Apple’s upcoming iPhone 9 has already piqued the interest of the public. And with all the attention it has gotten, Apple has already started to prepare for the mass production of its next budget iPhone. But unfortunately, it looks like the mass production date will be affected by a major supply chain issue: the coronavirus outbreak.
It’s no secret that Apple’s biggest manufacturing bases are in Shanghai. And with the country’s current struggle of containing the virus, there is a large risk that the production of the new iPhone 9 device will be disrupted as well. Even though their sites are around 500 kilometers away from Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, it still poses a threat to the workers. As of this writing, there have been 66 coronavirus cases in the area with one registered fatality in just the past week. The other manufacturing plant based in Zhengzhou, Henan, has a total of 168 cases with one confirmed death.
Right now, the situation is being monitored closely. But with the growing number of confirmed cases, it’s possible that the Chinese government could force factories to close temporarily as a way of preventing further contamination. If this happens, it could largely impact the supply chain and turn into “a major investor worry”. And even though Apple is well-prepared for any major supply chain issues that may arise, a big number of its iPhone assembly takes place in China. If the government decides to temporarily close factories, there would be a shortage of workers and this could affect the smartphone business.
As for its iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, it’s likely that Apple already has a number of units ready for release. This could minimize the disruption brought about by the viral outbreak. Its big problem is with the iPhone 9, which is still slated for a late March announcement. This model has not yet entered mass production and its supply could depend on how this outbreak further progresses.
What To Expect From The iPhone 9
When it comes to appearances, the iPhone 9 is said to be a mix of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 11. The phone will have a 4.7-inch LCD screen, Touch ID home button, and thick bezels. It will operate with Apple A13 Bionic chipset instead of the A11 Bionic chipset and will have 3GB of RAM.
According to rumors, the iPhone 9 will have a main camera similar to the iPhone 11. But this still remains to be seen. Apple will retain the 1,821mAh cell that it previously used with the iPhone 8. Upon release, the iPhone 9 will ship with iOS 13.
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