It’s scary how a virus can threaten the entire world in more ways than just taking lives. Firstly, the new coronavirus has already altered many businesses and events, including the annual MWC trade show. Things are, of course, tougher in China, where companies remain blocked.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are expected to debut in September at Apple’s annual hardware event. But according to a new report, next-generation flagships may run the risk of being delayed.
Because the recent outbreak of coronavirus has caused several factory closures in China and has even led to the cancellation of MWC 2020 in Barcelona. Sources that speak with DigiTimes (through MacRumors) say the virus has also forced Apple to stop sending specialized engineers to China.
Furthermore, Before iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, Apple will launch the iPhone 9 budget. The smartphone is scheduled for March and will now be (partially) manufactured outside of China to ensure a sufficient level of supply at launch.
Apple planned to begin mass production in China this week, but the recent outbreak of coronavirus has forced production to stop at several facilities, which, according to reports, has led Apple to change its strategy.
According to the recent reports that the company is now preparing for production in Taiwan, where the coronavirus has not had a significant impact. At the time of writing this article, there are 33 confirmed cases in the country, drastically lower than the 44,687 cases in China.
The iPhone 9 will sell for $399 and will offer the powerful Aion Bionic chipset of the iPhone 11 in a package similar to the iPhone 8. Customers will gain access to a 4.7-inch LCD screen along with an old and reliable Touch ID start button and a single rear camera. These employees were reportedly assigned the task of helping with the crucial stage of the Engineering Validation Test (EVT) of the development of the iPhone 12 in which Apple finalizes the design and ensures that everything reaches its standards.
Apple recently restricted trips to China for “business-critical” purposes and it is not clear when the aforementioned engineers can return. Digi Times believes that these delays will severely affect the schedule of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.