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During today's earnings call covering the third fiscal quarter of 2020 (second calendar quarter) Apple CFO Luca Maestri confirmed that Apple is expecting to release this year's iPhones later than usual.

DelayediPhoneCalendar2-Feature.jpg

Maestri said that Apple last year started selling iPhones in late September, but this year, Apple projects supply will be "available a few weeks later."

Multiple rumors have suggested that Apple's iPhones will not be available in the typical September timeline, with delays expected. Some rumors have indicated Apple could release its new iPhone 12 lineup in October, though we are still likely to see the new phones introduced in September.

Yesterday, Qualcomm also hinted that the iPhone 12 launch could be delayed past September when it said that there would be a "slight delay" of a "flagship phone launch" in the fourth quarter, which corresponds to when Apple typically releases new iPhone models.

Article Link: Apple Confirms This Year's iPhone 12 Models Will Be a Little Bit Late
 
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Hopefully it gets released by October.

I wouldn't doubt if iPhone 12 launches in October while the iPhone 12 Pro launches in November.
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And the SE is driving sales now
Sort of. Tim Cook did mention during today's conference call that the iPhone 11 is the best-selling iPhone model.
 
It’s interesting that they came out and said this, seeing as the XR launched in October 2018, and the X launched in November 2017. So this isn’t the first time the iPhones have been delayed, or launched later than usual, but this is the first time they’ve ever acknowledged it.
Maybe their reasoning for doing this is because they don’t have an exact launch date like they usually do. Usually the iPhones are launch on a Friday, but this could be them acknowledging that this year‘s iPhones won’t have an exact ship date. For example, they might announced them in September like usual, and just say that they’re shipping ”in October” or shipping “later this year.”
 
That’s kind of a first for them admitting that a new revision of a product is in the pipeline. Of course, 12 years of revisions kind presents the obvious there is gonna be a new one every fall. And yes, the iPhone upgrade program.

Certainly the pandemic has contributed to this delay, I suspect 5G too and the complexity of readying the iPhone on a mass scale for it. The engineering requirements in areas of hardware aesthetic and power management are likely some of the top issues that probably challenged Apple this with the virus making it even worse.

I personally would wait out if you are not that in need of a new phone. Let the early adopters and YouTubers take it for a spin. Are the networks even solid enough?
 
It's rare Apple confirms any future products. Usually, they pretend as if there are no upcoming iPhones.

Given Qualcomm already tipped their hand about the iPhone 5G delay, it doesn't leave Apple much choice.
I agree. It is better for Apple to address the delay, than keep silent and allow bad press to begin.
 
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It’s interesting that they came out and said this, seeing as the XR launched in October 2018, and the X launched in November 2017. So this isn’t the first time the iPhones have been delayed, or launched later than usual, but this is the first time they’ve ever acknowledged it.
Maybe their reasoning for doing this is because they don’t have an exact launch date like they usually do. Usually the iPhones are launch on a Friday, but this could be them acknowledging that this year‘s iPhones won’t have an exact ship date. For example, they might announced them in September like usual, and just say that they’re shipping ”in October” or shipping “later this year.”

I think they were transparent because they want no surprises affecting their stock. In a typical year, this news would cause a short-term sell-off. But I think they leaked news last week and are officially supporting it today so that when we don't get 2-3 weeks of sales in September, markets don't panic
 
It's rare Apple confirms any future products. Usually, they pretend as if there are no upcoming iPhones.

Given Qualcomm already tipped their hand about the iPhone 5G delay, it doesn't leave Apple much choice.
I know right?! Last year a day before the iPhone 11 event I asked an Employee at the Apple store about changing my payment method for Apple Pay and I told her it's for the iPhone 11 preorder and she said that as of now we don't have any confirmation that we are going to sell a new iPhone this year and I'm like "Oh come on!!!!!"
 
No s**t Sherlock! They usually seem to be late anyway, and there is a yawning gap between the official release and when most people can actually just go and buy one. I was going to buy one this year, but with all said and done, I'll hang onto the X (new battery perhaps?) and go for the 13 when things have calmed down and 5G is better established.
 
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I know right?! Last year a day before the iPhone 11 event I asked an Employee at the Apple store about changing my payment method for Apple Pay and I told her it's for the iPhone 11 preorder and she said that as of now we don't have any confirmation that we are going to sell a new iPhone this year and I'm like "Oh come on!!!!!"
Don't want to prevent you from buying a soon to be last years model phone.
 
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When they come, they come. Still not sure what the features are going to be, and I won't know until the keynote. I need to see a little more than the candy bar shape and the (potential) Navy Blue color -- although I really can't wait to see the reveal of those too.
 
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