The new coronavirus could lead to a delay in the launch of the iPhone SE 2
The iPhone SE 2 is expected to be a repackaged iPhone 8
Other major events like GDC, MWC and even E3 have all been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak
The COVID-19 outbreak has no doubt caused many global technology brands to delay the launch of their 2020 products. Apple is believed to be one such affected entity. According to a report filed by DigiTimes on March 5, Apple has asked its Taiwan-based PCB suppliers in the supply chain to defer pending shipments for what is believed to be the company’s next low-cost iPhone to the second quarter of the year. The handset in question could be called iPhone SE 2.
“As the coronavirus outbreak has reportedly prompted Apple to defer pull-in of PCB shipments for its iPhone SE2, originally set for launch in the first quarter, leading PCB maker Zhen Ding Technology – believed to be a supplier for the new iPhone – has expected better-than-usual revenue performance for the traditional off season in the second quarter,” reads an excerpt from the report. In our previous article, we said Apple could launch the iPhone SE 2 sometime in March, given that there were plenty of signs suggesting it. You can read more about that here.
What we find most puzzling is that another report filed by DigiTimes on the same day contradicts the first. “Apple's new entry-level LCD iPhone, tentatively dubbed iPhone SE2, has entered the final stage of engineering validation in Zhengzhou, China, where the vendor's major manufacturing partners Foxconn Electronics and Pegatron run assembly lines,” reads an excerpt from the second report. Given that Apple also fears a “temporarily constrained” iPhone supply worldwide, we can assume the iPhone SE 2 will be launched in a couple of months.
The original iPhone SE was introduced in the market in early 2016 and pulled from it last year. Like what is currently rumoured about the upcoming iPhone SE 2, the iPhone SE was a reworked version of a past model—the iPhone 5s. The iPhone SE 2, on the other hand, is expected to take after the iPhone 8. We can expect it to sport the same 4.7-inch IPS LCD screen and the same single 12MP rear camera. It should, however, come with updated internals for faster performance. It should also get an update to iOS 14 later this year.
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Vignesh Giridharan
Progressively identifies more with the term ‘legacy device’ as time marches on. View Full Profile
