The smartphones impacted by coronavirus (so far) [UPDATED]

The impact of coronavirus is far reaching, affecting almost all walks of life. While public health is of course at the forefront of concerns, the virus has also resulted in a somewhat tumultuous period for the technology industry.

The first big tech world casualty was Mobile World Congress, an annual tradeshow where manufacturers descend upon Barcelona to reveal their latest and greatest devices. Many of the devices set to be on show - such as the Huawei Mate XS and OPPO Find X2 Pro - were instead announced via live streams. Others have yet to be unveiled.

As the impact of COVID-19 spreads globally, we're starting to see more smartphones affected by the disease - from both a release and manufacturing perspective. Here's a rundown of the devices and device launches influenced by coronavirus so far.

iPhone 9

Apple was set to unveil a new entry-level iPhone, thought to be called the iPhone 9, at the end of March. However, the event has been postponed according to a report published by Cult of Mac. While the decision relates to a mass gathering ban in the county, Cult of Mac's source suggests that device production delays were another factor that forced Apple's hand. Apple was expected to also unveil new iPads at its March event.

Replacement iPhones

In addition to new iPhones, coronavirus is reportedly affecting Apple's supply of replacement iPhones according to Bloomberg. At this stage, replacement devices for customers with heavily damaged iPhones are set to be in short supply until around the end of March.

Apple has also shut all of its retail stores worldwide, indefinitely. 

Google Pixel 4a

Google was almost certainly going to unveil a new budget device - the Pixel 4a - at its annual developer conference in May, I/O. I/O has been cancelled, however, and Google has yet to detail its next actions.

Huawei P40 Pro

Huawei was originally set to unveil its next flagship smartphone - the P40 Pro - at an event in Paris at the end of March. The event will now take the form of a livestream instead. It is not clear whether the change will impact the P40 Pro's availability.

Motorola RAZR

The reinvented RAZR was originally scheduled to go on sale locally on February 24, but Motorola pushed the release date to mid-to-late March. JB Hi-Fi originally expected the RAZR to be available from March 17, but the device has since disappeared from its website. 

However, a Motorola spokesperson told us the company is still expecting stock to arrive this month and the device to be ranged with "existing named partners", which includes JB Hi-Fi and Telstra. 

Telstra has yet to be provide any details on when it might have RAZR stock. When asked, a spokesperson said the company has "no further updates". 

WWDC

It's not technically a phone, but Apple typically holds an annual developer conference at the start of June where it reveals the next major versions of its iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating systems. It will now beheld as an online only event. 

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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