iPhone 12 set to smoke Galaxy Note 20 Ultra thanks to this surprise advantage

Apple could see its iPhone 12 fly off the shelves while the Note 20 Ultra goes nowhere

Apple iPhone 12 video
(Image credit: iupdate)

The iPhone 12 is set to be revealed this autumn, with all four models making their debut at Apple's dedicated September event. While there were concerns that Apple might have to delay its next flagship because of COVID-19 and the impact it's had on production, it seems that it's out of the woods and everything is back on track - mostly.   

Just last week, we heard that the availability of the iPhone 12 could be limited; usually the smartphones hit shelves just a week or two after being unveiled but in this instance, that probably won't be the case, and now another industry analyst has weighed in with the news that this could be a blessing in disguise.

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Industry analyst Ross Young has tweeted that we can expect delays with the 6.7" iPhone 12 Pro Max (the largest of Apple's four devices) as well as the 6.1" iPhone 12 Pro. This is apparently down to the fact that the production of the display panels is lagging behind the base model 5.4" iPhone 12.

The iPhone 12 screens are in production now, while the larger displays won't be getting their turn until August. Young didn't mention where in that timeline the 6.1" iPhone 12 Max sits.

Inevitably, with the iPhone 12 becoming available first, and at such an attractive price point, the smartphone is sure to fly off the shelves, and as Young adds, it'll enjoy a "healthy early lead in volume" compared to the rest of the series.   

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That's not the only advantage Apple will enjoy - as Young notes, Samsung is going to have the opposite issue with its Galaxy Note 20 series. The more expensive Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is going to be available in a higher volume at launch than the more affordable (comparatively speaking) Galaxy Note 20. 

Not everyone is going to want to shell out for the premium options from either smartphone manufacturer, so having copious amounts of the base model ready at launch is the smartest move and will shift units far quicker than having limited supplies of the basic model and lots of the more expensive option on hand.  

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra could well be the most expensive handset in the Note series to date, so it looks like Apple is perfectly placed to blow Samsung out of the water in spite of the iPhone 12 delays simply by dint of prepping its cheapest handset for release first.  

Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.