Tech analyst Jon Prosser previously claimed that Apple will launch the smartphone on 15 April, and would begin shipping it on 22 April.
"Per an internal meeting yesterday, Apple is now preparing for an April release," said Prosser.
"Keep in mind: we're in the middle of a pandemic, and things could change."
However, the analyst has since claimed that Apple may release the iPhone 9 a day earlier – on 14 April.
This is reportedly because Apple wants to launch its new smartphone before OnePlus launches the OnePlus 8 – which is set to be launched at an online event on 14 April.
"OnePlus is scheduled to give us the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro on April 14, and this wouldn't be the first time that Apple has done this – Apple has stolen OnePlus's thunder before," said Prosser.
What to expect from the iPhone 9
Various leaks have given a good indication of what the iPhone 9 will offer.
It is expected to have the same form factor as the iPhone 8 and could use the same 4.7-inch LCD display and home button.
The home button was dropped from the iPhone when Apple launched the iPhone X range.
While the body may remain the same as the iPhone 8, the iPhone 9 is expected to boast modern features and hardware.
These include a significantly improved camera, which PhoneArena has reported will deliver similar performance to the camera of the iPhone 11.
It will also reportedly use Apple's A13 Bionic chipset.
Reports vary on whether the iPhone 9 will have 3GB or 4GB RAM, and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the smartphone will come in 64GB and 128GB storage options.
The iPhone 9 is expected to be priced from $399, and will reportedly come in three colours – silver, space grey, and red.
