Apple’s launch of the iPhone 15 series could be delayed “by a few weeks,” pushing the debut of the company’s next-generation smartphone lineup past its usual September deadline, according to Wamsi Mohan, a global equity analyst at Bank of America.
Mohan shared his prediction in a research note obtained by barrones after performing channel checks on Apple’s supply chain. Mohan said it looked like the launch could move into the fourth quarter, which runs from October to December, and he was concerned that the third-quarter guidance could disappoint Wall Street analysts as a result of the possible delay.
Mohan now sees September quarter revenue of $87.1 billion, well below consensus of $91.6 billion, even with a 2.5% tailwind in the quarter due to favorable exchange rates. The analyst said he expects sales of 48 million iPhone units in the September quarter, below the Street consensus forecast of 51 million.
Mohan, who is a frequent participant in Apple’s earnings calls, did not give a reason for the alleged iPhone 15 launch delay, and there have been no other indicators from other sources to suggest that Apple’s next flagship iPhone lineup might not arrive in September, so his prediction should be taken with a grain of salt.
Last year, Apple announced the iPhone 14 series on September 7. Subsequently, the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and Pro Max went on sale on September 16, but the iPhone 14 Plus didn’t launch until October 7, reportedly due to production disruptions caused by Chinese lockdowns at manufacturing sites.
This year Apple is expected to maintain its four-iPhone lineup strategy, introducing an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, with iPhone 15 Pro models again expected to include features not available on The most affordable iPhone 15 devices.
Looking to the near term, with Apple’s latest earnings now just two weeks away, Mohan said the company’s June quarter results are likely to be “mostly in line” with Street’s estimates, though he expects all Apple’s hardware categories show year-over-year sales declines. in the room.