Just as it emerged that the next tablet computer to come from Apple, the iPad 2, may be delayed until June, new rumours suggest the company’s next smartphone – the iPhone 5 – could also be held up until September because of component shortages.
It emerged earlier today that the iPad 2, which was expected to launch next month, might actually be delayed until June because of a production bottleneck at manufacturer Hon Hai caused by design changes insisted upon by Apple. This was unearthed by an analyst at Taiwanese firm Yuanta Securities.
It has since emerged that another analyst from US firm FBR Capital Markets has learned from contacts that despite various casing suppliers and touch manufacturers ramping up, some chip vendors have not yet received iPhone 5 orders.
There are also question marks over sockets such as the image sensor being bought up exclusively by Omnivision and Sony.
Apple plans to build 100m iPhones this year and 45m iPads
Given these factors, FBR analyst Craig Berger suggests the iPhone 5 launch will most likely take place in September.
Berger’s contacts suggest Apple is planning to build 100m iPhone devices this year, higher than Wall Street estimates of 75m.
It is also believed Apple has boosted its own internal iPad sales target to 45m devices from 38m originally.
