Apple's 2020 iPhones Said to Launch Starting in Late October Due to Coronavirus Delays

Apple's 2020 iPhone lineup won't launch until late October, according to a new report from Japanese site Mac Otakara that cites sources in the Chinese supply chain.

iphone12dummylineup

‌iPhone‌ 12 dummy models

Apple has historically held all of its modern ‌iPhone‌ unveilings during the first few weeks of September, with iPhones launching soon after for the most part, but this year, the release could be pushed back due to production delays caused by the ongoing public health crisis.

There have been multiple rumors suggesting delays thus far, so it seems that some or all of the 2020 iPhones will be coming later than September. Apple may still unveil all of its iPhones in September, but launch the devices later than expected.

There is precedent for a delayed launch after announcement as Apple's ‌iPhone‌ XR in 2018 was announced in September and then launched in late October.

According to Mac Otakara, Apple's LTE ‌iPhone‌ 12 models will be released in October, while 5G models will follow in November.

‌Mac Otakara‌ has something of a mixed track record when it comes to rumors as if often sources Apple's supply chain which is not always accurate, but we have now heard several rumors about delayed launch dates, so we can expect at least some if not all of Apple's 2020 iPhones to come later in the year than normal.

We're expecting four ‌iPhone‌ variants in 2020, including lower-cost 5.4 and 6.1-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12 models and higher-end 6.1 and 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro models. Everything we know about what to expect from the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ lineup can be found in our iPhone 12 roundup.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

Baymowe335 Avatar
73 months ago
I’ll wait until Apple says what they’re doing.

The number of predictions and re-predictions has become old.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ceviche Lover Avatar
73 months ago

I don’t believe it. iPhone is one thing that Apple rarely, if ever, delays. Perhaps there will be a staggered launch but no iPhones until late October? Not buying it.
We've also never had a pandemic like this in our lifetime.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NickName99 Avatar
73 months ago

Dear iPhone 8 / SE users: I dare you to resist upgrading to the 5.4"...
I won’t be the least bit tempted to trade in my 2020 SE until COVID-19 vaccinations are widespread in the US, obviating the need for masks. Until then I’d much rather continue enjoying TouchID on this fantastic little phone.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Homme Avatar
73 months ago
Ah but one piece of info which could just prove Mac oktara wrong is that they said iPhone 12 with LTE modems will ship first before the 5G ones

um but all iPhone 12 models are to be shipped with some sort of 5G. Where are they getting that some will come with LTE from considering no one else has made that claim
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jayducharme Avatar
73 months ago
Maybe they'll launch one in orange for Halloween.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dwalls90 Avatar
73 months ago
There’s a global pandemic, and people are complaining about getting their iPhone a month later than most past years? I‘d also like to remind people that we’ve had many October iPhone launches before, so this shouldn’t be a huge surprise.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)