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Apple has been expected to have quite a busy month this March with several products rumored to be announced. However, the spread of COVID-19, aka coronavirus, might force Apple to change its plans in the coming weeks.
The iPhone SE 2 is one of the most anticipated devices to be announced this month. While the unveiling event is now reportedly uncertain to take place, the device seems to still be on track for a release soon as it purportedly enters pre-mass production.
iPhone SE 2 unveiling: Will Apple still host a product launch event this month?
Apple was believed to hold a late March event where the iPhone SE 2 would be presented. However, the YouTube channel EverythingApplePro reported a tip from known leaker Max Weinbach that the Cupertino, California-based tech giant might downsize its March plans.
An insider claimed that Apple might be obliged to cancel the said event and instead announce the iPhone SE 2 and other products through press releases and launch them through a website refresh. Weinbach’s source, however, reiterated that Apple would prefer to push through with the event.
It was also implied that the iPhone maker is communicating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) possibly seeking recommendations regarding the event. In interim guidance posted earlier this week, the CDC does not explicitly advise the cancellation of gatherings with huge crowds. However, it stated, “As the COVID-19 outbreak evolves, CDC strongly encourages event organizers and staff to prepare for the possibility of outbreaks in their communities.”
In recent years, Apple has held events in March though not as huge as the one usually taking place every September. Last year, the company released the second generation of AirPods in March without any major affair and only popped up on the website.
iPhone SE 2 release date feared to be moved to Q2 2020
DigiTimes mentioned in two reports (via MacRumors) that the iPhone SE 2 has entered the final product verification or the pre-mass production stage at an assembly site in Zhengzhou, China. However, the same publication claimed that Apple’s orders of printed circuit boards for the device with an LCD panel have been moved from Q1 to Q2 2020. If accurate, this could mean that the iPhone SE 2 might miss its rumored March release date altogether.
