Reports indicate that the release of the Phone 15 series of smartphones by Apple is likely to be delayed this year. 

Traditionally, Apple unveils its new iPhone models in September, making them available for purchase a few days later in the same month. However, the iPhone 12 series experienced a delay in its launch due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 

This year, the upcoming iPhone 15 series might face a similar postponement, with the possibility of hitting the markets only in October instead of September. 

According to Bank of America (BoA) analyst Wamsi Mohan, who accessed supply chain audits, the launch of the iPhone 15 could be pushed back by a few weeks, shifting the debut into the December quarter. Despite raising his price target for Apple shares, Mohan expresses concerns that iPhone sales for the fiscal year ending in September 2023 might be lower than expected.

The analyst had previously made accurate predictions about the iPhone 12 launch in 2020, which experienced shipment delays due to COVID-19’s impact on the supply chain.

In addition to the overall delay, there are reports suggesting that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models may face shortages upon launch in September due to issues with screen manufacturing. 

Apple’s display suppliers are using a new manufacturing process to reduce bezel width and provide slightly larger screens for the Pro models. However, LG Display is facing challenges in this process, with screens failing reliability tests when fused to the metal shell of the Pro models. Apple is reportedly working with LG to rectify the design to pass the reliability test and might also use Samsung-made displays for assembly. These problems could particularly impact the availability of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the most premium model in the series.

Updated: 21 Jul 2023, 06:57 PM IST