Apple’s new iPhone release to be delayed

It just wouldn’t be 2020 if we didn’t have more delays or postponements of things, and it appears that Apple is the next victim as the company has announced that its new iPhones are going to be shipping later than expected. Apple CFO Luca Maestri revealed the news in a company earnings call (via The Verge) that the devices will no no longer be released in late September. Apple did not provide a date on when they would be available.

This really shouldn’t surprise anyone as the world is currently facing a massive shortage of smartphones due to manufacturing delays caused by COVID-19, with chipmaker Qualcomm also being impacted by delays

Apple typically unveils its annual iPhone refresh in September and begins shipping devices before the end of that month, but it’s likely the phones will only be out much later and it wouldn’t be surprising if they even delay the launch in some markets to next year, given manufacturing constraints and a depressed global economy. It’s going to be a struggle to justify the cost of a new iPhone when there are bigger priorities to focus on.

This isn’t the first time that Apple has delayed shipping an iPhone. The iPhone X was announced alongside the iPhone 8 in September 2017, but it didn’t arrive in stores until November due to production issues. Apple’s iPhone XR was also announced in September 2018, and only hit stores in October after having issues with LCD display production. This time though, Apple’s delays are not quite their fault and far beyond their control. At least you can use the money to save for a new console instead, which will probably still be cheaper than one of their new phones.

Last Updated: August 3, 2020