Apple Inc. has just cancelled the event that it had scheduled for March 31st, due to the coronavirus scare. The company was expected to announce the highly anticipated iPhone SE 2 (aka iPhone 9) phone with a compact design. The iPhone 9 is one of the most anticipated launches from the Cupertino-based tech conglomerates due to the presumably lower price tag the device is expected to carry. With the launch event now standing cancelled, Apple is yet to announce a new date for the event. Apart from the iPhone 9, Apple was also scheduled to launch the new iPad Pro at the event.
The decision to cancel the event was taken as Santa Clara County has put a temporary ban on mass public gatherings due to the rising number of COVID-19 infections in the area. According to Front Page Tech YouTuber, Apple is currently probing alternate possibilities like moving the event to a different venue or arranging an online press release. Formal announcements are yet to be made.
Coronavirus infections have heavily impacted the production schedule of the iPhone 9. Reports suggest the phone will launch in March or later, depending on the company’s ability to boost its current production capacity. If Apple fails to pick up the pace of production, it could also affect the launch of its upcoming flagship range, the iPhone 12, scheduled to arrive in September this year.
Apple has extended travel ban on its engineers till the end of April, further delaying the production cycle of the iPhone 12. Under normal circumstances, Apple engineers travel to China to check on new products before proceeding for mass production. If the company is to launch the iPhone 12 by fall of 2020, the device should be under mass production by March.