Oliver Haslam on January 28, 2020, 8:17 pm

China’s Coronavirus Outbreak Could Put A Dent In Apple’s iPhone 9 Production Schedule

Apple’s schedule for iPhone 9 production and sale could be impacted by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in China, according to reports.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has been speaking with analysts about the potential for manufacturing and delivery issues of the unannounced iPhone SE replacement.

The phone will likely be built in China by either Foxconn or Pegatron. and while neither are at the center of the outbreak, one analyst believes that it’s unlikely that Apple’s suppliers won’t be impacted in some way.

“I can’t imagine a scenario where the supply chain isn’t disrupted,” said veteran industry analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy. “If there’s one major hiccup in the raw materials, fabrication, assembly, test, and shipping, it will be a disruption.”

While Foxconn has already sought to allay fears that it may struggle to meet orders and demands in the coming weeks, it does stand to reason that even the slightest delay in the supply chain could snowball into something serious for Apple. However, it’s important to remember that none of this will be of any concern to those on the ground treating those affected.

In that regard, Apple CEO Tim Cook has already tweeted to say that his company will be donating money to those in China who are helping fight the current outbreak of coronavirus. The virus is an acute respiratory infection that had not previously been discovered.

(Source: Bloomberg)