Suppliers deny Apple is delaying 'iPhone 12' production

Printed circuit board manufacturers say that Apple has not told them to postpone production, as previously reported, and therefore the 5G iPhone is not expected to be delayed.

Following reports first that Apple will delay the "iPhone 12" by two months, and then reports that it will not, sources in the supply chain expect production to continue as planned.

According to Digitimes, Taiwanese manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs) for the iPhone have denied reports of delays. Specifically, they say that Apple has not asked them to postpone production.

The claim had been that they were asked to postpone by two months, in order to fit with a delayed iPhone launch. Unnamed industry sources told Digitimes that they have received no request nor any notification about production being delayed.

Digitimes, though, does also note that multiple manufacturers are facing uncertain demand because of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, plus difficulties in recruiting staff for their production lines.

Prior reports said that Apple was considering such a delay in part because of problems completing work on the "iPhone 12" prototype by March. However, analyst Gene Munster has countered this with a reminder to investors that a new iPhone is built over three or four years, not one.

"That implies that by the end of March in a given year, the vast majority of work on an iPhone design and planning with the supply chain is already done," he said.

Digitimes has a significant track record from its sources within the supply industry, although it then has a substantially weaker success rate in interpreting the information it gets. In this case, though, the suppliers are talking specifics about manufacturing lines rather than hinting at particular components or features.

7 Comments

GeorgeBMac 11421 comments · 8 Years

About 4 years ago

Like so much we see today, those reports were based on incorrect assumptions bolstered by facts accumulated to support the false assumption.

In this case, the false assumption was: "Because iPhones are assembled in China and Chinese society and manufacturing were destroyed, the iPhones cannot be produced".

The fact is: China took drastic but effective action and they are back up and running. Currently their main limitation seems to be that they are blocking any foreigners from entering their country in order to block the resurgence of infections they are now seeing from foreigners.

cfilipponi 11 comments · 5 Years

About 4 years ago

Wow .... China your best friend I see. The fact is: China created a Pandemic that the world now has to deal with unnecessarily if they would have just stepped up to the plate.

ben20 126 comments · 9 Years

About 4 years ago

GeorgeBMac said:

Like so much we see today, those reports were based on incorrect assumptions bolstered by facts accumulated to support the false assumption.

In this case, the false assumption was: "Because iPhones are assembled in China and Chinese society and manufacturing were destroyed, the iPhones cannot be produced".

The fact is: China took drastic but effective action and they are back up and running. Currently their main limitation seems to be that they are blocking any foreigners from entering their country in order to block the resurgence of infections they are now seeing from foreigners.

What a bs! China made so many mistakes!!! Most of my friends and many business partners are still in lockdown in China! How do you do business with a country where you can't travel to? You DON'T. China will hit a major recession and a lot o people here are very angry because the outbreak could have been prevented.

GeorgeBMac 11421 comments · 8 Years

About 4 years ago

cfilipponi said:

Wow .... China your best friend I see. The fact is: China created a Pandemic that the world now has to deal with unnecessarily if they would have just stepped up to the plate.

No, reality is my best friend!
And, LOL... No, China did not "create" a pandemic! Unless, that is, you believe the hate filled right wing talking points. They're pretty good at twisting and distorting the truth and then declaring a lie as the truth.

But, fortunately for us, China has agreed to help us out of the mess Trump put us in with his negligence and mismanagement. We should be grateful rather than hateful.

GeorgeBMac 11421 comments · 8 Years

About 4 years ago

ben20 said:

GeorgeBMac said:

Like so much we see today, those reports were based on incorrect assumptions bolstered by facts accumulated to support the false assumption.

In this case, the false assumption was: "Because iPhones are assembled in China and Chinese society and manufacturing were destroyed, the iPhones cannot be produced".

The fact is: China took drastic but effective action and they are back up and running. Currently their main limitation seems to be that they are blocking any foreigners from entering their country in order to block the resurgence of infections they are now seeing from foreigners.

What a bs! China made so many mistakes!!! Most of my friends and many business partners are still in lockdown in China! How do you do business with a country where you can't travel to? You DON'T. China will hit a major recession and a lot o people here are very angry because the outbreak could have been prevented.

Sorry, no. Unlike the U.S. China not only recognized the problem but dealt with it effectively. Now they are not only back up and churning out iPhones but shipping ventilators, masks, sanitizers, etc to save a failing U.S. healthcare system that, despite months of warnings, did nothing.