Apple might be launching iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro in two stages – 6.1-inch models first

Iphone 12 Design Leak (Image credit: EverythingApplePro)

What you need to know

Apple has already confirmed that it will not launch iPhones in its usual September window.
A new report claims Apple will split its four iPhones into two stages.
Two 6.1-inch iPhones will kick things off.

Apple will launch its four 2020 iPhones in two different stages, according to a new report by MacRumors and DigiTimes.

Apple has already confirmed that its iPhone launch won't happen in September, but DigiTimes cites sources when it says that the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will ship first. The other models, a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro will follow.

This all seems to be down to the shipment dates of various iPhone parts.

Apple may launch its 5G iPhones in two stages, with two 6.1-inch models in the first and another two 6.7- and 5.4-inch devices in the second, the sources said, adding that suppliers of SLP (substrate-like PCB) mainboards for the former models have recently kicked off shipments, with those for the latter to start in late August.Shipments of flexible boards for new iPhones will peak some 2-4 weeks later than usual this year, the sources said.

The iPhone 12 lineup is expected to be the first big iPhone design change in a long time and it's also thought to be the first with four new iPhones launching at the same time. Three screen sizes will be offered, with a 5.4-inch, two 6.1-inch, and one 6.7-inch model offering plenty of options for those picking up a new handset this time around.

Apple has already done the split launch thing before, having the iPhone X and iPhone XR arriving in November and October of their respective years – following the iPhone 8 and iPhone XS, respectively.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.