In a recent earnings call, Qualcomm hinted that it may delay the release of the 5G iPhone until September of this year.
Qualcomm said that based on its projections, it might delay the global rollout of 5G flagship phones. The company did not specify which brands will be affected. However, the chipmaker is a notable chipset supplier for Apple.
Delays in chipset manufacturing
In a recent statement, Qualcomm CFO Akash Palkhiwala said:
“We’re seeing a partial impact from the delay of a flagship phone launch. And so what we’ve seen is a slight delay that pushes some of the units out from the September quarter to the December quarter for us.”
It is important to note that Apple usually launches its flagship devices around the third quarter of the year. Considering these timelines, Apple will most likely delay the release of the new iPhone by the end of the year.
Although Qualcomm did not name a specific smartphone brand, it is understandable that Apple is affected by the delay. Aside from Apple, several smartphone manufacturers will be affected by the delay as well.
It is widely expected that the upcoming iPhone 12 will use a 5G chipset from Qualcomm. It appears that Apple will use the chipset on all of its devices that will support 5G connectivity.
The effects of the pandemic
The current coronavirus pandemic is one of the many reasons for the delay. The pandemic has affected almost every industry in the world, and the tech industry is not an exception. Apple has remained silent with regards to its plans, although there are rumors that the company is indeed delaying the launch.
Early speculations claim that Apple will unveil the new series of iPhones in September. The tech giant usually releases its flagship devices at around this time in preparation for the holidays. Apple has been following this strict schedule for many years, but the pandemic might urge the company to adopt change.
Way to go, @deutschetelekom!! From 0 to 50% pop coverage in ~ 1 year by taking advantage of FDD spectrum used for 4G LTE. https://t.co/dEbFU6NoHu
— Ignacio Contreras #TeamQualcomm (@IgnacioTechie) July 29, 2020
Apple is expected to launch four iPhone models this year. The tech giant has kept its silence about the specs of its flagship devices, but leaks revealed some important data.
The delay on the side of Qualcomm will have major consequences in the smartphone community. It is important to note that majority of smartphone manufacturers utilize Snapdragon chipsets.
It is safe to say that Qualcomm has a tight grip on the smartphone industry. Whether the delay will affect the release of the latest Apple smartphones remains to be known.
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