Apple orders bucketloads of iPhone9 units as device enters trial production
iPhone 9 CAD-based render
The iPhone 9 is now less than two months away and Apple has reportedly taken a big step towards starting the mass production process and ensuring there’s enough stock to meet the anticipated demand.
Apple has ordered 30 million iPhone 9 units
Citing reliable sources within the supply chain, MyDrivers is today claiming Apple has finally started trial production of the highly anticipated iPhone 9. This process will be used to iron out any issues and ensure assembly lines are running smoothly.
If everything goes to plan and there are no major problems, Apple should start full mass production in mid-February. This will give the company around six weeks to build up a large level of stock ahead of the smartphone’s official introduction in March.
Apple has reportedly ordered an early batch of 30 million units of the iPhone 9. Of course, as CEO Tim Cook admitted during the most recent earnings call, the ongoing coronavirus outbreak has the potential to impact production in China, which means some units could be delayed by a few weeks.
On the bright side, the phone’s debut should provide a strong boost to Apple’s financial results in the second quarter of 2020. MyDrivers believes it will also push the Silicon Valley-based giant’s total iPhone shipments for the year above 200 million units.
Last year, the company narrowly missed the sales milestone with shipments of 196.2 million units between January and December 2019, according to Counterpoint Research.
The iPhone 9 will be accompanied by the 2020 iPad Pro
The iPhone 9 will reportedly offer a 4.7-inch LCD screen coupled with the A13 Bionic chipset, a Touch ID home button, and a single rear for just $399. But it’s far from the only product Apple has up its sleeves for the coming months.
An a premium version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is reportedly being developed alongside the 11-inch and 12.9-inch devices expected to debut in March. This version, however, will incorporate the faster A14X Bionic and a mini-LED display, which should provide a drastic improvement in quality over the existing LCD screens.
Premium headphones, AirTags, and a wireless charger are also coming
Apple has been working on Tile-like tracking tags for months under the name ‘AirTags.’ They reportedly rely on the U1 Ultra Wideband chip included inside the iPhone 11 series and should allow users to track items with much more accuracy than permitted over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
This accessory is also expected to debut at the March event, although Apple could delay it until WWDC in June.
Lastly, Apple is said to be planning a pair of premium over-ear Bluetooth headphones. The product has reportedly been under development for over two years but, following several delays, is finally expected to make an appearance in the near future.