Battling coronavirus-related delays, the iPhone 12 appears to be well on its way to an October launch. And of the four rumored models, the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max is likely to receive the biggest push out of the gate.

Nikkei Asian Review reports that iPhone 12 production will begin in mid-September and ramp up toward the end of September or early October. This is consistent with Apple's stated expectation of a delay of several weeks.

The Nikkei report provides many other details, including that AirTags accessories are already in production and that Apple is increasing iPad orders. However, there is some bad news for the iPhone SE.

Nikkei reports that Apple will begin production of "the lowest-priced version with a 6.1-inch OLED screen and two rear-facing cameras. Based on previous leaks, we believe this model is the iPhone 12 Max. In fact, according to the publication, this device will account for 40% of the production order.

We recently reported that Apple will produce two 6.1-inch iPhone 12 models first, meaning that the regular iPhone 12 Pro will be produced at the same time as the iPhone 12 Max. This is what Digitimes reported, citing sources in Apple's supply chain. This would mean that the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max would be delivered later.

Therefore, it is possible, but not confirmed, that the iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro will arrive in October and the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be released in November.

As popular as the new $399 iPhone SE is for Apple, Nikkei reports that Apple has no current plans to release a new version of this device next spring. This would be a surprise, given that shoppers might expect Apple to add 5G connectivity, making the best budget phone more future-proof.

For example, Google will follow up its $349 Google Pixel 4a with the Google Pixel 4a 5G this fall. A faster Snapdragon 765G processor is also expected. However, the Pixel 4a 5G will likely be more expensive due to the addition of 5G, with a rumored price of $499. [The iPhone SE has proven so popular that analysts credit the device with helping Apple beat iPhone sales expectations in the most recent quarter while other phone makers were recovering from the economic hit of the coronavirus.

While this seems like bad news for those looking for a cheap iPhone, Apple can always change its plans.

Last but not least, Apple has reportedly started production of AirTags, a new accessory that directly competes with Tile and the best key finder to help find lost items.

The key difference between Tile and AirTags is that Apple is utilizing Ultra Wideband technology in its devices, which means AirTags will have better accuracy and range. In addition, AirTags could work with augmented reality apps, allowing users to hold up their iPhones and scan a room for objects connected to AirTags.