Regarding scheduling issues, the researcher noted that volume production and official launch schedules are likely to lag 4-6 weeks behind original schedules, affected by the virus crisis. One positive factor could be the extra unemployment benefits to be released by the US government, which could affect the scale of actual shipments of the iPhone 12 lineup by as many as 10 million units in H2. However, if Tencent’s WeChat messaging, social media and mobile payment app is no longer available in China or pre-installed, shipments of all iPhone products in 2020 will be nearly 10 percent lower than the original estimate of 190 million units.
Apple is expected to bring a number of upgrades to the upcoming lineup, including for its camera modules, displays and communications modules. All of the new iPhone products will come with facial ID functionality and support mmWave 5G technology, while the top-end model of the iPhone 12 lineup will be equipped with a ToF camera. The wide-angel lens of its rear camera will also come with sensor-shift optical image stabilization functionality.
Foxconn Electronics and Samsung Display are the major beneficiaries of the iPhone supply chain, with the former still the primary supplier of smartphone frames and assembler of the new iPhone products, and the latter the exclusively supplier for a variety of Amoled panels.
