iPhone 12 production to begin mid-September, Airtags already being made

Iphone 12 Design Leak
Iphone 12 Design Leak (Image credit: EverythingApplePro)

What you need to know

  • A new report says mass production of the iPhone 12 will begin later this month.
  • Production of the cheapest 6.1-inch model will account for 40% of production.
  • Apple's Airtags are already in production, as are a large number of new iPads.

A new report from Nikkei Asian Review says the iPhone 12 will enter production in mid-September.

According to the report:

Manufacturing will begin on a limited scale, with mass production expected to begin gradually between the end of September and early October. This timetable is still behind Apple's usual schedule over the past few years, when mass production began in August for lineups released in September, but it is a large improvement compared with the situation a few months ago, two sources familiar with the matter said.

The report notes Apple may just miss its target of 80 million units for the year and may come closer to 73 or 74 million.

The report says Apple will begin production of a least one model, the 6.1-inch OLED iPhone 12, before the others, and that this model accounts for 40% of the orders Apple has placed, indicating it is expected to be the most popular model.

iPhone 12 (2020): Rumors, release date, price, features, and more

The report says "Apple has also significantly boosted manufacturing orders for the upcoming iPads to meet demand for teleworking and remote learning", asking for 27 million units for September through December. That number is as much as the iPad inventory for the second half of last year.

Nikkei also says that Apple's Airtag accessory is already being made:

Apple is also preparing a new accessory, known as the Airtag, that will allow users to track non-Apple devices, a source with knowledge of the device said, adding that the new gadget has already gone into production.

In a tidbit, the report also says that Apple has no plans to introduce a new generation of iPhone SE next year.

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9