16/16 Update below. This post was originally published on August 13th
Apple acknowledges that the release of iPhone 12 is too late, but it now looks like the wait will be longer than the company suggested.
iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Plus, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max concept rendered display … [+]
This news comes from the breakout of Apple Insider in 2020 Jon Prosser, which marks the launch event of iPhone 12 could be as much as a month late, with pre-orders and shipping delayed for iPhone 12 Pro models until November. If correct (and Prosser has a 100% release record this year), it would expose the recent remarks of Apple CFO Luca Maestri that the new iPhones “will run a few weeks later [than usual]”Like too optimistic.
15/15 Update: Apple’s iPhone 12 release has another serious roadblock that could hit sales by up to 30%. Speaking to reporters on Friday, President Trump confirmed his intention to ban transactions between U.S. companies and Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat. While the former has received more headlines, the latter could be significantly more damaging to Apple. China is a $ 44BN mark for the company and is responsible for up to a third of iPhone sales worldwide, but in an interview by Bloomberg, 95% of Chinese respondents said they would rather give up their iPhone than WeChat. The app is an almost universal app in China and does much more than messaging, with online shopping, mobile payments, gaming and official business sites all built-in. With services like Facebook, Google, Twitter and YouTube banned in China, it is a must-have service. In response to the potential business impact of the WeChat ban on sales of Apple and iPhone, Trump responded “Whatever. “
08/16 Update: Apple may be fine a last minute surprise for iPhone 12 upgrades with a major change to their camera tech above and beyond their expected integration of in LiDAR sensor. New patents filed by Apple revealed the company is working on improving the support projection technology from its existing Face ID sensor to 3D map gestures like faces. Apple calls this “in-air gesture” with plans to integrate support first into the iPhone, then later into in-car control systems. Given the dot projection front dot is since the iPhone X is part of the iPhone lineup, it will be interesting to see if this retroactive functionality can also be added to the lineup. However, it seems much more exciting and Google’s half baked try.
For context, Apple has announced for September, opening pre-orders and shipping 14 of its last 15 iPhones and pre-orders have historically opened a week before the phones go on sale. In no scenario does ‘a few weeks later’ translate to broadcasts sometimes in November. Except maybe one.
Prosser says sales of the institution-level iPhone 12 and (newly renamed) iPhone 12 Plus will begin in mid-October (pre-orders week 42, shipping week 43). Thus, Maestri may have tried to reduce concerns by referring to only half of the new range.
iPhone 12 concept for retail packaging render
Interesting is Bloomberg’s always-excellent Mark Gurman does not agree with Prosser, though he has not yet offered alternative dates. Prosser also confirmed to me that they are “100% what’s in the system right now”, something he states he has seen with his own eyes. So, unless this is an elaborate Apple trap to catch the source (s) of Prosser, it looks like iPhone fans are waiting longer than they expected.
But will the iPhone 12 range be worth the wait? Perhaps. While upgrades can look forward to new display sizes, including a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, a multi-generation jump, impressive new styling, competitive pricing and 3D mapping camera tech on the Pro models, are concerned. The biggest potential deal breaker is its surprisingly small batteries, while its high refresh rates have been canceled and the notch looks less and less in 2020.
The silver lining? At least you now have more time to make up your mind.
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