The upcoming iPhone 15 launch is suspected of being delayed by a few weeks, arriving in October instead of the usual September timeframe.
The unusual claim comes from an investment note by BofA Global Research analyst Wamsi Mohan, who correctly predicted that the iPhone 12 family would see a delayed launch six months before the handsets went on sale.
Mohan says channel checks led him to believe Apple might’ve delayed the iPhone 15 launch by a few weeks. He wouldn’t speculate what could be behind this, but another report claims it’s the skinnier bezels on the iPhone 15 Pros.
iPhone 15 could arrive in October instead of September
The Information adds color to Mohan’s report, saying the new screens caused production issues, which could lead to a shortage of units at launch.
Apple’s suppliers are using a new manufacturing process for the two models, the most expensive of the upcoming series of iPhones, that will allow it to dramatically narrow the width of the display’s black border, known as the bezel. This will allow the iPhone 15 Pros to have a slightly larger screen when compared with previous models, without making the devices larger.
If the iPhone 15 doesn’t enter mass production in August, then Mohan could be right about the iPhone 15 launch being pushed back into October.
A delay of several weeks would be enough to cause sales of the new iPhone to be recorded in the December quarter instead of the September one. However, no other analyst has corroborated Mohan’s report at the time of writing.
Due to the suspected delay, Mohan estimates that Apple’s guidance for the September quarter will disappoint Wall Street analysts and investors.
Apple’s guidance for the September quarter
Apple will provide guidance for the September quarter when it reports financial results for the June quarter on August 3. According to Mohan’s estimates cited by Barrons, the Cupertino technology giant will report a September quarter revenue of $87.1 billion versus the average expectation of $91.6 billion.
The iPhone 15 family should look and feel the same as the iPhone 14 series, with the most significant enhancements in the camera department.
The 48-megapixel camera that debuted on the iPhone 14 Pros could expand to all models in the iPhone 15 lineup. Moreover, the iPhone 15 Pro Max should introduce a periscope lens camera, enabling a much deeper optical zoom.