Four variants of the iPhone 12 will launch in two phases in 2020: Report

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has ravaged the supply chain and launch plans for smartphones and other gadgets may just create history for this year’s iPhone launch. Owing to delays in mass production, Apple CFO Luca Maestri had confirmed the iPhone 12 will be delayed by a few weeks.

Now, according to a report by DigiTimes citing Apple’s supply chains, the four rumoured iPhone 12 variants will launch in two phases, a first in the history of iPhones. The report claims Apple will first launch two 6.1-inch iPhone models, followed by the 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch models.

Digitimes claim the shipment of components for the 6.1-inch devices have already started while that of the other two models will start from late-August. “Apple may launch its 5G iPhones in two stages, with two 6.1-inch models in the first and another two 6.7- and 5.4-inch devices in the second, the sources said, adding that suppliers of SLP (substrate-like PCB) mainboards for the former models have recently kicked off shipments, with those for the latter to start in late August. Shipments of flexible boards for new iPhones will peak some 2-4 weeks later than usual this year,” the report states.

While Apple did admit to a delay in supply by a few weeks during the company’s earnings call, the company is yet to confirm the news of two-phased launch. The Cupertino giant usually holds the iPhone event in September, and considering components for two models will start shipping late into August, there might just be some truth to the report.