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Apple supplier Broadcom hints at delayed 'iPhone 12' launch

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The CEO of Apple supplier Broadcom on Thursday said an expected revenue bump in the firm's wireless sector revenue will arrive one quarter later than usual this year, suggesting a launch of 2020's iPhone lineup is slated for a similar delay.

In comments made during an earnings conference call, Broadcom chief Hock Tan cited a "major product cycle delay" at a "large North American mobile phone" customer as cause for the delayed income.

As Bloomberg reports, Tan sometimes uses the vague descriptor as a sobriquet for Apple.

"We are in," Hock said, assumedly referring to Broadcom parts in the next iPhone. "The question is timing."

More specifically, Tan said, "This year, we do not expect to see this uptick in revenue until our fourth fiscal quarter. So accordingly, we expect, our wireless revenue in Q3 will be down sequentially."

Apple is widely anticipated to debut a next-generation "iPhone 12" this fall, though an exact launch timeline is in dispute due to effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The company typically unveils its latest smartphones in September, but a number of reports have indicated this year's launch will take place in October or later.

Most recently, reports from the supply chain claimed Apple assembly partners are gearing up for a start to production in July.



13 Comments

chasm 10 Years · 3624 comments

I think it much more likely that only some of the iPhone 12 family will be actually released later than the main line, and it's also likely that buyers will find some (all?) models very "constrained" for a while. For those of us who are not new to this annual circus, this will sound very familiar.
Indeed, iPhones that arrive two weeks after announcement in sufficient quantity to meet the initial rush would be a far bigger and more unusual story than what we're likely to actually get, which I believe will be very much in line with traditional iPhone constraints and supply shortages that plagued the <looks at history> iPhones 6, 7, 8, and X families.

avon b7 20 Years · 8046 comments

Impossible to know of course but there is one aspect that is worth commenting on.

If the iPhone 12 were to ship 'on time', a matter of weeks later, QC would be releasing the next generation of its 5G modem for release in Android phones in early 2021.

Delaying the iPhone 12 release by a full quarter would pit it against the S30 (very likely with that new 5G modem and corresponding SoC) and the P50 series with Huawei's latest 5G modem too. 

From there the speculation can start. Would any rumoured delay be a reaction to not having material time to release the iPhone 12 within Apple’s typical refresh window, or a planned delay to integrate QC's latest modem just before it ships on Android phones, or perhaps a combination of both? Or none of them (should the rumour prove unfounded). 

GeorgeBMac 8 Years · 11421 comments

avon b7 said:
Impossible to know of course but there is one aspect that is worth commenting on.

If the iPhone 12 were to ship 'on time', a matter of weeks later, QC would be releasing the next generation of its 5G modem for release in Android phones in early 2021.

Delaying the iPhone 12 release by a full quarter would pit it against the S30 (very likely with that new 5G modem and corresponding SoC) and the P50 series with Huawei's latest 5G modem too. 

From there the speculation can start. Would any rumoured delay be a reaction to not having material time to release the iPhone 12 within Apple’s typical refresh window, or a planned delay to integrate QC's latest modem just before it ships on Android phones, or perhaps a combination of both? Or none of them (should the rumour prove unfounded). 

That's interesting...   I wonder if that new release of the 5G modem would be substantial or merely minor technical changes?
If it is significant, that would be a real slap in the face to Apple and its customers.  But that should not surprise anyone:   The relationship between Apple & Qualcomm has not been a good one for years.  And, Qualcomm of course understands that they are on Apple's short-timer list --- that they will only be a supplier till Apple can dump them.

So, why should Qualcomm do Apple any favors?
So, why should Qualcomm not favor its long term customers like Samsung?

harry wild 11 Years · 808 comments

Hope Apple releases an 5.4” iPhone 12 Pro instead of the junky 5.4” iPhone 12!  It is only $300 cheaper and lacks $700 less technology and looks, gives you aluminum edge, not stainless steel, inferior camera and 2 less GB of RAM and has inferior OLED panel too!  It is from LG not Samsung!  Ugh!

lkrupp 19 Years · 10521 comments

avon b7 said:
Impossible to know of course but there is one aspect that is worth commenting on.

If the iPhone 12 were to ship 'on time', a matter of weeks later, QC would be releasing the next generation of its 5G modem for release in Android phones in early 2021.

Delaying the iPhone 12 release by a full quarter would pit it against the S30 (very likely with that new 5G modem and corresponding SoC) and the P50 series with Huawei's latest 5G modem too. 

From there the speculation can start. Would any rumoured delay be a reaction to not having material time to release the iPhone 12 within Apple’s typical refresh window, or a planned delay to integrate QC's latest modem just before it ships on Android phones, or perhaps a combination of both? Or none of them (should the rumour prove unfounded). 

You need to get it through that thick skull of yours that Huawei and Samsung are in no way competitors with the iPhone. People don't switch platforms willy-nilly. If the Samsung product has a newer 5G modem that doesn't in anyway mean iPhone users will move in droves to the 'newest' technology. It's a pipe dream of the spec monkeys.The two camps are solidly established and the only users who move around are the fake techies. If anything iOS users have too much invested in the platform to change while Android users have the most flexibility in moving to iOS because Android users typically don't invest in apps that cost money. They're all about the free crap.