The iPhone 12 launch is officially late, with Apple confirming the news last month. But following a remarkable leak earlier this week, involving senior Apple executive Eddy Cue, it now appears that the iPhone 12 has been delayed again.
Following a video presentation, featuring Cue, that claimed the iPhone 12 announcement was “just days away”, three different sources have now announced that the launch is still almost three weeks away. Respected Apple sites MacRumors and AppleInsider, as well as popular Apple tipster Jon Prosser, have all revealed their sources state the iPhone 12 range will be announced on October 13 with pre-orders opening on October 16 and the devices hitting shop shelves on October 23.
This comes as a shock on multiple levels. First, the contradiction to the “just days away” presentation leak and second, Apple’s own claims. In June, Apple CFO Luca Maestri said the new iPhones would be “available a few weeks later [than usual]” and with September 7, 9 (twice), 10 and 12 (twice) making up the launch dates for the last six generations of iPhone, that put a late-September time frame in focus. Instead, we are now looking at more than a month.
Will the additional wait for new iPhones be worth it this year? Personally, I remained unconvinced. The headline upgrades are support for 5G, a new angular chassis design and a LiDAR sensor. But these are being undermined by incremental performance upgrades, the return (yet again) of a large notch in the display and bizarre battery downgrades. Prices are also going up, despite Apple planning to remove both EarPods and the charger from the box.
As it stands, I wouldn’t be rushing out to buy these devices – which feel like fourth generation iPhone X models with first generation 5G hardware. Especially with Apple planning to launch its first 2021 iPhone early next year.
