iPhone SESource: iMore

What you need to know

  • A report from DigiTimes claims that PCB orders for the iPhone SE 2 have been deferred.
  • They say that Taiwan-based manufacturers will see second-quarter jumps in revenue as a result.
  • The move was reportedly spurred by the coronavirus outbreak and could signal a delay to Apple's rumored iPhone SE 2.

A DigiTimes report claims that Apple has deferred orders for PCB components to the second quarter of 2020, possibly signaling that the launch of the iPhone SE 2 has been delayed.

According to the report:

Taiwan-based flexible PCB makers in the supply chain of Apple devices will see their shipments for the upcoming entry-level iPhone SE2 deferred from the first quarter to the second, and their second-quarter revenues may buck seasonal trends because of the deferral, according to industry sources.

As the coronavirus outbreak has reportedly prompted Apple to defer pull-in of PCB shipments for its iPhone SE2, originally set for launch in the first quarter, leading PCB maker Zhen Ding Technology - believed to be a supplier for the new iPhone - has expected better-than-usual revenue performance for the traditional off season in the second quarter, the sources said.

The story references expected updates to both the MacBook and iPad lineups, which we already knew about. However the report clearly states that the iPhone SE 2 was "originally set for launch in the first quarter", surely suggesting it is no longer being released on said date.

Recent speculation had previously suggested that Apple would hold an event on March 31 to launch the iPhone SE 2 (also referred to as the iPhone 9). The reports are unconfirmed and Apple has of course not given out any information. It has also recently been suggested that Apple might not make its September window for the lunach of the iPhone 12, this latest DigiTimes report is the first potential indication we've seen that the recent coronavirus outbreak might also impact Apple's long-rumored budget iPhone.