iPhone 12 mass production looks set to begin very soon

iPhone 11
The successor to the iPhone 11 (above) might finally almost be ready (Image credit: TechRadar)

We know Apple is behind on the iPhone 12, as even the company itself has said there’s a delay, but sources suggest the delay has been cut from months at one stage to just weeks now, with mass production apparently set to begin in either late September or early October.

That’s according to “sources familiar with the matter” speaking to Nikkei Asian Review, who added that Apple is supposedly aiming to make 80 million 5G iPhones by the end of the year, but that realistically it’s more on target to make 73 or 74 million.

Of these, apparently around 40% will be the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max, so there might not be as many units of the other three rumored models - the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max - on day one.

iPads and AirTags, but no new SE

Apple has also apparently placed production orders for 27 million iPads for the September to December period, and unlike the iPhone 12 there supposedly hasn’t been much disruption here.

The sources also claim that Apple has already begun producing AirTags – a long-rumored Tile-like accessory that you could attach to devices to track them if they’re ever lost.

Finally, these sources state that Apple isn't planning a successor to the iPhone SE (2020) for next year.

As ever we’d take all of this with a pinch of salt, especially as Apple is holding an event on September 15 – which seems a bit early for an iPhone 12 launch if the phones won’t even have entered mass production yet.

Then again, Mark Gurman (a source with a good track record for Apple leaks) claims the upcoming event will be for the Apple Watch 6 and a new iPad (likely the iPad Air 4), with the iPhone 12 not landing until October, which is a time frame that would line up with these production schedule leaks. With that September 15 event fast approaching, we should know the truth soon.

Via GSMArena

TOPICS

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

Latest in iPhone
iPhone 16 Pro Desert Titanium in hand
I think the rumored iPhone 17 Pro redesign looks great – but is it Apple enough?
Apple iPhone 16 Review
New iPhone 17 report lends weight to rumors of major display and camera upgrades, and a pricey Apple foldable
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The latest iPhone 18 leak hints at a major chipset upgrade for all four models
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold main display opened
Apple is rumored to be prioritizing battery life on the foldable iPhone – which could also feature a liquid metal hinge for added durability
The home screen on an iPhone 16e smartphone
I think the iPhone 16e is too expensive – and as it turns out, so does nearly everybody else
Apple iPhone 16 on orange background with big savings text overlay
You can get a free iPhone 16 Pro Max without a trade at Verizon right now - with one minor catch
Latest in News
DeepSeek
Deepseek’s new AI is smarter, faster, cheaper, and a real rival to OpenAI's models
Open AI
OpenAI unveiled image generation for 4o – here's everything you need to know about the ChatGPT upgrade
Apple WWDC 2025 announced
Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
OpenAI logo
OpenAI just launched a free ChatGPT bible that will help you master the AI chatbot and Sora
An aerial view of an Instavolt Superhub for charging electric vehicles
Forget gas stations – EV charging Superhubs are using solar power to solve the most annoying thing about electric motoring