Supply chain analysis from Daniel Ives at Wedbush indicates the iPhone 13 is on track for a usual launch in September.
Last year, supply chain disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic saw Apple breaking its usual tradition with no new iPhone models launching in September. Instead, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro were released on October 23, with the Mini and Max arriving November 13.
In previous years, Apple has released iPhone models across multiple months. For instance, in 2018, the iPhone XR was released in October but the iPhone XS lineup had launched in September as normal. However, 2020 was the first year that Apple did not launch a single new iPhone model in September, a trend that had been otherwise maintained since the iPhone 4S in 2011.
Wedbush says supply chain checks indicate that the iPhone 13 lineup is currently planned for release in the third week of September. However, ‘product model tweaks’ could push that out to early October, at least for some models of iPhone 13.
The iPhone 13 is expected to feature various feature upgrades, such as a high-refresh rate 120Hz display, a smaller notch, and improved cameras. As reported previously, the analyst believes that the iPhone 13 will offer 1 TB storage models for the first time.
Wedbush expects Apple to build 25% more iPhone 13 units than iPhone 12, with current estimates in the 100 million range. The analyst believes iPhone demand remains strong, largely driven by consumer and carrier interest in 5G handsets.
Author: Benjamin Mayo
Source: 9TO5Google
