There's hardly an event that hasn't been affected or postponed due to Coronavirus in 2020, and despite an iPhone release that not only happened slightly late but in two stages (the regular iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were announced and launched in stores in October, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max arrived in November) noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that it'll be back to business as usual for Apple in 2021, promising a traditional and timely launch of the iPhone 13.
Kuo has a strong track record when it comes to unofficial iPhone and Apple product information, so the intel (first shared by 9to5Mac) is worth a read.
In a new investor note, Kuo states that the mass production schedule of the iPhone 13 will be the same as for previous iPhone models before the 12 lineup. That means (fingers crossed) we can expect all iPhone 13 models available by September 2021 without delays.
This year, with most Apple employees working from home, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the company’s associated factories around the world and even the internal production of devices at Apple headquarters. However, with the long-awaited Apple AirPods Max finally here (available to pre-order now, with stock arriving tomorrow) and the new and quite brilliant HomePod Mini landing barely a month ago, Kuo isn't worried about production snafus in 2021.
Kuo has also said he is unconcerned about the lower shipping forecast for the A14 chip – the one used in the iPhone 12 phones – in Q2 2021 compared to Q1 2021, which he claims is “seasonal” and to be expected since the company that makes it will begin shifting its focus towards developing the new A15 chip – the one that will equip the iPhone 13 lineup.
The analyst also states that Apple's premium iPhone 12 Pro sales remain strong and that demand for this year’s Pro models is better than expected, although the Cupertino giant has reportedly been facing supply issues with the Sony camera sensors used for iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
No news on prices, specs, sizes, resolutions or an official release for the iPhone 13, but if you believe Kuo's predictions, it seems 2021 is looking bang on course for Apple.
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