Supply Issue With Qualcomm LTE Chips Assures Fall Launch of New iPhone?

A supply issue with Qualcomm LTE chips could assure that the next iPhone will launch in October, according to analyst Gene Munster.

In a note to investors, Munster says that even if Apple wanted to launch its next generation iPhone this summer, supply issues would prevent that from happening.

"It is more likely the phone launches in October given Qualcomm commentary around 28nm chip supply," he said. "We believe Apple will include LTE in the iPhone 5 as an important feature in the product update."


Munster also noted that the timing of the launch is "irrelevant" and all the matters is how compelling an upgrade the LTE device will be.

Apple is expected to utilize Qualcomm's "MDM9615" LTE chip in the new phone.

Update:
"At this stage we cannot secure enough supply to meet the increasing demand we are experiencing," said Qualcomm Chief Executive Paul Jacobs.

"Demand went so far ahead of availability that we've decided to start spending more money to get more supply as soon as possible," he told Reuters. "Any time we can't make a customer totally happy I'm going to worry. You don't want to give a customer a reason to go elsewhere."



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