Apple iPhone 14 set to launch later this year

A worrying development may lead to the iPhone 14 release date being pushed back to this year. Apple suppliers in China are reportedly behind in the development of at least one of the iPhone 14 models due to strict COVID-19 lockdowns. While the Cupertino-based tech giant has urged suppliers to speed up the process, there is growing concern that this could cause a delay in the smartphone's launch as manufacturing timelines may be affected. How Apple handles this situation remains to be seen.

According to the latest Nikkei Asia reports, an executive at an Apple supplier said: "It's a challenge to make up for lost time. ... Apple and its suppliers are working around the clock to speed up development." The executive also told Nikkei that the speed of the reopening process has been "pretty slow."

iPhone 14 release date may be pushed back as Apple suppliers struggle to reopen

There are three key vendors for Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 lineup: Foxconn, Pegatron, and Luxshare Precision Industry. Nikkei reports suggest that Pegatron's iPhone assembly plants located in Shanghai and Kunshan have been put on hiatus due to lockdowns. While the Shanghai plant has been given permission to resume operations under closed-loop management, the speed of reopening has fallen short of expectations due to restrictions. According to unnamed sources who spoke to Nikkei, the suddenness of the month-long shutdowns and strict containment measures at Apple's manufacturing centres caught the company off guard.

It appears that previously Apple believed the situation would be easily handled as things seemed to be under control and vendors were used to operating amidst strict COVID-19 guidelines. However, following the lockdowns and delays in reopening, it is feared that the ultimate impact will fall on the manufacturing schedule and eventually the iPhone 14 release dates.

"The operation of the entire supply chain in China has not yet returned to normal despite the openings of Shanghai and its neighbouring regions … It is understandable that this would "not only affect the production but also new product development. It would take at least one to two more months for the supply chain to recover", Chiu Shih-fang, a veteran supply chain analyst with the Taiwan Institute for Economic Research told Nikkei.