Saturnine Avatar
48 months ago
If Apple launches the iPhone 12 in October/November as expected, I’m surprised it has a knock-on effect on Qualcomm’s quarterly earnings.

I would have expected the component parts to have been purchased months in advance but what do I know about global multi-billion dollar contracts? :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
quamsi Avatar
48 months ago

if there is a slight delay, that won’t bother me at all. Life moves forward. No need to get anxious or mad about something that isn’t in our control. In the grand scheme of things, getting a new phone 12 is pretty meaningless.
unless you’re like me gimping along on a glitchy, slow, sick-battery device hoping against hopes it survives long enough to get you to the launch.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
48 months ago
This confirmation is about as solid as it gets.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HarryWild Avatar
48 months ago
Want 5.4” iPhone 12 Pro! Not an economy iPhone 12! Errrrrrrrrr!;)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
48 months ago
if there is a slight delay, that won’t bother me at all. Life moves forward. No need to get anxious or mad about something that isn’t in our control. In the grand scheme of things, getting a new phone 12 is pretty meaningless.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smulji Avatar
48 months ago

Delayed by how many months???
[MEDIA=twitter]1288591038098083840[/MEDIA]
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...