Kuo: mmWave 5G iPhones Have 'Potential Delay Risk,' Production on 6.7-Inch iPhone Delayed to October

Some of Apple's upcoming 5G iPhones could see a delay in production, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a note shared with investors. mmWave models, which will feature the fastest 5G functionality, have a "potential delay risk" and may launch outside of the normal timeline.

fouriphones2020
Production on the mmWave iPhone may be pushed back because of changes to the antenna package that were made in early April, and delays in qualification process services.

The mmWave iPhone will be pushed back because the design of the antenna in package (AiP) changes in early April. Additionally, the test lab is closed and can't offer qualification process services. If the pandemic can't be controlled well until July, then we think that the shipment allocation of mmWave iPhones will decrease to 5-10% from 15-20%.

Kuo says the rumored 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch iPhones will go into mass production in September, but mass production on the larger 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ will be delayed until October because it has the "most complicated" design.

Apple decided to start the online qualification process remotely and delegate more tasks to local employees for new iPhone development. The change takes time; therefore, it had caused a one-month delay in entering the engineering verification test (EVT) for all new 2H20 iPhones. We believe that there is a likelihood that new 2H20 6.1-inch and 5.4-inch iPhones will go into mass production in September. The mass production of the new 2H20 6.7-inch iPhone will be delayed to October because this model’s design is the most complicated.

Delaying mass production on the 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ until October would result in the ‌iPhone‌ launching later in the fall than expected. Other rumors have also suggested Apple could stagger ‌iPhone‌ launches this year due to production and verification process delays.

According to Kuo, ‌iPhone‌ SE sales were better than expected, but overall demand for iPhones is down. In the worst case scenario, Kuo estimates second quarter ‌iPhone‌ shipments of 29 to 32 million units, declining 20 to 25 percent year over year.

If consumer confidence and purchasing power recover in the third quarter of 2020, ‌iPhone‌ shipments could fall as little as 10 to 15 percent year over year.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Early Black Friday iPhone Deals

Monday November 10, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...

Top Rated Comments

PickUrPoison Avatar
73 months ago
October or even November, doesn’t really matter. If it’s late, it’s late. It’ll be the least of anyone’s worries.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neoelectronaut Avatar
73 months ago

The 11 Pro models are amazing devices. Waiting a little longer on the 12 won't be a big deal for me and I suspect for other 11 Pro owners.
Why would anyone that owns a iPhone 11 even buy an iPhone 12? The gap in performance has to be minuscule.

Looking forward to see how that 5.4" model pans out. Gonna be the deciding factor between me buying a new phone or just putting a new battery in my 2017 iPhone SE.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dwalls90 Avatar
73 months ago
iPhone 4S and iPhone XR launched in October. iPhone X launched in November. It's not like this is totally unprecedented, and not that bad of a rumored delay considering the challenges the world is facing.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
triangletechie Avatar
73 months ago

While I get your statement, not everyone has a 11 Pro, nor is the 12 Pro for those with the 11 Pro.
That's why I said it isn't a big deal for 11 Pro owners.


Why would anyone that owns a iPhone 11 even buy an iPhone 12? The gap in performance has to be minuscule.

Looking forward to see how that 5.4" model pans out. Gonna be the deciding factor between me buying a new phone or just putting a new battery in my 2017 iPhone SE.
People with disposable income. People who like to update yearly. AKA many on this site.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
triangletechie Avatar
73 months ago
The 11 Pro models are amazing devices. Waiting a little longer on the 12 won't be a big deal for me and I suspect for other 11 Pro owners.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mtneer Avatar
73 months ago
What's all the fuss about this mmWave? From what I understand you can only use it within line of sight from a tower unit and is very sensitive to even slight changes in unit orientation. So, how is this better than just plain old WiFi???
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)