Apple mulls deferring launch of 5G iPhones by months

Apple is planning to delay the launch of its 5G iPhone models by months due to the coronavirus pandemic, t he Nikkei Asian Review reported on Thursday. The global COVID-19 pandemic has majorly impacted the demand and supply operations of the Cupertino-based company. Originally, Apple was speculated to retain its schedule of launching its new iPhone devices in September.

Apple has held multiple internal discussions on deferring the launch of its 5G smartphones, the release of which was scheduled for September, by months as its supply chains have been hit by the pandemic. The current situation is also likely to “tame” the reception of its first 5G iPhone which the company needs to be a “hit,” the report said.

Analysts at JPMorgan analysts on Wednesday had also said that the software giant could delay its next iPhone launch by one or two months due to major issues including problems in the production process due to travel restrictions and a potentially slower 5G network growth in light of the pandemic which has affected over 4,60,000 people worldwide as per media reports.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook had said that the company will be closing all of its stores outside China until March 27 in a bid to curb the spread of the outbreak. Foxconn chairman Liu Young-Way earlier in March had said that if production does not resume to normal, it is bound to affect Apple’s deadlines for its new iPhones as the company’s supply chain has been majorly impacted due to virus-hit China according to a Reuters report.

In India, Apple suppliers Foxconn and Wistron Corp. have also suspended production at their plants including the assembly of some Apple Inc. iPhone models following the nationwide lockdown announced by the government on Tuesday.

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