It’s very unlikely the 5G iPhone and iPhone SE 2 will arrive on time

Apple will struggle to have its hotly rumoured first 5G iPhone and iPhone SE 2 ready in time for September, according to fresh reports from the Bank of America.

According to Bloomberg, the Bank of America released guidance to investors suggesting both new iPhones will be delayed by at least a month earlier this week.

The note is reportedly based on a conversation the bank had with an expert familiar with Apple’s supply chain. The company is reportedly struggling due to delays caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The report lines up with previous rumblings Apple’s 2020 line of iPhones will suffer delayed launches that break Apple’s standard September release cycle.

Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported the firm has been forced to “diversify its list of camera lens suppliers” for the iPhone 12 following coronavirus related delays last week.

Apple CEO Tim Cook denied reports of potential delays in an interview with Fox, but the sheer volume of reports is not painting a pretty picture. Apple hadn’t responded to Trusted Reviews’ request for comment on the alleged delays at the time of publishing.

The firm reportedly already suffered massive delays with its 5G iPhone plans following chip shortages with Intel, it’s the supplier, last year. Apple bought Intel’s modem business, in a move believed to be designed to speed up the process, following the reports.

Apple is expected to launch four iPhones and a new Apple Watch this year. These include new iPhone 12 models plus a smaller screened option that will fall into the firm’s older SE branding.

There have also been reports the coronavirus issues could ramp up the iPhones’ RRP, though this is just hearsay at the moment.

The firm hasn’t revealed any formal news on any of the phones. Analysts at Gartner told Trusted Reviews it is unlikely any of the new phones will be cheaper than the iPhone 11 earlier this month, however.