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

iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
apple tv hd

Apple Launched Its Big New Vision for TV 10 Years Ago Today

Thursday October 30, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple launched the Apple TV HD, the Siri Remote, tvOS, and their accompanying App Store a decade ago today, marking a major overhaul of the device. The new vision for the Apple TV was unveiled on September 9, 2015 during Apple's "Hey Siri" event in San Francisco, where CEO Tim Cook introduced the device with the statement, "The future of TV is apps." The announcement represented a major...

Top Rated Comments

Baymowe335 Avatar
69 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
69 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
69 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
69 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
69 months ago
Maybe they'll launch one in orange for Halloween.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dwalls90 Avatar
69 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)