Apple's first-ever 5G iPhone could be delayed by two MONTHS due to coronavirus, insiders warn

APPLE'S first 5G iPhone may be delayed by up to two months, pushing its expected release date back to November, according to reports.

The California tech titan's latest mobile, thought to be called the iPhone 12, has suffered multiple setbacks due to the coronavirus crisis, and now a fresh spanner has been thrown in the works.

Qualcomm, the US firm that makes microchips for iPhones, announced major setbacks this week in its production of 5G chips, reports The Verge.

In the firm's Q3 earnings report, it listed a "partial impact from the delay of a global 5G flagship phone launch" for its fourth quarter projections.

That quarter covers July, August and September, and it's hard to imagine that the report is talking about anything other than the new iPhone.

Apple releases a new iPhone range every September, and is heavily rumoured to be releasing its first 5G-ready mobile this year.

Qualcomm didn't mention which phone-maker it was talking about in its report.

However, due to the sheer volume at which it will sell, the latest iPhone is one of the few upcoming mobiles that Qualcomm might need to share the material impact on an earnings call, according to The Verge.

Speaking to Reuters, Qualcomm's Akash Palkhiwala suggested the unnamed phone could be delayed by up to two months.

He described the issue as “a slight delay that pushes some of the units out from the September quarter to the December quarter for us.”

Qualcomm's December quarter encompasses October, November and December, so in a best-case scenario the new iPhone may only be pushed back a few weeks.

Apple hasn't announced it's making a new iPhone yet, although it's fairly safe to say one is in the works.

We already know a fair bit about the 2020 iPhone due to various leaks and rumours.

Recent reports have suggested the iPhone 12 will come in four variants, all with 5G connectivity.

The mobile will allegedly come in various sizes: A 5.4in mini version, a 61in iPhone 12 base model, a 6.1in 12 Pro and a 6.7in 12 Pro Max.

According to repected analyst Chung-Hoon Lee of UBI Research, the mini will cost as little as $700 (£560), while the 6.1in base and Pro models will come in at $750 (£600) and $999 (£800) respectively.

The largest of the bunch, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, will cost $1,099 (£890), Lee claims.

While similar in size, the 12 and 12 Pro will differ in the number of cameras on the back: Two and three, respectively.

As with Apple's most recent mobiles, the iPhone 11 series, we can expect the rear triple camera array to include wide-angle and telephoto lenses.

Apparently, the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will also come with LiDAR scanners.

LiDAR is a type of laser technology that measures distances to accurately map a scene in 3D.

It means you can create much more accurate augmented reality effects – like Pokémon Go or advanced Snapchat filters.

iPhone tricks to try today

Here are some of the best…

  • Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
  • Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
  • Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
  • Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
  • Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
  • Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier

Apple recently added LiDAR to a product for the first time ever with the launch of the new iPad Pro.

At a reported 5.4in, the "mini" iPhone 12 will be Apple's tiniest mobile since 2017's iPhone 8 (4.7in).

It'll fit easily in the palm with a design that goes against the recent trend of "bigger is always better" followed by the world's leading smartphone makers.

The key feature for the iPhone 12, though, will be 5G connectivity, according to the leak. All four models will have it as standard.

5G is the next generation of mobile internet, expected to deliver blisteringly fast download speeds – changing the way we use our handsets forever.

With 5G, you can download a full HD movie in seconds over your network connection.

In the USA, 5G is available in a number of cities on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.

EE, Vodafone and others have already launched in the UK, and they're seriously impressive.

In other news, Android users are being warned not to download a specific phone background as it could crash their device.

Apple's next AirPods could track your heart rate – using light sensors in your ears.

And, 3D designers have mocked up what the Apple Watch 6 could look like.

What's your favourite iPhone? Let us know in the comments!

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